CONVICTED (2023) | Avon Vale Hunt members Aaron Marcus Fookes, born 16 December 1993, of Townsend Green, Henstridge, Templecombe BA8 0TT, and Stuart Timothy Radbourne, born 11 April 1984, of 45 The Common, Chippenham SN15 2JJ – unearthed a live fox and threw her to a pack of hounds.
Avon Vale Hunt whipper-in Fookes and hunt master Radbourne pleaded guilty to wildlife offences. The pair were prosecuted after a video emerged on social media showing the hunt duo and others pulling a live fox out of a den and throwing the terrified animal to a pack of hounds.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Schneider said the pair had been hunting in Brokerswood, Wiltshire, when video footage – which was later leaked to anti-hunt activists – was taken of them.
The footage, taken on 20 December 2022, showed Fookes kneeling down over the entrance of a badger sett with his arms down into it, pulling out a live fox. Radbourne is heard making whooping noises before the fox is chucked to a large pack of hounds and killed.
Solicitor Sam Harkness, representing both men, said that press coverage of the incident has “utterly destroyed the lives of the defendants”.
They were both left jobless, with Fookes leaving the county due to threats made against him.
The court was told that Radbourne has a previous conviction for interfering with a badger sett, for which he was fined £300 at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court in 2013.
Fookes now works as an agricultural contractor earning around £2,000 per month, whilst Radbourne is struggling with “significant debts” and earning £1,000 a month as a farmer and equestrian.
Radbourne, who faced one charge of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, was fined £384 and told to pay £42.50 costs and a £154 surcharge.
Fookes was handed an 18-month community order for animal cruelty. He must complete 200 hours of unpaid work. For the fox hunting offence, he was fined £833 and must pay £42.50 costs and a £330 surcharge.
Alex Warden, born c. 1998, of Wood Road, North Bradley, Trowbridge, appeared in court in July 2023 where he denied illegally hunting a wild mammal with dogs.
Warden also denied causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He chose to be tried by a jury at crown court and will appear at Salisbury Crown Court on 21 December, 2023.
The defendant was granted bail on the condition he does not participate in any trail-hunting in Wiltshire.
Two other people arrested earlier in the year will face no further action.
In February 2023, after footage of this incident was circulated on social media, the Hound Sports Regulatory Authority (HSRA) panel barred the Avon Vale Hunt – meaning the group could no longer operate.
Update | October 2023
Stuart Radbourne was back before the courts on October 27,2023, to be sentenced for an earlier animal cruelty offence.
He pleaded guilty to being jointly concerned with others in causing unnecessary suffering to a fox by causing it to be thrown to and savaged by hounds in Melksham on December 24, 2020.
Due to the seriousness of the offence, where a child was present, harm was caused to a protected animal, and the incident was filmed and shared with others, he received an 18-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months.
During those 12 months, he must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, as well as pay £750 in court costs and £128 to fund victim services.
