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#RuralTaskForce Male Convicted of Hare Coursing On 6th January 2025, a male appeared at Hull Magistrates Court for Sentencing after Pleading Guilty to Being Equipped for Searching for or Pursuing Hares with Dogs and Trespass with Intent to Search for or to Pursue Hares with dogs. David WATSON, 37yrs of Instoneville, Doncaster was sentenced to a Suspended Imprisonment for 16 weeks – suspended for 2 years, issued an Exclusion Order not to enter the East Riding of Yorkshire for a 2 year period, Disqualified from Keeping Sight Hounds for 2 years and ordered to pay £234 in fines. This was in relation to a Hare Coursing incident on 4th December 2022 on private farm land near to Rawcliffe Bridge, Goole, East Yorkshire. WATSON was detained in possession of a sight hound at the location with key evidence from Humberside Fire and Rescue Drone supporting the prosecution. This sentencing has sent a clear message of our zero tolerance approach to the barbaric illegal act of hare coursing and the anti-social impact to landowners and farmers who are affected by this type of criminality. Hare coursers do not care about the effect they cause on the local rural community and we hope this impactive sentencing deters those who are thinking about committing #RuralCrime and #WildlifeCrime across Humberside. The #RTF would like to thank the local farm watch community and Humberside Fire & Rescue Service Drone for their support with this incident. If you witness any suspected hare coursing in progress please contact the police on 999 quoting #OperationGalileo | 
