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When Craig Rooks was stopped by police and searched under the Hunting Act his phone uncovered his primitive interest in hare coursing; he called this his ‘dogging phone’.
Rooks had been stopped by police in North Greetwell, around 10am on Sunday 14 October last year while driving a Nissan X-Trail. Both the state of his vehicle and the equipment he had in his car suggested he was equipped to hare course.
The vehicle was fully searched under the provisions of the Hunting Act. Various items found in the vehicle linked Rooks directly to hare coursing activities, including the two long dogs, a thermal scope, binoculars, slip leads and rope. He was arrested on suspicion of going equipped for hunting or pursuing hares; his dogs, Bonny and Peggy, were seized, along with his car and the other equipment.
When his phone was examined it revealed his interest and previous involvement of hare coursing; some as recent as 11 days before his arrest. Videos and voice recordings between Rooks and his friends were found; the content being about hare coursing, planning future trips and bragging about how well he had done with his dogs and how good they were at killing hares.
Amongst the messages sent from Rooks one tells how his dog had previously "terrorised" a hare, so much so that it had run into a pipe. This is contrary to how a hare would normally behave.
During a police interview Rooks claimed he had the dogs and other items with him for the purpose of going rabbiting or for flushing foxes.
An investigation into his claims found it was very unlikely to be the case; he did not have permission to be conducting either activity from a landowner, he could not provide the necessary permission.
Dc Aaron Flint, our Force Wildlife Crime Officer, said: "The use of lurchers is not really a viable means of controlling rabbits. Rabbits rarely stray from their warren, are easily spooked and are quick to run for safety underground. Likewise, flushing foxes can only be done in very limited circumstances and only to prevent serious damage to property. The landowner must have provided permission.
"Considering the claimed activities and with the property Rooks had with him, I would say he was neither engaged in rabbiting nor flushing foxes to a gun.
"The equipment Rooks had with him, binoculars, thermal scope, two lurchers and makeshift slip leads are much more well known for use in illegal hare coursing.”
Rural crimes such as hare coursing have been prevalent across farms in Lincolnshire and surrounding forces. Historically there has been ignorance of the true costs of these offences and the threat and harm caused to rural victims.
Lincolnshire Police are a founding member of Operation Galileo, which is now a national response to hare coursing across the country. The operation has been very successful in reducing the cruel and brutal activity of hare coursing by identifying best practice and by using powerful deterrents; the confiscation and forfeiture of dogs, equipment and vehicles.
In addition, offenders can be handed orders on conviction including Criminal Behaviour Orders, driving bans and compensation costs for kennelling and care of their dogs while an investigation and criminal proceedings are ongoing.
During a trial at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 30 September, Rooks, 57, of Vicarage Gardens, Todmorden was found guilty of going equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs. He was sentenced today (25 October) and was handed a Criminal Behaviour Order for 10 years, prohibiting from entering or remaining on or during any day from 31 July to the 30 April, (which is the period recognised as the hare coursing season), in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, in the company of anyone with dogs of any breed. The order also includes possessing any instruments to be used for poaching either during the day or night-time with the five counties, until 24 October 2034.
He was ordered to pay compensation of £13,125 in respect of kennelling and vet fees, fined £100 and a victim surcharge of £114. A Depravation Order was made depriving him of his rights to his two long dogs, Bonny and Peggy, the thermal imager and binoculars. In addition he was disqualified from driving for 12 months and handed a Community Order for rehabilitation activity.