A number of vehicles seized by police in relation to operations to stop illegal hare coursers have gone to the crusher
In an update on the Lincolnshire Police force’s ongoing action against hare coursers - Op Galileo, the leading officer on rural crime, Chief Inspector Jim Tyner, said several vehicles have already been scrapped.
Ch Insp Tyner said: “I am often asked what happens to the seized vehicles. Three Subaru Forresters seized from suspected hare coursers in October have been scrapped. A Nissan Terrano and a Vauxhall Frontera seized in November have also been scrapped.
“Several other vehicles seized for no insurance are going through the administrative procedure and most will be scrapped.
“If the owner produces a valid current insurance certificate they can reclaim their vehicle, but they have to pay the recovery and storage fees. They are still prosecuted for the original offence of no insurance at the time they were stopped.
“A Subaru Legacy, a Nissan Almeira, a Mitsubishi Shogun and another Subaru Forrester seized under the Hunting Act are currently held pending the prosecution of the drivers.
“Operation Galileo continues and I remain determined that we use all legislative powers available to us to deal with the scourge of hare coursing.”
Since September 1, there have been 156 men arrested or reported for summons so far this season (compared to 65 for the whole season of September to March last year). Fifteen vehicles have been seized, 63 other men have been dealt with by other enforcement action such as Direction to Leave, traffic offences, etc.
In recent incidents:
On Saturday (January 9) five men from the West Midlands, suspected of hare coursing in Metheringham, were given a formal direction to leave the county. There was insufficient evidence for a prosecution.
On Friday (January 8) four men from Somerset were reported for hunting with dogs in Bourne and a Subaru Legacy was seized. They had earlier been given a formal direction to leave the county which they chose to ignore and so had a long walk home, according to police.
On Thursday (January 7) a silver Nissan Terrano was seized by police after being abandoned by suspected hare coursers in Frithville. The same day four men from Derbyshire and Cleveland, suspected of being involved in hare coursing, were given a warning to leave the county. There was insufficient evidence for a prosecution.
Also on the same day, a man from Derby was given what is called a ‘Section 59 warning’ about their manner of driving off-road in Walcott. This means that if they are seen in similar circumstances in the next 12 months the vehicle can be seized.