CONVICTED (2022) | Luke Rix, born October 1990, of Gilks Lane, Oxhill Warwick CV35 0QE – filmed himself hunting wildlife with dogs.

Rix admitted three offences following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.

The animal welfare charity was contacted after videos and images were discovered on an iPad belonging to Rix by his former partner. They showed hunting and persecution of wild mammals using two dogs who were left injured as a result.

Inspectors from the RSPCA joined the officers from Gloucestershire Police when they carried out a warrant at an address in Broadwell Hill, Broadwell, Cheltenham GL56 0UE, where Rix’s phone was seized and his dogs examined by a vet.

A number of videos and photographs were found. One clip contained disturbing footage of Rix filming while two dogs – one being his dog Gunner – attacked a wild boar.

Rix can be heard to be encouraging the dogs saying “look at that boys – big pig – go on boys” and the dogs can be seen latched onto the neck area of the boar as it screams in pain and distress. The boar was already bleeding from a wound caused by Rix stabbing it.

The vet who examined Gunner found he had a fracture of the upper right canine, missing upper incisors and had lower worn lower incisors and marked dental disease that was so severe the vet felt this would have caused pain for at least three years

Records showed he had not seen a vet since 2019, at which time Rix had been advised that the fractured tooth needed removing due to associated infection and dental disease was pointed out.

Following his rescue, Gunner had to have more than 20 teeth removed.
In an interview, Rix said he had always hunted and had previously been a gamekeeper.

RSPCA solicitor Lindi Meyer, who represented the charity in court, said: “Other seized videos and photos showed dogs ripping apart a fox, dogs with injuries, terriers tormenting a caged rat, and discussions of boar, badger and fox hunting, and conversations with people on social media regarding his hunting exploits.

“Whilst not the subject of criminal charges, all this relevant background information found on his devices shows that the incident with the boar was not an isolated incident and shows he has used his dogs in other situations to set upon a wild animal and that this is a game to him which he will glorify by filming and bragging by distributing it. It also shows that he is prepared to put his dogs at risk.”

In mitigation, it was said Rix was going through a difficult time in his life because of the breakdown of a relationship and issues with his business.

Sentencing | Jailed for 18 weeks; £628 in costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

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Additional Information

Rix, a former gamekeeper and with links to several fox hunts, is now a tree surgeon by trade.

His company is named Simia Forestry Ltd. Facebook page here, Instagram here.