Hare courser caught again in county

A convicted hare courser has been sentenced after breaching the terms of his Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Craig Rooks (below) pleaded guilty to breaching the order at Lincoln Magistrates Court on March 26 – it prevents him travelling in Lincolnshire with or in the company of people with dogs during the hare coursing season.

Police officers recently stopped Rooks driving his Toyota Rav 4 with four dogs (pictured above) in the back.

Rooks was given the CBO last October after he was found guilty of hare coursing in 2023 when Rooks had been stopped by police in North Greetwell while driving a Nissan X-Trail.  Both the state of his vehicle and the equipment he had in his car suggested he was equipped to hare course.

Items found in the vehicle linked Rooks directly to hare coursing, including the two long dogs, a thermal scope, binoculars, slip leads and rope.  He was arrested on suspicion of going equipped for hunting or pursuing hares; his dogs, Bonny and Peggy, were seized, along with his car and the other equipment.

When his phone was examined videos and voice recordings between Rooks and his friends were found about hare coursing, planning future trips and bragging about how well he had done with his dogs and how good they were at killing hares. 

For breaching the CBO Rooks was given18-week prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months.  He must pay a surcharge of £154 and CPS costs of £85. 

PC Karen Irving, Rural Crime Action Team, Lincolnshire Police, said: “Following his sentence, Rooks failed to show any respect for the law, courts, or our rural Lincolnshire communities by breaching his criminal behaviour order.

“Rooks was found to be in Lincolnshire with four dogs present in his vehicle, as well as breaching the order Rooks was also dealt with for a speeding offence, he was travelling at 40mph in a 30mph limit. 

“If you come to our county to hare course or poach any other animal we’ll be watching and waiting for you.”