Latest from Horse & Hound in Otis-ferry

Community service for man connected to Otis burglaries

Horse & Hound — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:57:45 +0000

A 35-year-old man connected to three burglaries from South Shropshire joint-master Otis Ferry’s home has been given a community sentence.

Clothing and wine stolen from Mr Ferry were found by police at Nigel Harris’s home in Lower Cross, Shrewsbury, in 2009.

Harris admitted receiving stolen goods at Shrewsbury Crown Court on 21 January.

He was sentenced to 12-months supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work. He must also return the property to Mr Ferry.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (27 January, 2011)

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Otis Ferry’s legal nightmare is finally over

Charlotte White — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:17:35 +0000

Otis Ferry’s legal ordeal is finally over after he admitted a public order offence at Gloucester Crown Court sitting at Cirencester on Friday (22 May).

Judge Martin Picton sentenced the South Shropshire hunt joint-master to a year’s conditional discharge and a £350 fine with £100 costs after the 26-year-old admitted causing “fear, stress and upset” to “hunt monitor” Helen Ghalmi.

Mr Ferry’s pleas of not guilty to charges of robbery, affray and assault were also accepted by the judge.

Defence barrister George Cox QC told the court that two weeks before the incident Mr Ferry’s Jack Russell puppy “Tiny” had been taken by, Mr Ferry believed, anti-hunt protestors.

“The dog was subsequently recovered, clearly having been taken by people who wished to make a political point,” he added.

The incident with Ms Ghalmi took place when Mr Ferry was visiting the Heythrop on 21 November 2007.

Mr Ferry, of Eaton Mascott, saw a Subaru car belonging to hunt follower John Deutsch being held up by Ms Ghalmi and another “monitor” Susan Grima. Mr Deutsch was trying to drive an injured horse for veterinary attention.

Mr Ferry rode to help Mr Deutch and there was a tussle in which Ms Ghalmi received “slight bruising” to her upper arm as he tried to tug her car keys from her grasp.

Mr Cox added that Mr Ferry is “often the subject of attention from those people who disagree with hunting on principle”.

Mr Ferry spent four months in jail on remand after he was accused of “nobbling” a witness against him in this case. He was exonerated on 1 May.

Mr Deutsch, 55, of Chipping Campden, admitted causing affray and was also fined £350 with £100 costs.

Judge clears Otis Ferry of ‘witness nobbling’

Charlotte White — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:34:41 +0000

A judge has officially cleared Otis Ferry of charges of perverting the course of justice, but the 26-year-old master and huntsman of the South Shropshire still faces trial for robbery and assault.

H&H reported last month that the two “witness nobbling” charges, which put Mr Ferry behind bars for four months, were to be discontinued (news, 12 March).

And on 1 May Judge Martin Picton found Mr Ferry not guilty of both charges.

Mr Ferry told H&H: “The prosecution has spent close to £1million on this case so far, including putting me in jail, so the judge has told them to think very carefully about the charges I am still facing.”

Mr Ferry’s barrister Geoffrey Cox QC has asked for a day of legal argument to take place before the judge. That is scheduled for 22 May.

Mr Ferry, of Eaton Mascott, Shropshire, and his co-accused John Deutsch, 55, of Chipping Campden, are due to be tried on 28 September at Gloucester.

They both deny robbing hunt monitor Helen Ghalmi of a camera and assaulting her during a day’s hunting with the Heythrop in November 2007.

Otis Ferry may have charges against him dropped

Horse & Hound — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:20:27 +0000

Otis Ferry has learned today that charges against him of perverting the course of justice could be dropped.

Otis, master and huntsman of the South Shropshire, spent four months remanded in custody charged with “nobbling” a witness during his trial for robbery and assault of a hunt monitor on 21 November 2007.

He attended Gloucester Crown Court on Monday, 9 March, to learn the prosecution planned to discontinue allegations against him.

The announcement by prosecutor Stephen Dent took Otis’s lawyers — and Judge Martin Picton — by surprise.

Judge Picton described the situation as “farcical and nonsensical”, saying he was “taken aback” after being persuaded to refuse Otis bail over Christmas. He has called for the lawyer in charge of the case to give him a full explanation.

During the course of last week, Gloucester police dropped “witness nobbling” charges against Countryside Alliance (CA) hunting officer Adrian Simpson and Ludlow joint-master Oliver Dale, and extended bail for Otis’s girlfriend, Francesca Nimmo.

Gloucester police said in a statement: “[We] have a duty to investigate such serious allegations and a full and thorough investigation has been conducted.”

Otis Ferry released on bail

Horse & Hound — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:37:52 +0000

Otis Ferry has been released on bail.

The master and huntsman of the South Shropshire has spent four months in jail over allegations that he “nobbled” a witness during his trial for robbery and assault.

He was arrested on 17 September on suspicion of perverting the course of justice after allegedly interfering with witness David Hodgkiss, his former groom.

Judge Martin Picton granted him bail last week at Gloucester Crown Court, on the conditions that he stays with his mother in London, does not contact prosecution witnesses or leave the country.

Leaving court last week, Otis told journalists: “I’ve missed my hounds, and I was looking forward to seeing them again.”

A pre-trial hearing has been set for 9 March.

Otis Ferry must stay in prison over Christmas, judge rules

Charlotte White — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:52:37 +0000

South Shropshire hunt joint-master Otis Ferry will stay in prison until his trial for robbery and assault, a judge has ruled.

Mr Ferry, 25, of Easton Maston in Shropshire, appeared at Gloucester Magistrates Court yesterday (3 December) to deny two charges of perverting the course of justice.

He is alleged to have approached witnesses in relation to other charges against him.

Mr Ferry has been in custody at Gloucester Prison since September on charges of robbery and assault against a hunt monitor.

A bail application was refused yesterday by Judge Martin Picton, who further remanded Mr Ferry until his trial on 9 March.

More arrests in Otis Ferry court case

Charlotte White — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:25:03 +0000

A Countryside Alliance official and Otis Ferry’s girlfriend have been arrested in the latest twist in the court action surrounding the high-profile master of foxhounds.

Francesca Nimmo, 22, was arrested by Gloucestershire Police at 7am on Friday 14 November at her Northamptonshire home.

Countryside Alliance Welsh director Adrian Simpson, 53, was arrested on Saturday at his home in Dyfed, Wales.

Police say they are both suspected of perverting the cause of justice and have been bailed until 28 January.

South Shropshire joint-master Otis Ferry is to remain in custody awaiting trial on charges of assault and robbery until his hearing on 9 March.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (20 November, ’08)

Otis Ferry to remain in jail until at least December

Horse & Hound — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:24:20 +0000

Otis Ferry will stay behind bars until at least December on two charges of perverting the course of justice.

Otis, 25, appeared in Gloucester Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on two charges of perverting the course of justice. He spoke only to confirm his name and address, and his lawyers made no appeal for bail that was refused last week.

The countryside campaigner and son of rock star Bryan Ferry has been remanded in custody until 5 December. He will enter his pleas on the two charges on that date.

But tonight, the South Shropshire master and huntsman is back behind bars. Earlier this week, Gloucester Police told H&H that Otis is “likely to be in Gloucester Prison”.

Otis Ferry of Keepers Cottage, Shrewsbury, was arrested last week on Wednesday 17 September as he was leaving Cirencester Magistrates Court. He had been on trial charged with robbery and assault during an incident on 21 November last year.

Otis is now accused of trying to approach his former groom Peter Hodgkiss, a prosecution witness in the trial.

He denies all charges.

Sitting at Gloucester Crown Court today, Judge Martin Picton said the two cases would heard together — with a trial date set for 9 March.

South Shropshire hunt chairman Marek Kwiatkowski told H&H that kennel huntsman Guy Fitzearle would be hunting hounds.

“There is no interruption to our hunting,” he said.

Otis Ferry stays behind bars tonight on new charges

Horse & Hound — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:29:53 +0000

Otis Ferry will stay behind bars after his application for bail was today turned down by Cheltenham Magistrates Court.

Otis, 25, from Shrewsbury, is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was arrested on Wednesday (17 September) when leaving Cirencester Magistrates Court. He was leaving court following the sudden halt of his trial for robbery and assault against a hunt monitor — charges that he denies.

Otis Ferry is a joint-master of the South Shropshire hunt, and son of rock star Bryan Ferry.

Otis is accused of trying to approach a prosecution witness in the robbery and assault trial. He has allegedly made a series of phonevcalls to his former groom, David Hodgkiss, a witness for the prosecution in the trial.

Otis Ferry was yesterday initially granted bail on the new charges, but prosecutor in the robbery and assault trial, Peter Ashby, lodged an appeal. Otis spent last night in police custody, and appeared at Cheltenham this morning for the appeal.

A well known countryside campaigner, Otis was one of eight activists who stormed the House of Commons in September 2004 while the Hunting Act was being passed.

The Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) described Otis to H&H as “a passionate campaigner.”

Otis Ferry in court today requesting bail on new charges

Horse & Hound — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:06:20 +0000

Otis Ferry appeared in Cheltenham Magistrates Court this morning requesting bail after being charged with perverting the course of justice.

Otis, 25, from Shrewsbury is a joint-master of the South Shropshire hunt, and son of rock star Bryan Ferry. He was arrested on Wednesday 17 September when leaving Cirencester Magistrates Court after a trial for robbery and assault was abandoned.

Otis is accused of trying to approach a prosecution witness in the robbery and assault trial.

He was yesterday initially granted bail on the new charges, but prosecutor Peter Ashby lodged an appeal. Otis spend last night in police custody, and appeared at Cheltenham this morning for the appeal.

The Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) told H&H: “He is a passionate campaigner.”

Otis Ferry trial adjourned for four weeks

Charlotte White — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:41:27 +0000

The trial of joint master of the South Shropshire hunt, Otis Ferry, for robbery and common assault has been adjourned for four weeks and the jury discharged.

The case opened on Monday, at Cirencester Magistrates Court but Judge Martin Picton abandoned the trial yesterday (Wednesday) after submissions from the prosecution and defence.

Mr Ferry, 25, who is the son of the musician Bryan Ferry, is charged with robbing Helen Ghalmi of a video camera and car keys on 21 November, 2007 and assaulting her on the same date. He denies both charges.

The woman was filming the Heythrop Hunt when Mr Ferry, of Cross Hands, Shropshire, is said to have carried out the offences.

South Shropshire joint-master Otis Ferry appears in court

Charlotte White — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:31:31 +0000

South Shropshire huntsman and joint-master Otis Ferry has appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on charges of robbery and assault.

Mr Ferry, 25, of Easton Mascott near Shrewsbury, is alleged to have stolen a video camera from a female hunt monitor and assaulted another woman while he was following the Heythrop hunt last November.

At the court appearance on Wednesday (14 May) Mr Ferry spoke only to confirm his name. He did not enter a plea.

A plea hearing has been fixed for 25 July and a trial date has been provisionally set for September 15.

Otis Ferry charged with robbery and common assault

Horse & Hound — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:15:44 +0000

Otis Ferry will appear in court on Wednesday 7 May, charged with robbery and common assault.

Otis, 25, is huntsman and master of the South Shropshire hunt. He is believed to have been following the Heythrop hunt at the time of the alleged incident in Lower Swell, near Chipping Norton, last year.

A spokesman from Gloucestershire police told H&H: “We can confirm that a 25-year-old man from Shrewsbury, near Shropshire, has been charged with robbery and common assault.”

The spokesman added: “He will appear before Cheltenham Magistrates Court on 7 May.”

The charges follow alleged scuffles with “hunt monitors” in Lower Swell last year, when Otis is reported to have pulled a video camera away from two women following the Heythrop.

Otis Ferry was given a conditional discharge for disorderly conduct in June 2005 after storming the House of Commons in September 2004 — when the hunting bill was going through Parliament.