Hunt sabs sentenced for acting in ‘threatening and abusive way’
A family in Scotland has been fined after being found guilty of acting in a threatening or abusive way towards members of a hunt.
Colin and Beverly Milne and their daughter Amy Lilburn were found guilty after a week-long trial at Perth Sheriff Court that finished on Wednesday (27 January).
The family, from Toutie Street, Blairgowrie, showed video footage of the hunt, which was taking place on the Snaigow Estate, on 13 March 2015, to the police.
However, they were detained themselves for their behaviour.
The family had snoods pulled up and hats pulled down, covering their faces.
The family appeared in court last year (16 March), alleged to have followed and filmed people with the intention of disrupting a hunt. They were found guilty.
During last week’s sentencing Sheriff William Wood said that they had gone “overboard” and were “reckless”.
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He added that any person would “suffer fear or alarm” and feel “threatened” by their conduct.
The saboteurs followed the hunt for between 10 and 12 miles.
Mr and Mrs Milne were fined £200 each, while Lilburn was admonished.
“We are pleased that the threatening behaviour of these sabs was recognised by the Scottish court,” a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance told H&H.
“We understand that not everyone agrees with hunting and they are entitled to their views, however there is no excuse for people to mask up and act in an intimidating manner, as this family did.
“It is ironic that they brought this conviction on themselves, rather than their behaviour having been reported to the police by the hunt.
“We urge hunts to video all incidents of violence and aggression. This sort of harassment would not be tolerated in any other sphere.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.