FOUR men are due to appear in court in connection with a report of illegal fox hunting in North Dorset.

It was reported that at around 2pm on Monday, December 4, an illegal fox hunt took place in the area of Buckhorn Weston near Gillingham in which a fox was killed.

Following an investigation by detectives, supported by officers of the Dorset Rural Crime Team, four men have been charged with hunting a wild mammal with dogs under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

Conall James McGrath, aged 22 and of Charlton Horethorne in Sherborne, George Colin Pierce, aged 32 and of Milborne Port in Somerset, Freddie Osborne, aged 33 and of Templecombe in Somerset and Andrew Osborne, aged 59 and of Templecombe in Somerset have all been charged.

All four men are due to appear at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 28.

As previously reported, North Dorset-based The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt was suspended after video footage showed a fox being killed by dogs during a trail hunt.

Six men were interviewed under caution in relation to the incident. 

Speaking in December, a spokesperson from the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt said: “The BHSA was made aware of the content of footage taken on December 4, 2023, prior to it being aired on Channel 4 News on January 25.

"As a consequence, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt and all BHSA members within the Hunt were suspended from all hunting activities on January 24, pending further investigation.

"The incident has been referred to the Hound Sports Regulatory Authority which will open a disciplinary inquiry.”

They were reinstated three weeks after the ban.