We like to keep the 20-odd fox hunts in Devon on their toes and the Silverton were the only ones left on our list of hunts not yet visited. They met in a field on the edge of Silverton, hosted by disgraced local businessman Philip Saunders, a joint master of the hunt.
Both hunt and sabs observed a minute’s silence at 11am but in a sad irony on the day the guns fell silent we could hear local bloodsports enthusiasts beginning a pheasant shoot nearby. With about 20 riders and four quad bikes, one of them equipped with terriers and masked terrier men, the hunt left the meet heading north through the village and up towards Coblands Farm where hounds were entered into a small covert. We asked one of the Masters why terriermen were out with the hunt and his reply was “I’m not going to answer that”. There was not even a pretence of a trail having been laid so it was no great surprise when hounds erupted into cry north of Land Farm and ran in a line straight across the road towards North Down Farm, where the scent was lost.
Last week we called the police when we were subjected to criminal damage to our vehicle and threats of violence from hunt support at the South Tetcott, but we were told police had no resources to send out. This week four police vehicles were soon in the area, having been called by the hunt. Only a few minutes before they arrived, one of our sabs was driven into by hunt support but all the police seemed interested in was laboriously checking our vehicle insurance. When asked why they’d been called out, one officer told us we had been accused of trespassing, until it was pointed out to him that that is not a crime. His fall-back accusation was that we had used “foul and abusive language”. A straightforward lie from the hunt that even if true surely doesn’t warrant four police cars. As always, if they have nothing to hide, why are they so bothered about people watching?
Police told us that our presence was provocative and suggested we leave. You couldn’t make this up. If police actually did their job in policing illegal hunting, we would quite happily go home! As usual they had no interest in the illegal hunting and actually did everything they could to hinder us by driving as slowly as possible in front of our vehicle, at the precise moment when hounds were in cry. We’ll be making our own complaints but we’d also encourage our supporters to politely ask Devon & Cornwall Police why they don’t enforce the Hunting Act and whether their response today was a sensible use of supposedly stretched resources. Anyone who didn’t know better would never guess from all this that there is a law against fox hunting.
Obviously we didn’t leave. The hunt persisted in drawing coverts as far north as Butterleigh, including Claypark, Broadpark, Leighpool and Brimpool Copses, with sabs keeping an eye from multiple vantage points, ready to act if necessary. They drew blank in all these coverts and ended the day back in the valley around North Down Farm, with an early finish at 2.30pm.
