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Hunting: Prosecutions

Answer

Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against, found guilty, cautioned and fined under the Hunting Act 2004, broken down by police force area, are in the following table. The Association of Chief Police Officers has issued guidance on enforcement of the Hunting Act and the Government are continuing to work closely with the police, and other stakeholders, to identify what more can be done to ensure that there is effective and proportionate enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004.

Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty at all courts and fined, and the number of offenders cautioned by the police of offences under the Hunting Act 2004, England and Wales, by police force area¹, ², ³, 4
Police force area	Proceeded against	Found guilty	Fined	Cautioned
2005
Merseyside	1	1	1	—
Northumbria	—	—	—	1
Thames Valley	2	2	2	—
Total	3	3	3	1
2006
Cheshire	2	2	2	—
Durham	1	—	—	—
Essex	4	3	3	—
Humberside	4	—	—	—
Total	11	5	5	0
¹ These data are on the principal offence basis.
² Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
³ The Hunting Act 2004 came into force in February 2005.
4 Where police forces are not listed, assume a nil figure.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

472 c444-5W; 186038

Session

2007-08

Subjects

Hunting Prosecutions

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk