Serious crime link to blood sport

Hare coursing has been banned in Scotland since 2002

Wildlife crime officers in Tayside have warned that serious criminals could be behind a number of hare coursing incidents in the region.

The sport of using dogs to chase and catch hares has been banned in Scotland since 2002.

However, police are still seeing cases and believe those involved in the drugs trade, violent crime and bogus workmen and are often taking part.

Offenders can face six months in prison and a £10,000 fine

Police believe that criminals from across Scotland come to Tayside for the sport, and that local offenders will often travel to other parts of the country as well.

Drugs trade

Tayside Wildlife Crime Officer Alan Stewart said: "They are involved in other types of criminality - they sometimes do work for elderly people and charge exorbitant prices and they're sometimes involved in the drugs trade and sometimes involved in crimes of violence.

"Some of the crimes that these guys will be involved in will make money for them - but this is a sport for them, and sometimes used for betting, and it's just another outlet for their energies I suppose.

"They [witnesses] really need to report it quickly because when these people are involved in hare coursing they're only in a field for 10 minutes and then they're gone.

"It sometimes can take the police longer than 10 minutes to get from a town area to the country where the crime is being carried out, so we really need a very quick report."