HSA news release 21st February 1998
Head of Surrey Hunt arrested at Dig-out
Mark Sprake, the Huntsman and Joint Master of the Surrey Union Foxhounds was
today arrested during a confrontation with Hunt Saboteurs after a fox 'went
to ground' in a small copse at Peper Harow, near Farnham, Surrey.
Amid amazing scenes, Sprake tried to intimidate the police officers present
with threats about how important he was, his solicitor being out on the
hunt, and there being 'hell to pay' when he contacted the chief
constable!
Sprake was hauled from his horse and led away to a nearby police vehicle
where he was detained. Other hunt riders were cautioned with arrest for
threatening behaviour.
The incident arose after a fox went to ground in a copse at Warren Lodge
Farm. Hunt Saboteurs came across the hunt terriermen digging into the earth
and immediately moved to occupy the entrances to the earth and stop any
further digging. On the arrival of the police, the situation was defused
very quickly and effectively by the senior officer present asking the
terriermen to stop digging to prevent a Breach of the Peace occurring. When
they withdrew, the saboteurs also started to leave.
HSA Press Officer Paul Gammon (who photographed the whole incident)
described what happened next: "Sprake appeared galloping through the
wood bowling saboteurs over, he went berserk and ordered the terriermen to
resume digging because they were 'going to get this fox and they aren't
going to stop us'. We are used to Sprake's threats, but I don't think the
police appreciated his arrogant and aggressive outburst and basically, they
'nicked him'. We were as speechless as the rest of the hunt, but the police
had no other choice in the situation".
The police later released Sprake, and it is not clear if he is to be
charged, but the police attitude was that "everyone else was prepared
to walk away from the confrontation, but not him, and that was the Breach of
the Peace".
The hunt did try to carry on in the afternoon, but was left in complete
disarray by their own confusion and the superior horn calling of the
saboteurs, so they packed up early without killing anything (except any
relationship between the hunt and the police!).
The escalation in the confrontational manner of hunts is not unexpected
given the desperation most hunts show in the face of the Foster Bill before
parliament at the moment, and the fact that their hopes for continuing
hunting have been cynically raised by the Countryside Alliance (British
Field Sports Society).
Photographs and video footage available.
A selection of photos can be seen here
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