Hunt master slams CPS after he was prosecuted for confrontation with notorious saboteur

A hunt master is considering taking legal action against prosecutors after he was wrongly convicted of intimidating one of Britain's most notorious saboteurs over his "kidnapped" dog.

The police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have been accused of wasting time and resources after taking Kim Richardson to court for confronting Raoul D’Monte, whose groups of saboteurs were holding one of his favourite hounds in their van. 

After a year long battle a Crown Court judge has now overturned his conviction for harassment, saying that he did not find Mr D'Monte was intimidated and Mr Richardson was reasonable in trying to get his pet back. 

Mr Richardson, Joint Master and Huntsman of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt, said that the case was "insane" and he is now considering suing the CPS. 

He works in Africa building social housing, clinics and community buildings and a conviction could be "dangerous" as it could mean that people will not work with him. 

The hunt master, who was flooded with messages of support following his conviction, added: "As I said to them in interview I am an Englishman, my dog is really important to me, if someone touches it I will defend it. "

The alleged victim, Raoul D’Monte, was revealed in court to be a well known and prolific activist who has been disrupting hunts for almost 40 years and uses the pseudonym Alfie Moon to speak on sabbing tactics. 

The judge heard that at the International Animal Right Conference in Luxembourg in 2016 he discussed the need to "take control of that pack of hunting hounds away from the huntsman” by using techniques such as fake noises, adding: "The day I stop sabbing them is the day the last red coat is on a bonfire somewhere."

Polly Portwin, the Countryside Alliance’s Head of Hunting, said: “This case should never have gone this far and is another example of thousands of pounds being wasted in court and police time.

“The police and CPS need to consider very carefully any ‘evidence’ supplied by anti-hunting activists who have a vested interest in vilifying members of the hunting community.”

Fox hunting was made illegal in 2004 but trail hunting, in which the artificial scent of an animal is laid, is allowed in the UK. 

On  February 25 last year around 60 members of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt were met by around 40 saboteurs, many of whom were wearing camouflage and balaclavas. 

During the afternoon one Mr Richardson's hounds, Chapter, went missing and he desperately sent people to look for her but to no avail. 

"She is a bit naughty sometimes, but she would never run off," he said.

As darkness fell Mr Richardson stood at the top of a hill blowing his bugle for around an hour and a half, but the dog still did not return. 

One of the other riders overheard the saboteurs discussing what to do with the "lost property". They had found Chapter and put her in the back of their van. 

It was then Mr Richardson confronted Mr D’Monte, saying: "Have you got my missing hound, you lot?

"You f****** better not nick it because I'll put this (bugle) straight down your f****** throat."

Mr Richardson said: "It was maybe a little bit stronger than I should have been, but I knew I needed to be strong to get her back, it was a gesture."

The activists returned the dog to another rider several hours after she had gone missing. 

"I know that hounds have been stolen on hunts before," Mr Richardson said. "It is my wife's favourite hound, we have had it since it was a puppy and she would have killed me.

"As I said to the judge I am nearly as fond of the hounds as I am my own children. "

He thought nothing more of it until he received a phone call from police a couple of months later.

 Mr Richardson said: "I told them not to be ridiculous but they said that he had made a complaint and I had to come in for interview. 

"When the policemen turned off the recording they said both said that they did not know what I was doing there."

But the case was passed up the chain where Mr Richardson believes there are "some police in Sussex who are very anti-hunting and they get a lot of pressure from the sabs, whereas we do not bother as we do not want to waste their time". 

"I thought that it was so stupid that no one would prosecute. Next thing I know I am in court," he added. 

In October last year he appeared before a district judge and was convicted of a public order offence for causing harassment, alarm or distress and fined £2,500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £635 and a victim surcharge of £130.

But he was cleared on appeal at Lewes Crown Court last week after a video of the day, filmed from the point of view of the saboteurs, showed abuse being slung both ways. 

Mr D’Monte using the name Moon was filmed saying: "It was a really successful day, really good, really good."

Judge Antony Chinn QC said that the bench had also heard evidence that Mr D'Monte was "smirking" and they therefore concluded he did not feel harassed. 

He said they did not need to consider whether Mr Richardson's comments were reasonable but "in view of what we know about the lost hound we would have found them reasonable if we’d had to go to that stage."

Timothy Ryan, of Warner's Solicitors who represented Mr Richardson alongside  Peter Glenser QC, added: “This case should never have gone to court and I was surprised that it did.

"It is hard to believe that the police thought that this comment justified prosecution and was in the public interest."

The Crawley and Horsham Hunt went out for around 55 days last year, and for 40 of those they were followed by saboteurs. 

Mr Richardson said: "For something that is perfectly legal they shouldn't be allowed to do it. 

"Sussex Police are more inclined to arrest us than they are them because we give them less trouble."

A CPS spokesperson said: “This case was charged following careful consideration of the evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

“The defendant was convicted following a magistrates’ court trial in October 2017. The conviction was subsequently overturned on appeal and we respect the decision of the court.”

Sussex Police said it is their duty to uphold the law and they will investigate without bias allegations from either side before handing details to the CPS to make a charging decision. 

Superintendent Howard Hodges said: "The role of police at such events is to ensure the safety of everyone involved in and around hunting activities, ensuring that we can effectively respond to emergencies and deal with unlawful activity. 

"We work closely, and without bias, with those who support hunting and those against it, encouraging engagement with us in order to reduce friction between them and the potential for any public disorder. 

"It can be challenging to balance the rights, needs and wishes of all parties involved however we recognise the right for people to assemble and protest in a public place and we will always seek to facilitate both this and the rights of others to carry out lawful activity without fear of intimidation or obstruction”.