Campaigners call for tougher laws as no-show hunter sentenced

John Finnegan, of Kennel Lane in Cuddington, Northwich, failed to show up in court as he was found guilty of two charges of hunting a wild mammal with a dog.

For this, the 38-year-old was handed a fine and a criminal behaviour order.

However, Cheshire Against Blood Sports has called for tougher sentencing.

A spokesperson for the campaign group said: “Once again this guilty verdict of hunting a wild mammal with dogs shows that 'trail hunting' is nothing but a sham, a smokescreen for illegal hunting and we believe action must be taken to not only strengthen the 2004 Hunting Act but to also end the practice of trail hunting.

“While this verdict will not bring back the foxes that brutally lost their lives, we hope that the fact a huntsman has been found guilty three times in less than a year will be a catalyst for change.”

John Finnegan has been handed a final and a criminal behaviour order (Image: Gloucestershire Constabulary)

Finnegan hunted a fox with dogs on November 12 last year in Chorley Green.

He then committed the same offence on November 26, this time in Marbury.

He was due to appear at Crewe Magistrates Court on Wednesday (August 30) but did not show.

Finnegan was nevertheless found guilty and handed a criminal behaviour order which came into effect immediately.

The order, which lasts for two years, states that Finnegan must be able to evidence where a trail has been laid on the day of a trail hunt for which is the huntsman, and must be able to produce this evidence when asked by a police officer.

It also states he must keep the hounds under close control and they must remain in his sight at all times.

The order also bans him from having more than 10 hounds on a trail hunt that he is the huntsman for.

He must not allow the hounds onto private land without permission, which he must have in writing and have in his possession.

Finally, the order stats Finnegan must not let the hounds enter wooded areas unless he can provide evidence that a trail has been laid.

On top of this, Finnegan was fined £1,000 and must pay £150 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, along with a surcharge of £800.

He must pay the full amount by September 27, 2023.

This is not the first time Finnegan has been handed a fine for his involvment in hunting.

He was ordered to pay £1,331 last December after Gloucestershire Police uncovered messages which showed him bragging and admitting to the illegal hunting of foxes.

Finnegan was the huntsman for a Leicestershire-based group who were caught illegally hunting in Hartpury, Gloucestershire, with the Ledbury Hunt.

Footage recorded on a camcorder showed Finnegan taking a number of hounds into woodland whilst the rest of the hunt stayed around the perimeter.

The hounds were then seen running out of the woodland while loudly and aggressively barking.

Moments later the hounds were digging at the ground which indicated that a mammal had gone to ground via a fox den or badger sett.

As part of the investigation his phone was downloaded and WhatsApp messages showed him admitting to hunting mammals.