Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Tony Wright, the first huntsman prosecuted under the Hunting Act, had his conviction overturned on appeal in Exeter Crown Court on Friday 30th November.
    
Mr. Wright, of the Exmoor Foxhounds, was found guilty in August 2006 at Barnstaple Magistrates Court, despite having used two hounds to flush foxes to be shot on 29th February 2005 as he believed was allowed by the Act. More people have been convicted of hunting rats under the Act than have been found guilty of illegal fox hunting. Read the judgment in full here . Post a message to Tony at http://www.foxhunters.net/exmoor/

Judge Cottle concluded by saying: "During this appeal we have enjoyed an extended opportunity to observe and to hear from the appellant. And we have no doubt that he and the Master of the Hunt genuinely wished to comply with the Act. On that day, with the benefit of hindsight, the arrangements in place may not have been sufficient to ensure compliance with the Act but we are satisfied that the appellant has proved that he reasonably believed, perhaps optimistically, that he had put in place the safeguard that would ensure compliance with the Act."

Simon Hart, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “This verdict is an absolute vindication of Tony Wright and the Exmoor Foxhounds and another nail in the coffin of the Hunting Act.

“While we celebrate this judgment, however, we must not forget why an innocent man faced with a vindictive private prosecution has had to spend over two years and two court cases to clear his name.

“The Hunting Act is not only a pointless and prejudiced piece of legislation, it is also a very bad law. If the courts cannot be sure what is hunting and what is not how on earth can anyone else?

“Only by scrapping the Act can we ensure that other innocent people will not be persecuted and today’s result adds to the clear case for its repeal.”

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