Home | Friday 18th July 2008 | Issue 640

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THE LOOK OF THE HUNTED

The Crawley and Horsham Hunt’s attempts to stop animal lovers filming and disrupting their illegal fox hunting (See Schnews 637) are not going according to plan.

Their slimy solicitor, Timothy Lawson-Cruttenden (TLC), had booked a day in court to get a ‘temporary’ injunction to create criminal offences of trespass on hunt land. Up to his usual tricks, he tried to get the injunction on the flimsiest of evidence - using a shortcut procedure normally reserved for cases with no dispute over the facts. This legal manoeuvre backfired when it was pointed out that virtually every fact was in dispute.

Instead of granting the interim injunction, the judge ordered a speedy trial now set for the 28th July for 4 days. Those members of the hunt able to understand what was going on looked decidedly uncomfortable by the end of the day when the judge ordered them to pay most of the costs of the hearing, due to TLC’s underhand delaying tactics.

Hunt monitors are determined to stop this injunction saying, “We cannot let these people get away with illegal animal abuse by buying their own private laws, just because they are stinking rich. Just as we have not been put off by regular violent attacks from hunt supporters, we will not be deterred by attacks to our civil liberties.”

The murdering inbreds at the Countryside Alliance have already pointed out that if this hunt succeed in banning effective monitoring then other hunts around the country could follow suit, leaving the foxes totally unprotected.

* Meanwhile in other hunt-related courtroom news, one hunt monitor was acquitted of criminal damage at Lewes magistrates. The case revolved around the cracked indicator light and bent bumper of a hunt vehicle which had been used to block monitors in (see SchNEWS 623). The mags accepted that his behaviour in attempting to shunt the Land Rover out of the way with his own vehicle had been reasonable.

The most confusing aspect of the case was the role of PC Caroline Ross, who had been riding with the hunt in the morning when they were observed illegally hunting. Flashing her warrant card she ordered monitors off of private land. At about 4.30 pm, after riders had trampled two female sabs and the hunt had packed up, there was an altercation between hunt and monitors.

Hunt supporters then used vehicles to block in the the monitors. PC Ross was at home with her husband - police sergeant Graham Ross. On receiving a summons via mobile phone from the Lady Master of the hunt, the pair returned in plain clothes and in their own car to direct police operations. Curiously, although all the hunt supporters in court claimed to be acting on orders from the police – Caroline Ross denied having issued any such instructions. Even more strangely she denied being friends with the Lady Master saying she ‘wouldn’t invite her round for dinner’. Unfortunately her husband rather blew that during his turn on the stand saying, “They’re great friends – they go hunting together” (No worries Graham we’re sure a bunch of flowers’ll do the trick.)

Despite a series of 999 calls from the trapped monitors, cops at Lewes HQ were assured that everything was in order. It took a further 50 minutes for the monitors to be allowed to go on their way, and not before the driver had been nicked for criminal damage!

SchNEWS always knew the police and hunt were in it together but rarely has the conspiracy been conducted with such cack-handed inefficiency.

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