Proposed new laws to crack down on illegal hare coursing have been welcomed by police and farmers in East Anglia.
The government has set out tougher measures to combat the blood sport, which brings intimidating gangs onto farm fields to bet on dogs hunting wild hares.
It has tabled amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which include increasing the maximum penalty to an unlimited fine and introducing – for the first time – the possibility of up to six months’ imprisonment.
Two new criminal offences have also been created for trespassing or being equipped to trespass "with the intention of using a dog to search for or pursue a hare".
PC Chris Shelley, rural crime office for Norfolk police, said another important change was new powers for courts to order the reimbursement of kennelling costs for seized dogs.
For the last hare coursing season from September 2020 to March 2021, he said the constabulary seized 37 dogs, compared to 24 the previous year - part of a crackdown which also saw the number of hare coursing calls halved from 315 to 152 over the same period.
"We are seeing reduced hare coursing calls across Norfolk and one of the reasons is the ability to seize dogs - but alongside that is a great cost implication for the kennelling," he said.
"So to be able to recoup those costs is a massive positive for us. The new offences are also a very positive and proactive way of stopping these criminals before they can inflict misery, damage and intimidation in our rural communities."
Gary Ford, East Anglia regional director for the National Farmers' Union (NFU), hopes the new legislation marks the "light at the end of the tunnel" for rural communities.
“We hope these amendments will signal the start of a real crackdown on these organised gangs of criminals who break onto fields to let dogs loose to chase hares, causing huge damage to crops, farm property and wildlife, while intimidating people living in rural communities,” he said.
Cath Crowther is regional director for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA East) - another rural group which has lobbied for new laws.
"Hare coursing is a despicable crime that so often blights rural communities," she said. "I hear frequently of the harrowing experiences our members face when they are confronted with people hare coursing illegally on their land."
Environment secretary George Eustice said: “There are persistent groups who illegally perpetuate hare coursing creating challenges for the police.
“These new measures will give the police the additional powers to bring prosecutions and confiscate dogs from owners involved in hare coursing."
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