CONVICTED (2016) | Aberdeen men Raymond Higgins, born c. 1971, of Summerhill Road AB15, Colin Stewart, born c. 1985, of Blackthorn Crescent AB16, and Mark Stewart, born c. 1990, of Clinterty Caravan Park, Kinellar AB21 0TN – used dogs to hunt hares.
The trio were found guilty of hare coursing after DNA evidence helped secure their conviction.
Specialist wildlife fiscal Fiona Caldwell said the Stewarts also took hares with dogs at locations across Scotland, including the island of Tiree, between November 15, 2015 and March 27, 2016.
This was admitted after police examined a Samsung video camera found in their van at Ladywell Farm, on the outskirts of Kirriemuir, Angus.
Ms Caldwell said the men had been engaged in “cruel sport” when police intervened.
“At approximately 8.30am on March 27, a witness was at home when he became aware of the Stewarts setting a dog on a hare at Ladywell.
“The witness was also aware of a vehicle, a Ford Focus which was being driven and was associated with the people in the field.
“This was driven by Raymond Higgins.”
Police attended and stopped the men in the van nearby, where they claimed they were searching for a missing dog.
Ms Caldwell added: “It was then put to them that persons matching their description were seen coursing hares earlier, which they vehemently denied.
“They were noticeably evasive after that point.”
Two of the three dogs were in the van and Colin Stewart asked to retrieve the third which was in some nearby trees.
“Shortly afterwards he made good his escape from the trees and was not traced,” Ms Caldwell added.
Additional units and a police dog were called in to trace Colin Stewart but he was not found.
The police later found footage of the Aberdeen men “posing” with dead hares and discussing the Kirriemuir incident on a video camera, and “extensive evidence” that both Stewart men had been involved in previous offences.
Three dogs were photographed and swabs taken for DNA analysis.
A post mortem by SAC Consulting: veterinary services confirmed a hare found at the scene had died from injuries caused by a large predator, later identified to be one of the dogs.
Dr Lucy Webster, Wildlife DNA Forensics, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) said: “This case demonstrates the power of animal DNA in wildlife crime investigation.
“A dog DNA profile recovered from the hare carcass is a match to one of the dependents’ dogs – providing very strong evidence to link these men to this specific hare coursing incident.”
Sentencing |
Colin Stewart: 135-day custodial sentence and one-year ban on having the custody of any dog.
Mark Stewart: one-year supervision order and disqualification of custody of any dog for a year.
Raymond Higgins: fined £400.
Bit Of Work The Scum Want.
They wouldn’t have the energy to go out Hunting or Coursing, or whatever else they have been up to before they were caught.
What sad lives they live.