TRANSPARENCY will be at the heart of future arrangements between Warwickshire Police and Warwickshire Hunt, according to police chiefs.
That was their pledge as they announced they would publish a public code for the 2024-25 hunting season.
It follows widespread anger over the recent revelation that a ‘secret’ deal had been made between senior police and members of the hunt.
The private arrangement led to concerns about whether policing was following due process.
Numerous complaints have been made to police about the disruption caused by the hunt in rural Warwickshire.
Video footage – filmed by West Midlands Hunt saboteurs – showed hounds running out into the road, including in front of ambulances with emergency flashing lights, and horses and hounds stopping traffic.
Rural residents have also voiced anger at the hunt coming onto their property uninvited.
The flood of complaints led Warwickshire Police to serve a community protection notice (CPN) on the hunt in December 2022.
The CPN meant the hunt had to let the police know where and when they crossed main roads – and breaching the conditions would amount to a criminal offence.
The hunt appealed the CPN, but as the court date approached the case ‘disappeared’.
It has since been revealed this was because a secret deal had been made between police and the Warwickshire Hunt.
But the agreement which was in place with the Warwickshire Hunt for the 2023-24 season to address road safety concerns has now expired.
And before the start of the new season, Warwickshire Police said it would publish a public code of behaviour setting out the expectations on anyone taking part in trail hunting activities in the county, and to ensure all members of the community were kept safe.
A police spokesperson said: “We have been engaging with all parties involved and recorded all reported incidents.
“Video evidence has often been short or edited clips, which creates difficulties in using these for evidential purposes.
“Some of the reports were from people outside the county, or the incidents did not occur within Warwickshire.
“We have, however, received reports of four criminal offences. One of these is now with the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and the other three are minor offences with the investigations due to conclude in the next few weeks.
“We will continue to balance the rights of residents, those who wish to legally trail hunt and those who wish to legally protest.
“We look forward to working positively with all interested parties during the 2024-25 season.”
