Hunt supporter harassed and obstructed monitors

By [zorourke]

A HUNT supporter who 'boxed in' and obstructed a West Coker hunt monitor with his car has been ordered to pay £1,065 in fines and costs.

Footage filmed by the monitors showed Benjamin James Elliot using his Land Rover to stop Helen Weeks and Graham Forysth's car from travelling freely on a Dorset country road. The prosecution told magistrates at Blandford on Tuesday that Mr Elliot's manner of driving was "designed to intimidate and harass."

He admitted driving without reasonable consideration and causing an obstruction on the highway.

Speaking after the proceedings, Mrs Weeks, of West Coker, said that justice had been done and that the conviction had sent a strong message to other pro-hunters not to obstruct the 'lawful business' of hunt monitoring.

Barry Baines, prosecuting, told how Elliot, of The Stables, Winterbourne Came, near Dorchester, used a blue Land Rover to help "box in" Mrs Weeks and Mr Forysth's car as they attempted to monitor the Cattistock Hunt near Abbotsbury on November 1 last year.

Elliot reversed his vehicle so that it was inches away from the front of the monitors' car when they were parked at the side of the road. A red Land Rover then drove up and parked so closely behind them that they could not move.

Elliot claimed his vehicle had broken down.

When the monitors were eventually able to move Elliot stayed ahead of them, driving at less than 10 miles per hour with the red Land Rover following behind. When the monitors eventually turned off into a no-through road to turn round and retrace their tracks Elliot followed and carried out a slow three point turn, again blocking their exit. When they reached a junction they found the red Land Rover awaiting them. Elliot came up behind and the two Land Rover drivers talked about the vehicles breaking down.

"It was a charade" said Mr Baines.

When the monitors set off on foot Elliot and his passenger followed and accused Mrs Weeks of trespass when she stood in a field gateway.

The monitors filmed the entire incident and reported it to police.

Des Reynolds, defending, told the court Elliot, who is "passionate abut fox-hunting" had "thought long and hard about his actions and agreed they were inconsiderate."

Imposing a fine of £400 on each offence and a total of six penalty points Chairman of the court Mike Davis told him his actions were premeditated and he had had plenty of time to stop.