A review into the behaviour of Warwickshire Police and its policing of fox hunting is underway. But pro-wildlife campaigners already have little confidence in the process, particularly because it has been commissioned by pro-hunting Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe.
The review was launched on 30 September in response to the way the force has dealt with the Warwickshire Hunt’s anti-social behaviour. Warwickshire Police has come under fire from the public, campaigners, hunt saboteurs – and even MP Matt Western – throughout 2023 and 2024 about the way it has policed the hunt.
The secret protocol
Back in December 2022, the police force issued the hunt with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) because of continued “unreasonable and dangerous use of the roads”. The CPN required the hunt to provide the police with advance notice of events, and details of the times and locations of road crossing points.
Then in August 2023, the police backtracked, retracting the CPN and saying that it was negotiating with the hunt to come to a “sensible working arrangement”, stating that the force had agree to “a protocol [that the hunt itself] had proposed.” The so-called protocol was never made public, despite demands by Western and his constituents. The force and Warwickshire PCC Seccombe argued that the document was exempt from being published under section 32 of the Freedom of Information Act.
In March 2024, the police stated that it had scrapped the apparent protocol, and that it would “publish a public code of behaviour setting out the expectations on anyone taking part in trail hunting activities in the county.”
A useless review
PCC Seccombe has published a list of objectives that the review seeks to understand. But West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs – who are on the ground as foxes’ only line of defence against the Warwickshire Hunt – argued that the review will do little to restore the public’s confidence in the police. The sabs stated:
“In our opinion the review should be asking, why was the CPN dropped in the first place and who authorised it?, What are the contents of the secret protocol?, Why was a secret protocol deemed an appropriate replacement for the CPN? Why wasn’t the protocol legally binding? Why were the contents kept secret from the community when the original CPN as the name suggests was meant to protect the community? Why didn’t the community have any involvement or say in the protocol? Did the Warwickshire Hunt have any involvement in writing the secret protocol?”
The sabs also said:
“To us and everyone else it’s pretty simple – the Warwickshire Hunt blatantly hunt foxes.
Senior officers and PCC Seccombe have supported and turned a blind eye to this for many years. We don’t need a “review’ to tell us what we already know. We need a review that will disclose the contents of the secret deal. Investigate CC Tedds and PCC Seccombe’s involvement with the secret deal and ask how much involvement did the Warwickshire Hunt have with it. Us, YOU, local communities and our wildlife deserve better.
How can a PCC who is a member of The Countryside Alliance, openly voiced his objection to the Hunting Act, and is friends with the Warwickshire Hunt have anything to do with wildlife and a review into fox hunting?”
Seccombe and Tedds’ involvement with hunting
Protect the Wild has previously written extensively about PCC Seccombe’s bias when it comes to hunting. We previously took a look at Seccombe’s numerous social media friends connected to the Warwickshire Hunt – and the list was long. When he was running for PCC again earlier in 2024, Action Against Foxhunting Midlands stated:
“For too long his corruption has tainted the Warwickshire police and has resulted in a major breakdown of trust. His personal affiliation to the Countryside Alliance and his love of fox hunting has meant that the Warwickshire Hunt have been able to terrorise local wildlife and residents, as they run wild, causing havoc on roads and intimidating the public.”
Meanwhile, the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) and West Midlands Sabs reported that Chief Constable Debbie Tedds resigned this week, the day after Seccombe announced that David Peet would be leading the review. The HSA wrote:
“West Mids Sabs published screenshots showing that the daughter of Chief Constable Tedds has an extensive list of friends on social media who are fox hunters, including masters from two separate hunts; the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase and (surprise, surprise) the Warwickshire Hunt.”
The sabs said:
“Tedds has clearly jumped before she was pushed, before all the awkward questions are asked by the review, before she has to reveal the contents of the secret protocol and her role in it. We won’t stop asking those questions and demanding truth, justice and transparency for our wildlife.”
Sadly for wildlife, it will be Seccombe who appoints her replacement.
As for the review itself, it remains to be seen whether it will be of any use. It is being conducted by David Peet, who is currently the Interim Chief Executive of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire. He has also been CEO of the offices of the PCC of both Leicester and Derbyshire. PCC offices are hardly known for taking a strong stance against illegal hunting.
While Seccombe commissions his review, it is unlikely that Warwickshire Police will be of much help to foxes.
- You can support West Midland Hunt Sabs – who are directly saving foxes, week in, week out. Donate to the group here.
