‘Sometimes it’s like chasing ghosts!’ LincsOnline takes a ride out with police in search of hare coursers

As summer fades and autumn draws in, Lincolnshire’s vast farmland becomes an attractive site for criminals in the pursuit of bloodsport.

The bare soil and low crops create a perfect playing field for hare coursers, who travel from across the country looking to make quick money.

Using thermal imaging telescopes to look out for their prey, coursers travel through the countryside in search of hares.

When a creature is spotted dogs are released and give chase as the criminals stream the pursuit live on the internet for gamblers to place bets on whether or not they think the hare will be caught and mercilessly killed.

“It’s horrendously cruel,” says DC Aaron Flint, a member of Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Action Crime Team, who invited LincsOnline to join him on a ride out in search of coursers through Lincolnshire’s country roads.

“They’ll tell you it’s not, that the hare has a quick death and it helps control the population. But it’s complete rubbish.

“They chase this hare until it’s exhausted. The dogs then get hold of it and pull it to pieces, if it’s two dogs. Otherwise it gets crushed and shaken until it’s dead.

“It’s the cruelty. They enjoy the cruelty and that’s what they get out of it.”

As the force’s Wildlife Crime Oficer, DC Flint - an animal lover with a degree in zoology - can spend hours each week patrolling the county’s B roads and old drover’s roads in search of coursers.

On this occasion we are in the North Kyme area where many of the fields have been harvested and would be tempting sites for coursers.

“In the height of the season we get a lot of calls,” our driver says as scans the farmland for any suspicious sights.

“I’ve known it where we’ve done runs on blue light from one end of the county to another.

“Sometimes it’s like chasing a ghost. you’ll get to a field where the hare coursers were and they’re gone.”

Looking to maximise the money they can make in one day, these gangs, often with organised crime links, move from patch to patch carrying out numerous hunts in one trip into Lincolnshire.

“Sometimes you can spend a number of hours looking for them before you find them,” DC Flint explained.

“They’re long hard days of searching.”

But when the targets are found, Lincolnshire Police can now utilise their Specialist Operations team in the fight against coursing.

DC Flint’s truck can give chase across the fields, but when the criminals hit the highways the Roads Policing Unit can be called in to take over the chase, using their driving expertise or even stingers to halt the coursers.

If the coursers head off road or lose the police, the drone unit or even the police helicopter can be called in to help the search.

Further support, if necessary, comes from the Armed Response Team and Tactical Support Team.

While some chases have to be aborted for police or public safety concerns, when caught these criminals can be hit with huge fines, driving bans, orders banning them from keeping dogs or even entering the county, as well as the one which really hits the pocket - kenneling fees.

“The police spends a huge amount of money on kenneling fees but now we’re recouping that money from offenders at court,” DC Flint said.

“We’re seeing some massive costs recovered. And why should the police an taxpayer pay for that?

“This is a hobby for them, hare coursing. It suddenly becomes a really expensive hobby and I think that’s why we’ve seen a large reduction.

“These days when we do find them they get arrested, taken into custody and interviewed, held in custody while we make enquiries. Their dogs are seized, their vehicles are seized and it’s all forfeited at court.

“People realise they were previously getting fines of a few hundred pound fines, now its a huge amount of money. Now we’re the ones laughing. They’re getting the proper punishments.”

On this occasion our journey uncovered no hare coursers, hopefully a sign that criminals continue to be put off from coming into Lincolnshire.

But Inspector Chris Davis knows it will be inevitable coursers will try their luck this season, and that’s why his team are ready.

“If you come her you’ll get followed by all sorts of people in marked vehicles, unmarked vehicles,” he said.

“You’ll find out that we’ll find you.”

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