By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 12:02, Monday, 31 October 2011

A leading animal welfare charity has the Lake District in its sights as it launches a campaign to catch people hunting illegally.

The League Against Cruel Sports plans to spend more than £1m over the next four years to hire investigations staff and equipment to gather evidence and get illegal hunts into court.

The league believes that the majority of hunts are flouting the law and is launching its own Hunt Crimewatch.

“This is the seventh hunting season under the ban, but all the evidence suggests that hunts are getting more lawless than ever.” said Joe Duckworth, the league’s chief executive.

“Appointing investigations officers around the country will enable us to increase our efforts in gathering evidence for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.”

The league employs retired police officers who review evidence and provide training on the Hunting Act to serving officers.

Two weeks ago, after an undercover investigation by the league, two staff from the Fernie Hunt in Leicestershire were convicted of breaking the Hunting Act and the Protection of Badgers Act and ordered to pay more than £10,000 in costs and fines.

The judge in the case said the hunt was engaged in ‘cynical subterfuge’ by pretending to trail hunt.

The league’s ‘Hunt Crimewatch’ service gathers information and intelligence on hunt related crime, and passes information to police forces and the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Adverts carrying the Hunt Crimewatch number started to appear in regional newspapers at the weekend.

“Our focus is not only on the illegal hunting, but on all the crimes committed by the hunts,” said Mr Duckworth. “Hunts cause all manner of anti-social behaviour.”

Recent incidents reported to Hunt Crimewatch include foxes being killed, hunt hounds running along main railway lines and even hunt supporters threatening members of the public.

“Our message to hunts is very clear. There are more cameras, under more bushes, operated by more investigations staff than ever before. Hunt within the law or expect to he held to account for your actions,” Mr Duckworth added.

First published at 11:28, Monday, 31 October 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk