Guilty! Pipewell Foot Beagles Huntsman De-Horned
19th February 2026
Philip Saunders, huntsman of the Pipewell Foot Beagles, was yesterday found guilty of illegal hunting at Northampton magistrate’s court. Fittingly, the conviction – only the second of a hare-hunting beagle pack – came just before the 21st anniversary of the Hunting Act.
The case arose following footage taken by courageous wildlife photographer Emma Reed who captured the Pipewell Foot Beagles hunting and killing a beautiful hare at Boughton Estates, Kettering, land owned by the Duke of Buccleuch. Ms Reed’s video clearly shows Saunders growling, “Get onto it!” a hunting term used to encourage hounds to pursue and attack their quarry.
This is not the first time this criminal gang have been in trouble. In 2018, local police released images of four members of the Pipewell Foot Beagles hare hunting but failed to act even when the HSA provided some of their names.
Losing The Horn
Saunders was fined £1000, ordered to pay costs of £3,600 and a victim surcharge of £400. And, in a first for a Hunting Act case, the magistrate said: “I order the destruction of the hunting horn involved in this offence. Mr Saunders you must surrender it to the police by 5pm on February 19.”
As the horn is the principle means by which a huntsman controls the hounds, this is an entirely appropriate sanction, that the HSA believe should become standard practice in all such cases.
GRAPHIC IMAGE
The HSA sends its warmest congratulations to Emma. After the case she commented,
“I am pleased with the guilty verdict as justice has been served. The judge was strong in his summing up of sending a message to the hunting community that these illegal actions will not be tolerated and are totally unacceptable.”
Well said!
Evil bastards like this should be locked up money means nothing to this scum they have plenty of it why oh why do these judges not lock them up for a good few years not only are they murderers but they are also breaking the law and until we get some much stronger laws this will carry on because it has shown that these parasites don’;t give a toss they pay their fine and are at it again.