hampshireeditor 
Three Hare Coursers Fined Following Hampshire Police Investigation
Three men have been ordered to pay more than £2,800 collectively after being convicted of hare coursing offences following a police investigation in Hampshire.
Police were deployed on the afternoon of 19 November 2024 after reports of hare coursing in progress on farmland alongside the A34 near Bullington Cross.
The police helicopter attended the scene and quickly identified three men and two dogs in nearby fields. Officers on the ground then stopped the suspects, and the dogs were seized. The dogs have since been rehomed.
The men were identified as 23-year-old George Smith of Lyne Road in Virginia Water, 46-year-old George Mark Smith of Lyne Road in Virginia Water, and 48-year-old Frank Wickens of Monks Hill in Emsworth.
Following further enquiries, all three were charged with trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs under Section 63 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The trio denied the offences but were found guilty by magistrates in Aldershot on 1 May this year.
Each man was fined £520 and ordered to pay £215 in court costs along with a £208 victim surcharge.
Hampshire Police said officers will continue proactive patrols across the county’s rural areas, respond to reports of rural crime, and carry out stops on suspicious individuals and vehicles in the countryside.
Anyone witnessing rural crime or suspicious activity is urged to report it immediately via 999 in an emergency, or by calling 101.
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Posted: 2026-05-08T11:43:25+0000
