'Anti-social' hunt served warning (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

'Anti-social' hunt served warning

THE Cotswold hunt this week became the first hunt in the country to have an anti-social behaviour 'warning notice' served on it.

A 'warning notice' is often seen as the first step towards an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) and is usually reserved for nuisance neighbours and teenage tearaways.

But, after numerous complaints from villagers living in Elcombe about the Cotswold Hunt trespassing on private land, the decision was made to serve the notice.

Originally residents had complained to Gloucestershire police but after a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service it was found there was no evidence to bring a prosecution.

A meeting was then held to establish whether an ASBO could be served on the hunt for entering private land and causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Bob Cooper, master of the Cotswold Hunt, said: " We cover 250 square miles. We are not concerned at all. We haven't been to Elcombe for 30 years and in October our hounds came off the trail and onto a fox scent and went into that area.

"We are law abiding, if someone doesn't want us on their land we don't go. This warning letter is no different to those we receive from a lot of people. We wouldn't dream of going somewhere we are not welcome."

Speaking on behalf of Stroud District Council and the police, who issued the warning, Stroud anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Colin Peake said: "Hunting is a very emotive subject at this time and whilst residents put forward a compelling case to seek an ASBO, it was recognised that the prime object being sought was to ensure that hounds would not enter again onto property owned by those residents of Elcombe, who were seeking protection.

"In such a rural area it is our wish that everyone can live in harmony and following our intervention, we have requested that each party will now respect the others wishes of how they live and more importantly how they need to remain good neighbours."

The move to issue a warning notice was welcomed by the League Against Cruel Sports, spokesman Wanda Wyporska said: "I hope that members of the Cotswold Hunt realise the full importance of this action.

"They have been warned in no uncertain terms about their future behaviour.

"Hunts around the country will no doubt be distressed at this action. There can be no doubt that this maybe the first of many."

Earlier this year the Cotswold Hunt hit the headlines when two hounds taking part in a trail hunt were hit by cars when they strayed onto the A417 at Daglingworth.