Hare thrown out of moving car window as police pursue poachers in high speed chase
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A poacher threw a dead hare out of a car window during a high-speed chase with police.
Cambridgeshire Police have released dashcam video showing the dramatic chase along country roads in the county, as poachers reversed to escape the force of the law.
The video shows two cars reversing at speed down a narrow road, while officer pursue the crooks.
Police put together a file and summoned a man to court after the chase, in October last year, reports the Cambridge News .
Arron Smith, 23, of Redhill, Surrey, was given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) following incidents of hare coursing across the county in October last year after he travelled from Surrey to Cambridgeshire.
(Image: Cambridge News WS)
He appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on September 27 this year after he was summoned for poaching, failing to stop and driving without insurance.
The court heard how officers from the Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) were on patrol on October 19 last year when they were alerted to a green Subaru being used for hare coursing in Peterborough.
Superintendent James Sutherland said: “This case proves once again just how effective our Rural Crime Action Team can be. They are expert countryside officers: British policing at its very best.
“We are going to use every legal power at our disposal to drive hare coursing out of the county.
“Our first ever Criminal Behaviour Order for a hare courser combined with a driving ban and thousands of pounds in fines and costs shows just how serious the consequences of coursing in this county can be: you risk losing your dogs, your car and your cash.”
(Image: Cambridge News WS)
The vehicle driven by Smith was found in Thorney but failed to stop for officers and as it travelled towards Crowland a dead hare was thrown from the window into the road.
Officers stopped the pursuit because of the dangerous way the Subaru was being driven but it was later spotted in Littleport, Coveney and finally Swaffham Bulbeck.
Smith and other men, who have not been identified, could be seen with three Lurcher dogs hare coursing in a field but once again fled when they spotted the officers.
In their haste they left the dogs behind and they were seized by the RCAT.
On December 2, Smith was reported for failing to stop and driving without insurance after further reports of hare coursing in Thorney.
Smith was identified as the driver of the vehicle during an identity parade.
The indefinite CBO stipulates that Smith is prohibited from trespassing on any land in Cambridgeshire whilst in possession of a Lurcher or Lurcher-type dog whilst in company of another person with a Lurcher.
Smith was ordered to forfeit his Subaru and three dogs. He was ordered to pay £250 compensation to three farmers, £5,535 in kennel costs, a £200 fine for poaching, £400 fine for no insurance as well as £145 in costs and surcharges.
Finally Smith was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.