Illegal hare coursing crackdown

A crackdown on hare coursing is under way by police in north Kent.

The police rural task force in Swale is patrolling farmland in the borough to stop hare coursers gaining access.

Pc Darren Wallshaw, who is leading the operation, said farmers had welcomed police involvement as offenders could be aggressive and abusive.

He said the seasonal crime sees hundreds of hares illegally shot each year, often causing extensive damage to farmland in the process.

Damage to crops

Pc Wallshaw said farmers who challenged coursers faced "intimidation, abuse, threats of violence, threats of damage to be caused".

"They also experience problems of night-time coursing.

"When coursers come on to the land, they tend to drive across fields with dogs running at the side - this causes damage to the crops and fencing as and when they go through.

He said patrols would run in areas used by hare coursers and that there would be road checks in those areas to prevent it.

"We will also visit farmers to reassure them that we are out there and we are asking people to phone in with any sightings of people coursing," he added.