Three hunt supporters have been fined for public order offences after admitting clashing with saboteurs at a post-Christmas meet in Wiltshire.
William Renny, 30, Callum Lewis, 26, and Evan Lorne, 18, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause unlawful violence.
All three were involved in “mayhem” outside the Red Lion pub in Lacock, Wiltshire, when the Avon Vale Hunt passed through on 27 December, Salisbury magistrates heard.
The court was played video footage of the incident, which showed scuffles breaking out and punches being thrown.
Tom Power, prosecuting, said: “Mr Renny threw a punch towards one of the hunt saboteurs, and Mr Lewis and Mr Lorne appear to throw punches towards the saboteurs as general scuffles break out.
“The recording shows there is lots of tension in the air and the saboteurs are shouting and the defendants have been goaded.”
Nicola Hutchinson, representing Renny, a pest control worker from Westbury, Wiltshire, said the atmosphere became “confrontational” when about 50 hunt saboteurs dressed in black arrived. She claimed the saboteurs approached young people on ponies and tried to spook the animals. Renny “lost his cool” and punched out at a saboteur.
Rebecca Veasey, representing Lewis, a farm worker, also from Westbury, said the hunt had been a “big part” of his life but he is no longer involved with it. She told the court he accepted he aimed two “ineffectual” punches at a man who was being held against a wall.
Veasey, who was also representing Lorne, an agricultural apprentice from Melksham, Wiltshire, said he got involved in the violence “out of concern” for his father, who had been pushed by a saboteur. “Mr Lorne himself was grabbed by his collar at one stage, to whom he reacted against – admittedly somewhat disproportionately.”
Presiding justice Rachel Gowshall said Renny had approached his victim with “aggression” before punching him. She said: “We’ve heard there was provocation and we’ve heard there was a general melee, but you have contributed to that general melee by getting involved in violence. It would have been quite distressing for people there as bystanders watching the level of violence and mayhem.”
Renny was ordered to pay a total of £677 in fines, a victim surcharge and costs. Lewis was told to pay £693 and Lorne £319.
Two other defendants are due to appear at Swindon magistrates court on 13 April.
Wiltshire police were criticised for their handling of the disturbance, with officers accused of not intervening to prevent the violence. Some of the saboteurs have claimed that one of the officers there is a member of the hunt.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We’ve undertaken a review of our policing approach regarding this incident and, upon the conclusion of these criminal proceedings, we will publish a summary of this review.”
