Woman charged over conflict with hunt

An anti-hunting activist has been charged with aggravated trespass, assault and harassment of a North Wales hunt employee.

The charges relate to an incident on 28 January and footage that Chester-based Judi Hewitt took and posted online of the Flint and Denbigh Hunt’s countryman Rob Smith using a terrier to flush a fox from underground to a waiting gun, in accordance with the Hunting Act. No date has yet been set for the court case and Ms Hewitt has not entered a plea.

Joint-master of the Flint and Denbigh hunt Jeremy Reed said: “Rob was keeping to the letter of the law and had the full permission of the landowner. We understand that people do oppose fox management but we believe Ms Hewitt went too far.”

Tim Bonner of the Countryside Alliance added: “It is important that hunts realise that they can take action over harassment from activists. If hunts help themselves by collecting evidence and are willing to make a statement we can support their complaints.”

This story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (31 July, 2014)

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