The 2024/25 hunting season is just about getting underway, with hunts terrorising fox cubs around the country right now. But there’s good news: yet more hunters have been found guilty in court.
Somerset Sabs wrote of the court case:
“The shovel-wielding Weston and Banwell terriermen. Ian Dinham and Brian (Anthony) Pearce finally had their day in court yesterday. They appeared at Taunton Magistrates Court on Friday, 9th August. They pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming that their unprovoked attack was self defence.
Ian Dinham was charged and found gulity of assault and ordered to pay £2,472.
Brian Pearce was charged and found guilty of assault and intent to cause harm, harassment and fear under section 4 of the public disorder act. He was ordered to pay £1,607.”
Attacked with a spade
Back in November 2023, we reported on how police were trying to track down one of the assailants of the assault. He was promptly identified and arrested.
Somerset Sabs released footage of the attack at the time. They said:
“Terrier man Brian Pearce and unknown assailant lost control and showed their violent side yesterday after sabs helped 2 foxes to safety and prevented a dig out.”
Mendip Hunt Sabs, who were also on the ground that day, wrote:
“Frustrated by our constant presence, it was then that one of the foot sabs was subjected to an unprovoked vicious attack from two terriermen, who beat him with a spade, and punched and kicked him whilst he was on the ground. His camera was also ripped from his grasp and thrown over a tall hedge. Avon & Somerset police were called, but did not attend. All of this was caught on camera by another Somerset sab.”
Defended by infamous lawyer
Pearce and Dinham were defended by defence lawyer Sam Harkness, who has represented some of hunting’s most vile men. Somerset Sabs said of him:
“He has made a name for himself defending terriermen. His last high-profile hunt case was his defence of the horrendous Avon Vale Hunt throwing a dug out fox to the hounds. Hope he’s expensive for all his losses.”
Violence is the norm
Protect the Wild writes regularly about the violent and abusive tactics used by hunters and their supporters, as they resort to desperate measures to get a kill. One month ago, we reported on how a security guard, working for the notorious Wynnstay Hunt, pleaded guilty after racially abusing a hunt saboteur.
And less than two months ago, we wrote about the case of Robert Cundy, terrierman for the Essex and Suffolk Hunt. He was convicted after breaking the terms of a Community Protection Notice after he terrorised hunt monitors on his quad bike.
As the 2024/25 hunting season gets under way, Labour is threatening to properly ban hunting for good. Hunts will, no doubt, blame saboteurs and monitors for the impending ban, and will have an axe to grind. We can be certain that there will be more violence directed at those who put their bodies in the way of hunts.
