Two men fined after being caught hare coursing in North Yorkshire

Two men have been fined hundreds of pounds after being caught hare coursing in North Yorkshire.

On the afternoon of Saturday 23 January 2021, a vigilant member of the public called police to report that poachers were chasing hares with a dog in a field near Chapel Haddlesey,near Selby.

The suspects made off from the area in this Honda CR-V, and in the process drove through a red light.

Officers followed them, and stopped them in South Milford, where they were both arrested, and their dog and car seized.

They were charged, and both appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (Monday 13 September)

Thomas Agar McDonald, 33, from Stokesley, and John Alan Langan, 35, from Great Ayton, both pleaded guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs. McDonald also admitted an offence of failing to comply with a road traffic sign.

McDonald was fined a total of £239 for the hunting offence, as well as £100 and three points for going through the red light.

Langan was fined £239 for the hunting offence, a forfeiture order was placed on the dog, and he was disqualified for five years from owning, keeping or being in control of dog.

A spokesperson for Selby Police said: “Tackling rural crime is a priority to North Yorkshire Police. We hope this serves as a message to individuals who think it’s acceptable to travel to our area to commit crime, that it won’t be tolerated by us or the communities we serve.”