CONVICTED (2022) | East Essex Hunt terrier-man Paul O’Shea born c.1973, of Lower Jennies, Mount Bures, Bures CO8 5AP – stabbed a terrified fox with a garden fork.
O’Shea admitted hunting a wild mammal with dogs and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The terrier-man was captured on camera alongside 16-year-old daughter Scarlett O’Shea in Great Monks Wood in Pattiswick, Essex, in December 2021. Secret filming by the North London Hunt Saboteurs showed O’Shea using a Patterdale terrier dog to flush a fox out of artificial earth and catching it in a net placed over the entrance. He subsequently attacked the fox with a garden fork by ‘stabbing it’ several times before kicking it.
Magistrate Paul Jee said there was a “deliberate” and “high level” of suffering.
“In the first instance, there was the use of a ‘hard terrier’ which was chasing and biting the fox underground, and still hanging on to it when it came out,” he said.
“We heard that the fox was picked up by his brush, which would have caused terror and suffering ,and we saw for ourselves repeated attempts to stab the fox with a fork. Whether it pierced the skin or not, we don’t know, the body was never found.”
Scarlett O’Shea, who was present throughout the harrowing incident, was also charged with hunting a wild animal with dogs, but the case against her was discontinued.
PC Jed Raven, of Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team said: “This was a particularly nasty incident. The fox was attacked by the dog until O’Shea grabbed the fox by its tail to pull it out of the net. He then attacked the poor fox with a large garden fork, stabbing it several times, before kicking it.
“Sadly, we don’t know exactly what happened to the fox as the film did not capture this. What is certain is that the fox would have been caused a great deal of physical pain and discomfort, as well as mental terror. This is simply not acceptable.
“The film footage of the incident was extremely distressing. We were determined to ensure O’Shea did not get away with his cruel acts so we immediately sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, which helped us to secure the charges against him.”
“O’Shea maliciously targeted a fox with his dog before violently stabbing it with a garden fork. The footage that was captured showed his cruel treatment of the fox, and this key evidence led to O’Shea’s guilty pleas. Cruelty to animals is unacceptable and we are working closely with specialist police rural engagement teams across the country to bring perpetrators to justice.”
CPS district prosecutor Sally Robinson said: “This was an abhorrent example of animal cruelty and hunting committed by a terrier-man in the East Essex Hunt. Mr O’Shea flushed a fox and then utilised a pitchfork to commit unnecessary suffering to it. The Crown Prosecution Service take all cases of animal cruelty and hunting offences seriously and where the Full Code Test is met, will take steps to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Sentencing | 18-week suspended prison term; 200 hours of community service; £233 total costs. Banned from keeping any dog for five years. O’Shea received no separate penalty for hunting a wild mammal with dogs – an offence under the Hunting Act 2004.
Additional Information
Paul O’Shea is employed as a project manager with the Orchard Group. The CEO of that firm, Simon Fordham, is reportedly an ex huntmaster himself.
O’Shea is married to Wendy O’Shea, who is one of the Joint Masters of the East Essex Hunt
In addition to 16-year-old Scarlett, the couple have an adult son named Charlie O’Shea, who like his father is a terrier man for the East Essex Hunt. He also operates an agricultural business named O’Shea Contractors
Source: Hunting Leaks
The road past Little Jennies is also a public footpath…