Judge throws out foxhunting case (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Judge throws out foxhunting case

2:51pm Thursday 17th September 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

THE case against a Glenridding man accused of illegally hunting foxes has been dismissed.

John Harrison, 48, of Grassthwaite Howe, Glenridding, Huntsman for Ullswater Fox Hounds, was on trial for hunting foxes with hounds at Groove Ghyl on November 19 last year.

The case was thrown out after district judge Gerald Chalk agreed with an application by defence solicitor Robert Woodcock that there was insufficient evidence against Mr Harrison.

The prosecution had argued that film footage captured by the League Against Cruel Sports pressure group showed Mr Harrison twice setting a pack of hounds upon a fox.

Judge Chalk said he could not be certain that the animal shown in the footage was a fox.

Mr Harrison said: “I feel fantastic. It’s a huge relief for it all to be over. I’ve always maintained that I did nothing wrong.”