Legal first as poachers who travelled from London to Littlebury to pursue game are banned from keeping dogs for three years

Two men caught trespassing in pursuit of game in Uttlesford have been banned from owning or keeping dogs for three years under new legislative powers designed to target poachers.

In what is believed to be a national first, Colchester magistrates handed David Hilden, 39, and Tyron Young, 35, disqualification orders under section 66 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 after they each admitted a charge of daytime trespass in pursuit of game.

Magistrates made the orders after hearing that they had travelled to the Saffron Walden area from south London in October with dogs which were to be used to poach game. Section 66 of the Act had come into force just two months earlier.

Investigating officer PC Nigel Wright, of Essex Police's rural engagement team, said after the hearing: “The poaching of wild animals is extremely cruel, but it can also cause a lot of damage to crops and farmland, which is very costly for the landowner or farmer.

“Dogs are integral to poaching and I'm delighted that the magistrates were able to use this new legislation to deprive these two poachers of any access to dogs – even just walking someone else’s – for the next three years.

“We look forward to working with the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] to have these disqualification orders applied in cases of hare coursing and other poaching offences in the future.”

Sally Robinson, district Crown prosecutor for the East of England and the CPS's hare coursing lead, said: “This type of offending has a profound impact on rural and farming communities, which is why I'm thrilled that, in a legal first, we successfully asked the court to apply disqualification orders in this case.

“I hope this sends a warning to anyone who thinks about poaching any form of wildlife that we will not hesitate to ask for these orders whenever possible.

“We will continue to clamp down on poachers – working closely with the police and other partner agencies – using all the powers at our disposal.”

Hilden, from Croydon, and Young, from Morden, were detained by rural engagement officers while walking across crop fields with four dogs, including two lurchers on slip leads, on Peacock Hill, near Littlebury, on October 15 last year.

There were no public footpaths in the area and the landowner had not given them permission to be on the land. When interviewed by officers at the scene, Hilden admitted he had gone onto the land to pursue rabbits while Young claimed to be walking his dog.

Officers seized their vehicle and, following further enquiries, Hilden and Young were summonsed to appear at court.

Hilden was also fined £120 and ordered to pay court costs of £105 and a victim surcharge of £48, while Young was fined £200 and ordered to pay £105 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.