The CLA (Country Land and Business Association) has commented on new guidelines for sentencing hare coursing offenders (by The Sentencing Council) with courts required to ‘fully recognise the harm these offences cause’.
The Sentencing Council’s news release is further below in blue text.
Hare coursing and poaching continue to be recognised as priority wildlife crimes, increasingly characterised by organised criminal behaviour, strategic planning, evolving tactics, and cross-border offending.
Offenders are often linked to organised crime groups that exploit vulnerabilities within rural and farming communities. The consequences are far-reaching, impacting not only protected wildlife but also the safety, well-being, and livelihoods of those living and working in the countryside.
Claire Wright, CLA national lead on poaching and hare coursing, said:
“Hare coursing is a brutal crime with far-reaching consequences, so we welcome the new sentencing guidelines.
“Coursing impacts not only wildlife but also the safety, wellbeing and livelihoods of those living and working in the countryside. Courts must take cases seriously and deliver the strongest sentences possible to send out a clear message to offenders.”
