Stourport, Worcestershire / Market Drayton, Shropshire / Ryton, Shropshire: Joseph Smith, Michael Toogood and Ben Evans

CONVICTED (2023) | hare coursing gang Joseph Smith, born c. 1984, of Lower Heath Caravan Park, Watery Lane, Stourport-on-Severn DY13 9PR, Michael Toogood, born c. 1996, of the Paddocks, Warrant Road, Stoke on Tern, Market Drayton TF9 2DZ, and Ben Evans, born c. 1999, of Pigeon Door, Ryton, Shrewsbury SY5 7NQ

Convicted for hare coursing: L-R Ben Evans, Joseph Smith, Michael Toogood, who are all travellers
Convicted for hare coursing: L-R Ben Evans, Joseph Smith, Michael Toogood

Travellers Michael Toogood, Joseph Smith and Ben Evans (who has previous for dog cruelty alongside wife Alexandra Evans) were prosecuted for trespassing with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs.

Animal abuser: Joseph Smith from Stourport, Worcestershire, West Midlands
Joseph Smith from Stourport. Worcestershire
Animal abuser: Joseph Smith from Stourport, Worcestershire, West Midlands
Animal abuser: Joseph Smith from Stourport, Worcestershire, West Midlands
Smith and a hare-coursing chum Micheal Mongan share some memories
Animal abuser: Michael Toogood from Market Drayton, Shropshire
Michael Toogood from Market Drayton, Shropshire
Animal abusers Ben and Alexandra Evans from Ryton, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Ben and Alexandra Evans from Ryton, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire

The trio pleaded guilty to the offence on 21 February 2023 and were sentenced.

The offence occurred on 28 October 2022, when the three men trespassed onto farmland in Letcombe Bassett, Wantage, Oxfordshire.

They had four lurcher type dogs and were looking for hares.

They were each fined £500, and have to pay £85 in costs and £200 in surcharge.

Thames Valley Police
Express & Star

One thought on “Stourport, Worcestershire / Market Drayton, Shropshire / Ryton, Shropshire: Joseph Smith, Michael Toogood and Ben Evans”

  1. Bit Of Work The Scum Want.
    They wouldn’t have the energy to go out Hunting or Poaching, or whatever else they have been up to before they were caught.

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