A group of hare coursers have been ordered to pay more than £34,000 in fines, kennelling fees and court costs. Four men were stopped by officers as they travelled in a black Ford Focus on Main Road, Gedney Dyke.
They were stopped at around 1.45pm on Thursday, October 10, around 15 minutes after a call was made to the Lincolnshire Police control room that men, a vehicle and dogs were chasing prey on arable land.
The incident is reported to have taken place at Holbeach St Marks, a remote and rural area in south Lincolnshire. Officers saw the Ford being driven and pulled it over, where there were five people inside and four sight hound dogs in the rear.
The number plate had been smeared in mud to make it unreadable, police said. The dogs were seized, as well as slip leads, a camouflage jacket and mobile phones.
The men were charged with being equipped for searching or pursuing hares. All the men pleaded not guilty but were found guilty at a trial at Lincoln District Magistrates' Court on Thursday, August 28. The case against a 15-year-old boy was withdrawn.
PC Karen Irving, of the forces Rural Crime Team, said: "Don't come to Lincolnshire hare coursing. The dogs were seized and because the four men refused to sign the dogs over, they have incurred £28,560 in kennelling and welfare fees.
"The court ordered they won't be getting their dogs back. We will do everything we can to stop this vile offending. Protecting our rural communities and wildlife is what we are here for, every day, all year."
Elijah King, 20, and Joseph King, 41, both of Teston Road, Offham, West Malling, Kent, were each fined £750.
Elijah Moore, 44, Stonehurst Lane, Hadlow Down, East Sussex, was also fined £750. Charles Lee, aged 42, Polhill Park, Polhill, Halstead, Sevenoaks, Kent, was fined £1,250.
They must also each must pay compensation of £7,140 for kennelling and welfare costs. All four of the men were handed a Criminal Behaviour Order banning them from entering Lincolnshire between July 31 and April 30, which is recognised as hare coursing season.
The men must also not enter any of the five counties under the East of England agreement with, or in the company of anyone, with dogs of any breed during this same time, which includes Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire. The men are also not allowed to be in any of the five counties under the East of England agreement with any instruments to be used for poaching, either during the day, or night-time.
A deprivation Order was made for four dogs, including two brindle greyhounds, a cream lurcher and a black and tan saluki greyhound, and a number of leads, slip leads and collars. They men must also pay CPS costs of £162.50 and a victim surcharge of £300 (£500 for Charles Lee).