The British Hound Sports Association reports that 15 criminal prosecutions against rural workers and volunteers have failed or resulted in acquittals over a six-year period. these legal failures have prompted claims that police are misusing public money to target residents of rural areas.
15 collapsed prosecutions and 25 rural workers targeted
A breakdown of recent legal failures shows a pattern of unsuccessful litigation involving countryside enthusiasts. According to an analysis by the British Hound Sports Association, 15 criminal prosecutions brought against 25 farmers, rural workers, and hunt volunteers have either collapsed or ended in an acquittal over the last six years.
The report details various ways these cases have failed to reach a successful conclusion. Nine of these cases were discontinued or withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before a trial could occur, while three others ended with the prosecution offering no evidence once they reached court. Additionally, two cases were dismissed by a district judge on a submission of no case to answer, and one defendant was found not guilty following a full trial.
The Warwickshire highway obstruction case that fell apart
Olivia Forsyth, a 42-year-old horse livery owner from Warwickshire, serves as a prominent example of these legal complications. In February, Forsyth was charged with obstructing a highway during a hunt meet, an incident that occurred while she was attempting to prevent a hunt saboteur from driving away.
The legal process for Forsyth was extensive and invasive, involving a two-hour police interview, the collection of fingerprints, and a DNA mouth swab. However, as reported by The Mail on Sunday, the CPS eventually discontinued the case after determining there was "no realistic prospect of conviction." Forsyth described the experience as "hellish," noting that she had been forced to wait many months for a resolution.
Six-figure sums spent on failed countryside prosecutions
Oliver Hughes, representing the British Hound Sports Association, claims that six-figure sums of taxpayer money are being diverted toward these unsuccessful prosecutions. he argues that these funds are being spent on cases against community volunteers and rural workers rather than on solving serious crimes such as burglaries and rapes.
Critics of the current policing model argue that rural communities are being unfairly targeted. Hughes suggested that if these prosecutions were based on race or gender, there would be much greater scrutiny of the police and CPS. The association contends that rural workers are being shamed in the media and having their lives disrupted for years, only for the charges to be dropped without clear explanation.
Why individual police forces are driving 10 of 15 cases
Several specific questions remain regarding the motivation behind these legal actions , particularly since the CPS noted that 10 of the 15 prosecutions were initiated by individual police forces. It remains unclear why these specific forces are pursuing cases—such as those involving badger setts or hounds on country lanes—that frequently fail to meet the threshold for conviction.
While the British Hound Sports Association presents a scathing critique of these tactics, the report primarily features the perspective of rural campaigners.. There is currently no detailed response from the individual police forces or the CPS regarding why these specific types of countryside offences are being prioritized if they lack a realistic prospect of success in court.
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