Men convicted of hunting hares on South Downs (From The Argus)

Men convicted of hunting hares on South Downs

5:25pm Friday 31st July 2009 in

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Four people have admitted illegal hunting in Sussex.

The men were caught hare-coursing, at Angmering Park, on the South Downs in February.

Thomas Joseph Connors, 31, from Wallington, Surrey; Edward Mark Connors, 40, from Horley, Surrey; James O’Brien, 38, from Westerham, Kent and James Robb, 24, from Stanmore, Middlesex, used dogs to hunt wild hares on the Downs between Worthing and Arundel.

Each of the men was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £250 each when they appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Edward Connors, Thomas Connors and James Robb were ordered to forfeit the dogs.

Sussex Police farmwatch co-ordinator PC Peter Child said: "Hare coursing is illegal and it will be robustly dealt with whenever it comes to our attention.”