Tag Archives: catapult

Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Traveller Animal Crimes, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Hampshire Hare Coursing Ring: Leonard Pinnick, Shane and Lloyd Jefferies, Martin Buckland Jr and Sr

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CONVICTED | for hare coursing: Hampshire travellers Leonard Pinnick, born 25 December 1986, of 83 Montgomery Road, Bitterne, Southampton SO18 4RX, Shane Jefferies, born c. 1996, of 3 Hornbeam Close, Botley, Southampton SO30 2SZ, Lloyd Jefferies, born 18 March 1988, of Tanhouse Lane, Botley, Southampton SO30 2SZ, Martin Eli Buckland born c. 1983, and Martin Tony Buckland, born 13 December 2003, of Church Farm, Hound Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton SO31 5JS

Busted: Hampshire hare coursing ring comprising travellers Leonard Pinnick, Shane Jefferies, Lloyd Jeffries, Martin Eli Buckland, Martin Tony Buckland

The five travellers were sentenced for hare coursing offences under sections 63 and 64 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

This is the first time Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has secured charges and convictions under this particular legislation since it was introduced in April 2022.

On the evening of 18 January, 2023, police received a report that a group of people had driven onto farmland in the Itchen Abbas area of Winchester, damaging crops in the process, before they began hare coursing in a field.

Officers were deployed to the area and located the vehicles – a Mercedes and a Jeep – before the Jeep reversed and collided with a police car.

Once police detained the Jeep’s occupants, the vehicle was searched and officers located three lurcher dogs, five dead hares, bolt croppers and a lamp.

The Mercedes meanwhile left the scene and was followed by police to Southampton where the occupants were detained.

Inside the vehicle were two more lurcher dogs, two dead rabbits, a slingshot and a lamp.

Following enquiries, five people were charged with offences and pleaded guilty in Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 3 August:

  • Leonard Pinnick pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs, and being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs.
  • Shane Jefferies pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs, and being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs.
  • Lloyd Jefferies pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs, being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs, criminal damage, and dangerous driving.
  • Martin Tony Buckland pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs, and being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs.
  • Martin Eli Buckland pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs, being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs, criminal damage, and dangerous driving.

Appearing at the same court on Monday 25 September, 2023, Lloyd Jefferies and Martin Eli Buckland were ordered to pay £550 compensation each to the landowner, covering the full £1,100 worth of damage caused to the crops.

Jefferies was also handed a 12 month driving ban with a requirement to complete an extended retest, a two year ban on owning dogs, a 12 month community order with a requirement to complete 200 hours unpaid work, and was ordered to pay £100 kennelling costs for the seized dogs, £85 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Buckland was subject to the same costs and surcharge, as well as the same driving disqualification and dog ban. He was also handed a 12 month community order with a requirement to complete 50 hours unpaid work.

The vehicles’ passengers were sentenced as follows:

Martin Tony Buckland was handed a 12 month community order with a requirement to complete 40 hours unpaid work, a £40 fine, £100 kennelling costs, £85 court costs, £114 victim surcharge, and banned from owning dogs for two years.

Shane Jefferies was handed a 12 week curfew, a 12 month community order with a requirement to complete 40 hours unpaid work, a £40 fine, £100 kennelling costs, £85 court costs, £114 victim surcharge, and banned from owning dogs for two years.

Leonard Pinnick was handed an 18 month community order with a requirement to complete 60 hours unpaid work and attend a ‘Thinking & Skills Programme’. He was also ordered to pay a £40 fine, £100 kennelling costs, £85 court costs, £114 victim surcharge, and banned from owning dogs for two years.

The kennelling costs were recovered from all the defendants under Section 65 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act which was introduced last year.

Another passenger, a 17-year-old boy, was also arrested by police, and officers continue to work with the Youth Offending Team to reach a suitable outcome for him.

Police Staff Investigator Andrew Williams, from the Country Watch team, said: “Hare coursing is a scourge on our rural communities. It involves the senseless persecution of wildlife, whilst also making life miserable for innocent farmers and landowners, who suffer trespass and damage to their property which accompanies this type of offending.

“The Country Watch team take a very robust stance against hare coursing, and will do everything in our power to respond to reports, assist landowners and target the criminals responsible.

“Last year new legislation was introduced which is bolstering the police’s efforts to target hare coursers, bring them to justice and recover costs from them. I hope rural communities can be reassured that we are making the most of this legislation.

“We are coming into autumn now where we see the bulk of annual hare coursing reports. Please remain vigilant, and report any suspicious people or vehicles on private land to police. If a crime is in progress, dial 999.”

Hampshire Police

animal fighting / baiting, Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Organised Animal Crime, Serial Animal Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Telford / Rowley Regis, West Midlands: Kevin Skelding, Craig Richards, Scott Richards

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CONVICTED (2023) | Kevin Skelding, born c. 1983, of Liz Clare Court, Donnington, Telford TF2 7RB, Craig John Richards, born 10 August 1974, of 109 Harrold Road, Rowley Regis B65 0RL, and his brother Scott Richards, born c. 1989 and of the same address: caught armed with dogs to hunt hares.

West Midlands hare coursing gang members Scott Richards and Craig Richards from Rowley Regis and Kevin Skelding from Telford
L-R Scott Richards, Craig Richards , Kevin Skelding

Persistent wildlife persecutors Kevin Skelding, Craig Richards (also a convicted benefits fraudster) and Scott Richards, who are all well-known to rural crime police officers, admitted trespassing in pursuit of game and being equipped to hunt hares with dogs.

Hare courser Kevin Skelding from Telford, Shropshire, West Midlands
Image: Facebook – Kevin Skelding
Hare courser Scott Richards from Rowley Regis, West Midlands
Image: Facebook – Scott Richards

The court heard that a member of the public called police on October 28 2022, after spotting the three men with lurcher dogs on land in Market Drayton, north Shropshire.

Police sent an armed response unit and scrambled the force helicopter.

At the scene, officers found an unattended Kia Sportage.

Hare courser Craig Richards from Rowley Regis, West Midlands
Image: Facebook – Craig Richards

Skelding and Craig Richards were found hiding in a wooded area and arrested.

Scott Richards was found in a location away from the other two. The lurcher dogs were found with the vehicle.

The three were found to be in possession of a catapult and ball bearings as well as slip leads. They claimed they were just walking their dogs.

Sentencing | Craig Richards was ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work while Scott Richards was ordered to do 120 hours and Skelding 100 hours. All three men were ordered to pay £624 each towards kennelling costs.

Express & Star

bird egg theft, bird trapping, Birds, Serial Animal Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Alness, Ross and Cromarty: Bryan Maclennan

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CONVICTED (2022) | Bryan Maclennan, born c. 1987, of 62 Firhill, Alness IV17 0RS – shot seagulls with a catapult, stole their eggs and kept an injured bird in a cage in his kitchen.

Maclennan pleaded guilty to three charges under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. He admitted two charges of intentionally or recklessly injuring a wild bird by striking it with a ball bearing from a slingshot or similar instrument and a third charge of taking or destroying eggs from a wild bird.

The court heard that Maclennan was spotted acting strangely by police in Invergordon, Easter Ross, in May 2021.

When they stopped him he was attempting to dispose of an injured herring gull he had been carrying in a plastic bag.

A search of his person and home uncovered slingshots, ballbearings, herring gull eggs and an injured bird in a cage on top of a freezer.

Maclennan’s solicitor Neil Wilson said his client had offered an explanation for his actions to the social work team and had been assessed as posing “no risk of reoffending”.

Fining Maclennan £940 and granting a motion for forfeiture of the catapults, ball bearings and gull eggs, Sheriff Aitken told Maclennan this was “not the way to deal with” any perceived menace from the birds.

He said: “I take the view that these are in fact fairly serious charges and that anyone who is prepared to use a weapon against another living creature is someone to be concerned about.”

The sheriff added: “Injuring something and then taking it home and keeping it on a cage in the kitchen is also concerning.”

Press and Journal

Update September 2022

The Press and Journal reported that Maclennan was back in court after being caught catapulting ball bearings at another bird.

He admitted a further charge under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, following an incident at Kirkside, Alness on July 24, 2022.

MacLennan was accused of a single charge of intentionally or recklessly injuring and taking a wild bird.

He admitted striking the gull and rendering it unconscious before taking away the injured bird in a bag.

Calling for pre-sentencing reports the sheriff told MacLennan: “You have been dealt with previously for something very similar. This will need to stop otherwise something most regrettable might happen”.

MacLennan will reappear for sentencing sometime in October 2022.

Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Organised Animal Crime, Serial Animal Abusers, Traveller Animal Crimes, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Slough, Berkshire: Kevin Hall and Robert Smith

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CONVICTED (2020) | hare coursers Kevin Hall, born c. 2001, of Odencroft Road, Slough SL2, and Robert John Smith, born August 2001, of Rose Cottage, Foundry Lane, Horton, Slough SL3 9PD

Hare coursers Kevin Hall and Robert Smith from Slough, Berkshire, UK
Kevin Hall (left) and Robert Smith

Serial wildlife killers Kevin Hall and Robert Smith, who are gypsies, were seen driving a green Suzuki Vitara in Longstowe, South Cambridgeshire, with two sight hounds, in July 2019.

They were dispersed from the county for 48 hours but later spotted by a member of the public walking the dogs in a field with no right of way in Longstowe.

Hare courser Robert Smith from Slough, Berkshire
Robert Smith

The pair were originally sentenced in December 2019 but appealed. Hall went on to withdraw his appeal in November 2020 and Smith was found guilty on December 17, 2020.

They were given £240 fines for daytime trespass in pursuit of game and failing to comply with a section 35 direction excluding a person from an area.

Hare courser Kevin Hall from Slough, Berkshire
Kevin Hall

Detective Constable Tom Nuttall, from the forces Rural Crime Action Team, said: “Our message is simple – don’t come coursing in Cambridgeshire.

“Driving hare coursing out of the county is a priority for our team and we will continue to use all of our powers to bring coursers to justice.”

Cambs Times
Ely Standard

Additional information

Robert Smith is a company director. The name of his company is RJS Roofing & Building Developments Ltd.

Kevin Hall also runs a roofing business. His trading name is Weatherseal Roofing Specialists.

The barbaric twosome’s Facebook profiles contain images and videos of them injuring and killing wild animals both with dogs and weapons such as catapults.

Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Organised Animal Crime, Traveller Animal Crimes, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Frimley, Surrey: Samuel Haylett

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CONVICTED (2020) | hare courser Samuel Haylett, born 30 September 1989, of Barnes Road, Frimley, Camberley GU16

Samuel Haylett, who was caught hare coursing on private land in Essex
Samuel Haylett, who was caught hare coursing on private land in Essex

Sam Haylett was made subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for hare coursing after Essex Police responded to reports near Blind Lane, West Hanningfield, south Essex.

Haylett admitted trespass in pursuit of game.

The CBO prohibits him from being in possession of a catapult, shot or an air weapon in a public place, bans him from being in the possession, control and company of any dog within Essex unless travelling to a pre-arranged emergency vet’s appointment, stops him from having a dog off a lead unless on private land or with the land owner’s consent and bans him from associating with three men in a public place.

At around 2pm on Sunday 13 October 2019, Essex Police received reports about hare coursing off Blind Lane.

Hare courser Sam Haylett from Guildford, Surrey

An off-duty police officer was in the area and spotted Haylett, who was in possession of dogs who were in pursuit of a hare. This lasted around 30 seconds.

She then told Haylett to stop and put herself on duty before other officers arrived and arrested him.

The police took photographs of Haylett covered in mud before they seized a car, mobile phones, catapults and stones.

Haylett was interviewed under caution before being reported for the offence.

Hare courser Sam Haylett from Guildford, Surrey

Chief Inspector Terry Balding, head of Rural Engagement Team, said: “The quick-actions by members of the community and an off-duty officer, who has an extensive knowledge of wildlife and countryside pursuits, has resulted in a man receiving a conviction for hare coursing.

“The order, which is the first we have ever secured for hare coursing, will restrict his activities, his movements and his associates and will help protect rural communities countrywide.

“Hare coursing isn’t just an illegal and cruel activity, it causes disruption and damage to private land and crops, it can have a financial impact on businesses and it endangers the safety of people living and working in the area.

“We remain dedicated, along with our policing colleagues, in the combat of hare coursing and we will continue to track down and deal with offenders such as Haylett.”

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Tackling rural crime is an important priority in my Police and Crime Plan and it is great to see the Essex Police Rural Engagement Team taking such a proactive approach to protecting our rural communities.

“Hare coursing is a dangerous and frightening crime committed in isolated areas of our county.

“It can make our rural communities feel vulnerable in their own homes and this is totally unacceptable.

“Securing this order sends a clear message that rural crime is not acceptable, it will be tackled and those committing offences will be caught.”

Sentencing: in addition to the Criminal Behaviour Order, Haylett was ordered to pay a total of £569 in fines, costs and charges.

UK National Wildlife Crime Unit

Additional Information

Haylett runs a landscaping and paving business called Sam & Son Building and Landscapes.

deer, Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Organised Animal Crime, poaching, Serial Animal Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Poole, Dorset: Scott Cochrane

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CONVICTED (2019) | serial wildlife persecutor Scott Matthew Cochrane, born 9 November 1989, of 4 Yarrow Close, Poole BH12 4FL – found with dead rabbits, lurcher-type dogs and steel ball bearings.

Repeat offender Cochrane was back in court after breaching a five-year criminal behaviour order imposed in September 2015 after a video of him pulling the head off a live wood pigeon was uploaded to Facebook. He admitted being in possession of a wild animal and for hunting a wild mammal with a dog, an offence under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

Cochrane, whose Facebook account is riddled with boasts about his ‘kills’, is now prohibited from entering many rural areas in Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. The areas include south of the A35 in the Purbeck and Dorchester area, rural northeast Dorset up to the M4 corridor in north Wiltshire and parts of the New Forest in Hampshire.

This will prevent him from using routes such as the A338 from Ringwood into Wiltshire, A354 from Puddletown to Salisbury and A350 from Wimborne to parts of Wiltshire, which all feature in hotspots for such rural crime.

At 11.41pm on Saturday October 5, 2019, officers were called to a rural location in the Blandford area in relation to suspected poaching in fields. They located a van and saw two men – one of whom was the defendant.

There were two lurcher-type dogs with them and they had a high powered lamp. They were also found to be carrying dead rabbits. A search of their vehicle located a catapult and steel ball bearings, as well as further dead rabbits.

The new criminal behaviour order will last for three years.

Cochrane must not:

• Act or incite others to behave in an anti-social manner, that is to say a manner that causes harassment, alarm or distress to any persons.

• Use or incite others to use threatening, intimidating, insulting or abusive words or behaviour in any place to which the public has access.

• Be in possession of a wild animal, wild bird or part of a wild animal or bird living or dead.

• Be in possession of a catapult or shot, such as ball bearings, or to be in a vehicle with a catapult or such shot in a place to which the public have access or private land as a trespasser.

• Allow a dog under his control off a lead, except on private land with the land owners written permission.

• Be in a vehicle with a dog traditionally used for the purpose of hare and deer coursing, such as a Lurcher, Greyhound, Saluki, or a cross breed of these varieties unless travelling to an emergency vets appointment.

• Own dogs traditionally used for the purposes of hare and deer coursing such as Lurchers, Greyhounds, Saluki or a cross breed of these varieties.

Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, Rural Crime Co-ordinator for Dorset Police, said: “Coursing with dogs and poaching is a national priority for both rural and wildlife crime and there are many repeat victims across the UK.

“This issue is not about ‘one for the pot’ but part of a network of persistent criminals who will threaten and intimidate our rural communities if challenged and cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to crops, gates and other property.

“They train their dogs on rabbits, hares and even on deer, with no regard for the welfare of wildlife or their dogs and they are willing to travel vast distances into other counties.

“Dorset Police is part of the national strategy between 22 police forces, Operation Galileo, where civil and criminal powers will be used to prevent such offending by hare coursers and protect vulnerable victims.

“I hope this sends a clear message that coursing and other such crimes are not tolerated and we will take robust action against anyone suspected of such an offence.

“This now varied order is a first of its kind for rural crime, in that it bans the defendant from large areas of rural land across three counties and it restricts his ownership of certain dog breeds and cross breeds.”

Sentencing: eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. Victim surcharge of £122 and £85 costs. The other man was given a caution. Three-year criminal behaviour order.

Southern Daily Echo

Update | March 2020

Dorset Police announced on their Facebook page that Cochrane has been jailed after breaching a criminal behaviour order that banned him from being in possession of a catapult.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison on Friday 6 March 2020 after admitting breaching a criminal behaviour order and a suspended sentence order.

On Wednesday 25 December 2019 Dorset Police was made aware of a live stream video that had been uploaded to social media that showed Cochrane sat in the passenger seat of a 4×4 vehicle in a rural location.

The video showed Cochrane pull out a catapult and pretend to fire it at the person who was filming. The occupants then stop the vehicle when they notice something in a field and the video stops moments later.

Cochrane was arrested on Friday 3 January 2020 and admitted that the video had been filmed on Christmas Day 2019 and confirmed it was him in the video. He did not disclose who else was in the video.

When he was sentenced on Friday 6 March 2020 the eight-week suspended term was activated and Cochrane was also sentenced to a further four weeks in prison for breaching the criminal behaviour order, resulting in a total sentence of 12 weeks in prison.

Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, Rural Crime Co-ordinator for Dorset Police, said: “Scott Cochrane showed a blatant disregard for court orders that were in place to protect wild animals as he had previously been sentenced for coursing offences.

“Coursing with dogs and poaching is a national priority for both rural and wildlife crime and there are many repeat victims across the UK.

Update | October 2020

Cochrane was back in court where he admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order and an offence of vehicle interference.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

At 7.20pm on Friday, August 14, 2020 a wildlife camera that had been installed in a field on private land near Wimborne was activated.

The owner examined the footage and saw a man walking around the front of a horsebox trailer and using a metal pin to try and force the lock.

The ramp at the rear was also pulled down, with the total value of damage caused to the trailer estimated at £500.

After the victim posted the footage on social media a member of the public identified Cochrane as the offender.

An officer also viewed the footage and was able to identify the defendant.

The area where the camera was located was one of those that Cochrane was banned from entering under the terms of a criminal behaviour order imposed in November 2019 for a period of three years.

The order prevented Cochrane from entering a number of rural areas of Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire as well as a number of other conditions.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Cochrane was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the owner of the horsebox.

Rural and wildlife crime inspector Darren Stanton said: “Scott Cochrane is a repeat offender who continues to commit crimes even though he has been made the subject of a court order.

“I hope this case demonstrates that officers from the local neighbourhood policing team and our rural crime team will work together to take action against those who are found to breach these orders and bring them before the courts.”

Dogs, hunting with dogs, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Eastbourne/Polegate, East Sussex: Tyler Earwaker and Liam Smith

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CONVICTED | Tyler Rhys Earwaker, born c. 2000, of 32 Shalfleet Close, Eastbourne BN23 8DU & Liam Smith, c. 1999, of 43 Kensington Way, Polegate BN26 6FH – laughed as they set packs of dogs on captured wild rabbits

Convicted animal abusers Liam Smith (left) and Tyler Earwaker from East Sussex, UK
Convicted animal abusers Liam Smith (left) and Tyler Earwaker are only banned from keeping rabbits.

Earwaker pleaded guilty to six offences and Smith pleaded guilty to two. The pair were prosecuted by the RSPCA following an investigation which included examination of horrific mobile phone footage.

Animal abuser Liam Smith of Polegate, East Sussex, with friend Bobby King
Liam Smith (right) with friend and fellow persecutor of wildlife Bobby King. As far as we know King was not involved in this particular act of animal cruelty but his FB page contains several photos of animals he has killed, sometimes with a catapult.

RSPCA inspector Carroll Lamport launched the investigation in May 2019 following a tip-off. She said, “When we checked [their] phones we found lots of videos of Earwaker and Smith releasing captured wild rabbits and setting their dogs on them.

“Some of the videos show the chase taking place across fields while others take place in fenced areas such as a basketball court and a children’s playground meaning the rabbits had no real chance of escape.

“It’s really upsetting to watch the footage and the rabbits must have been extremely distressed before being released. The chase would have been terrifying for them and the manner in which they were killed would have resulted in unnecessary suffering.”

Liam Smith is pictured left and Earwaker right with likely partner in crime Bobby King, who wasn’t prosecuted on this occasion, in the middle.
Earwaker and King up to no good as usual.

The videos show the pair encouraging the dogs to chase down the rabbits – some of which are clearly in shock – and in one case the rabbits are kicked and thrown onto the ground.

Convicted animal abuser Tyler Earwaker of Eastbourne, East Sussex
Tyler Earwaker

A warrant was executed by police on May 14 at an address in Eastbourne. RSPCA officers joined police and a number of mobile phones were seized.

Five dogs were found at the premises – belonging to Earwaker’s family – and the RSPCA said all appeared in good condition. A number of hutches and cages were located in the garden, some with ferrets inside.

Inspector Lamport said, “We found long hunting nets, often used for catching animals, and a number of animal carriers in the shed and Earwaker told me he used the large trap for rabbits, using carrots as bait.

“Some of his coats were bloodstained and a number of phones and an iPad were seized.”

Four dogs – two lurchers and two terriers – were seized by police and Earwaker was interviewed.

Convicted animal abuser Tyler Earwaker of Eastbourne, East Sussex
Earwaker with his mummy

Inspector Lamport later received a call from Smith’s father claiming one of the dogs seized belonged to him.

She said, “Mr Smith told me he’d bought the terrier for his son, We discovered that his son, Liam Smith, had been going out with Earwaker rabbiting and ferreting.

“They were catching rabbits and ‘dropping’ them in front of their dogs for the dogs to chase in order to train the dogs they thought the latter was legal.”

The court determined the four dogs should be returned to their owners.

Sentencing:
Earwaker – 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work. He was disqualified from keeping rabbits for five years and ordered to pay £300 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Smith – 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. He was disqualified from keeping rabbits for five years and ordered to pay £300 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Daily Mail
Eastbourne Herald

Update August 2022

Tyler Earwaker has been banned for life from keeping or transporting birds after cruelly keeping a wild goldfinch in a cage.

Officers attended a property in Windmill Hill, Polegate, on January 23, 2022 and found the wild goldfinch (pictured) locked in a cage.

The RSPCA attended and took the goldfinch into its care. Sadly, despite the best efforts of veterinary staff, the bird died 10 days later due to the distress it suffered being taken from its natural habitat and caged.

Earwaker, now said to be of Beatty Road, Eastbourne was arrested on suspicion of possessing a wild bird contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act. After being interviewed by officers from the Rural Crime Team, he was charged and pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday August 10, 2022.

He was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs, and given a Community Protection Warning (CPW) that instructs him not to trespass on any private land without the landowner’s written permission.

He was also banned for life from dealing in, keeping, transporting or arranging transport for any type of bird or wildfowl.

Rural Crime Team PC Carlo Leone said: “The trade in wild songbirds such as this is a cruel one. Removing a wild bird from its natural habitat and placing it in a tiny cage for a person’s own amusement can cause the birds to suffer immeasurably, as happened in this case.

“We take offences against all animals incredibly seriously, and will not tolerate any behaviour which causes distress or harm to wildlife.”

Sussex Police Facebook post 15 August 2022
The Argus

Additional Information

Earwaker’s Instagram profile here.

animal fighting / baiting, Birds, Dogs, hunting with dogs, Multiple Species, Organised Animal Crime, Traveller Animal Crimes, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Fordingbridge, Hampshire: William Sheen

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CONVICTED (2018) | William Gregory Michael Sheen, a traveller, born c. 1997, of Queens Gardens, Fordingbridge SP6 1QP, but now living in Marryat Road, New Milton – fired a catapult at swans and their cygnets before choking his dog when she wouldn’t chase the birds

Animal abusing pikey William Sheen from Hampshire

Career criminal Sheen, who has previous convictions for violence and burglary, attempted to harm the swans and their cygnets in Riverside Park, Fordingbridge on dates between July 5 and 8 2017.

One witness spotted him trying to force his dog into the water to chase the birds. When the dog didn’t give chase, Sheen dragged her into the air by her lead.

One of Will Sheen's dogs. It's not known if this is the dog involved in this incident.
One of Will Sheen’s dogs. It’s not known if this is the dog involved in this incident.

The dog was in a “distressed state” and “making choking noises”.

Sheen, who is believed to be part of the travelling community, was found guilty of three charges of attempting to injure wild birds and one of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog following a trial at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in April 2018.

Animal abusing pikey William Sheen from Hampshire

Mark Gammon of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Sheen was seen by members of the public to be firing a catapult at some swans and cygnets on the River Avon before attempting to encourage his dog to enter the water to chase them.

“When the dog wouldn’t give chase, Sheen pulled it up by its lead so that it was hanging in the air, with its back legs kicking the water below.

“The dog was in a distressed state and making choking noises.

“Later that month, Sheen was again seen firing a catapult at swans on the river, before deliberately setting a dog on one of the swans.

“The dog chased the swan in the river and as it approached, the swan flapped its wings defensively.

“Along with eye witness accounts, a photograph was presented to the court in evidence of the swan with its wings spread out with the dog in the water approaching it.

“These were appalling attacks that caused much distress to the animals involved and the members of the public who witnessed them.

“This case serves as a warning to others that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated and anyone caught carrying out offences of this nature will be robustly prosecuted and punished.”

Sentencing: 260 hours of unpaid work within a year. Disqualified from owning or controlling any dog for two years (expired July 2020). Both of his dogs taken away from him. Banned from visiting Riverside Park or the river for 12 months.

Bournemouth Echo

Birds, poaching, shooting estates, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Lytchett Matravers / Wareham / Ferndown, Dorset: Mark Mabey, Lewis Longstaffe and Edward Turner

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CONVICTED (2017) | vicious poaching gang Mark Amos Mabey, born c. 1964, of Wareham Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole BH16, Lewis Todd Longstaffe, born 26 September 1994, of 128 Sandy Lane, Upton, Poole BH16 5LY, and Edward Turner, born c. 1965, of Lockyers Drive, Ferndown BH22 – found with 100 dead or injured pheasants in their car.

L-R Mark Mabey, Lewis Longstaffe, Edward Turnere

The court heard that at around 12.35am on Wednesday January 6, 2016, a land worker was alerted by an acquaintance to possible poaching activity taking place on the private land he manages to the north of Wimborne and alerted police.

The man located the offenders inside a Mitsubishi 4×4. The Mitsubishi reversed at speed toward the victim’s vehicle and crashed into it. The offenders also fired a steel shot at the man and his car, the court was told.

The man managed to reverse away from the offenders and lost sight of them.

The police helicopter tracked the men to Tarrant Monkton where they were arrested.

The Mitsubishi was recovered and examined. The boot contained more than 100 pheasants that were either dead, or alive but maimed.

Longstaffe, a former gamekeeper who is well-known to hunt saboteurs, has a previous conviction for poaching.

Mark Mabey was found guilty of affray. He also pleaded guilty to night poaching. He was handed a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years, a 20-day rehabilitation order, 80 hours of unpaid work and a one-year exclusion from the estate where he committed the offences.

Lewis Longstaffe, a previous offender, and Edward Turner pleaded guilty night poaching. Longstaffe was fined £337 and ordered to pay £150 costs. Turner received a £202 fine and £150 costs. The pair were also handed a two-year restraining order that prevents them from contacting the victim or entering their land.

Bournemouth Echo

Update | October 2023

On Monday 23 October 2023, Mark Mabey was sentenced to five months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and banned from having anything to do with dogs until October 2030. He was also ordered to carry out unpaid work and subjected to a tagging order.

He was prosecuted alongside various relatives/associates (charges against others possibly dropped) after police seized 11 dogs from his home after they were deemed by a vet to be suffering.

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Birds, Dogs, hunting with dogs, Multiple Species, Serial Animal Abusers, Traveller Animal Crimes, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Colnbrook, Berkshire: Mickey, Billy and Danny Smith

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Police mugshots the feral Smith brothers
L-R Mickey Dean Smith, Billy Smith, Danny Smith

Lawless feral brothers Mickey Dean Smith, born 2002, Billy Smith, born 2000, and Danny Smith, born 2004, all of Moreland Avenue, Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0LR – terrorised their village by torturing family pets and firing catapults at cars

Maidenhead Youth Court issued injunctions for 12 months against the wicked brothers – sons of career criminal and would-be dog thief and abuser Micky Smith Sr – after a litany of complaints and reports from neighbours, police, local businesses and residents.

Chip off the old block: Billy and Mickey Dean Smith with their equally sadistic father Micky Smith
Chip off the old block: Billy and Mickey Dean Smith with their equally sadistic father Micky Smith.

The injunction came as the trio bragged online about abusing and torturing family pets in their neighbourhood.

One brother even posed with a catapult and a dead parakeet.

Billy Smith out hunting with father Micky Smith
Filth: Billy Smith out hunting with father Micky Smith.

Using catapults, the youths fired missiles knocking birds out of trees, damaging cars, smashing street lights and the windows of neighbouring houses, and shouting obscenities and threats at passers-by.

Enforcement officers are now looking at further claims of animal cruelty – to both pets and wild animals – in the area.

The youths were handed a curfew banning them from leaving their house without a responsible adult between the hours of 9pm and 6am in order to restrict their capacity to cause trouble.

The whole wretched brood pictured inside their tacky caravan.

They were also banned from carrying catapults or any other weapons, using threatening, abusive or aggressive language in a public place and from causing harm or cruelty to pets or wild animals.

The council and police are now monitoring the injunctions so any breach can be responded to immediately.

Sentence: youth injunction.

Mirror