Hunt saboteur pleads guilty to harassing Surrey Union staff

An anti-hunting activist has pleaded guilty to harassing Surrey Union staff.

Nick Maffia of Tally Road, Oxted, Surrey, appeared before magistrates on 18 March. He admitted to using threatening, abusive or insulting words to cause alarm or distress in an incident at the hunt kennels last August.

A hunt supporter filmed Maffia and two others shouting abuse at staff for 45 minutes, after they returned from hound exercise.

Maffia was fined £150 with £350 court costs.

Tim Bonner of the Countryside Alliance said the case showed the value to hunts of gathering video evidence of harassment.

“Sadly this is something that many hunts up and down the country have to contend with week in and out during the hunting season,” said Mr Bonner.

“What the Surrey Union did was to video these extremists, so they have good evidence to take to the police and put before the court.

“It just shows that if you get good enough evidence the police will act on it,” he added.

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