A huntsman encouraged his hounds to chase a fox, a court was told yesterday.

Four members of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt are accused of illegally hunting a fox with a dog, contrary to the Hunting Act 2004. It is the first hunting prosecution in Sussex.

Masters Neil Millard, of Dragons Lane, Shipley, near Horsham, Henry Hawksfield, of Bines Road, Partridge Green, secretary Rachel Holdsworth, of Rock Road, Washington, near Storrington, and Andrew Phillis, of Halwell, Totnes, Devon, appeared at Horsham Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The offences are said to have occurred at hunt meets in Southwater, Shremanbury and Twineham and Shermanbury at three dates last year.

All four defendants deny the charges.

Yesterday, the court was shown footage of a fox apparently being chased by a pack of hounds during the meet on January 18, 2011.

Hunt saboteur Carole Tibbitts, who was monitoring the hunt, told the court she shouted to Mr Phillis to call off the hunt when a fox was spotted.

In the video Mrs Tibbitts could be heard shouting: “Call off Phillis, call off.”

Terry Hill, environmental and animal welfare researcher, who monitored the hunt at a February 15 meet, claimed Mr Phillis encouraged a pack of about 20 hounds to chase a fox.

The trial continues today.