Message from Manchester Hunt sabs – 5th April 2021
On 1st October 2020 whilst attending a meet of the York & Ainsty South we, along with West Yorkshire Hunt Sabs and York Anti Hunt League, witnessed the hunt killing two foxes within an hour of each other. Footage from the incident made national news.
The crime was reported to North Yorkshire Police and an investigation was opened. Huntsman David Elliot, and Whipper-In Mark Poskitt were both interviewed under caution and our Sabs provided multiple witness statements, along with all of the unedited footage, and a post mortem from a vet that proved that the fox (at least the one whose body we managed to retrieve) had been killed by the hounds.
Fast forward 6 months and we have just been informed that the CPS has decided to drop the case citing “a lack of evidence”.
Whilst we are disappointed at this result, we are also not shocked by it. It is incredibly difficult to get a Hunting Act case to court, and harder still to get a conviction from it. The burden of proof for a Hunting Act case lies with the prosecution, so instead of the hunt having to prove that they were complying with the Hunting Act we have to prove without a shadow of a doubt that they intended to hunt those foxes.
Once again this goes to show why Hunt Saboteurs are so vital, without sabs these hunts are left unchecked to continue slaughtering wildlife multiple times a week.
As revealed by Hunting Leaks, AXA provides insurance for every hunt’s legal fees. This means that they will likely have paid out for the solicitor David Elliot and Mark Poskitt used when interviewed for this incident. Had the case made it to court then they would also have been paying out for that case.
Details on how you can make complaints to North Yorkshire Police, the CPS, and AXA Insurance will be included below
To David Elliot, Mark Poskitt, and the rest of the York & Ainsty South Hunt: Expect us.
Complain to North Yorkshire Police: http://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/comp
Complain to the CPS: https://contact.cps.gov.uk/
How to complain to AXA Insurance: https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/axa-insuring-hunts/
Mark Poskitts family business: https://www.poskittcarrots.co.uk/
That’s bloody ridiculous!!! Pure and simple corruption. We MUST have a petition and force them to reopen the case and prosecute. How much evidence do they need ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡Regards, Charmaine Scammell
Yes I agree with Charmaine this case need reopening, are CPS part of the hunting crap?????It most certainly is corruption, some judges magistrates politicians police are involved with this vile murdering filthy scum that hunt. This is so outdated and needs to be banned completely including trail as we all know this is a cover these people are the pits every single animal and insect and bird is on this planet for a reason and that is NOT to be murdered by stupid toffee nose idle humans.with nothing better to do.