New figures show 'the scale of fox hunting and the havoc inflicted by Warwickshire Hunt', say campaigners

The statistics are released this week by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) which says Warwickshire Hunt is one of the worst offenders.

A member of the Warwickshire Hunt (which operates close to the outskirts of Banbury) was convicted of illegal hunting last month after the court dismissed his claim that the hunt was following a trail.

The Warwickshire Hunt said this week the League’s ‘unsubstantiated figures’ were being used to mislead the public, police and politicians in a bid to ban genuine trail hunting, which involves an artificial scent being laid on a planned route for hounds to follow.

In its end-of-season report, LACS says 50 incidents involving Warwickshire Hunt were recorded including 20 reports of foxes being chased and 30 reports of hunt havoc in incidents across Warwickshire and Oxfordshire.

Nationally there were 474 reports relating to suspected illegal hunting, including 397 reports of foxes being chased, and 1,117 reports of hunt havoc.

Emma Judd, head of campaigns at the LACS, said: “These shocking figures underline why the government has announced it will launch a consultation to ban trail hunting later this year, something we are urging them to publish without delay.

“But, more than that, the Hunting Act also needs to be strengthened by removing its loopholes, which are exploited by hunts to avoid prosecution for illegal hunting, and for custodial sentences to be introduced for those who persist in breaking the law.”

The figures cover the cub hunting season, which began in August, and the main fox hunting season from November 2024 to the end of March 2025.

“The havoc caused by hunts includes anti-social behaviour and activities inconsistent with trail hunting, the discredited excuse used by hunts since the fox hunting ban in which they claim to claim to follow pre-laid trails,” the League says.

“These activities included hounds running loose on a busy road where no trail would have been laid, trespass, and threatening and irresponsible behaviour.”

Trail hunting has been described by Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman, the national lead on fox hunting crime, as a ‘smokescreen for illegal fox hunting’. He has also described illegal hunting as ‘prolific’.

A spokesperson for the Warwickshire Hunt said: “The Warwickshire Hunt has conducted thousands of lawful hunting days since the Hunting Act came into force 20 years ago yet unsubstantiated figures are being used by the League Against Cruel Sports to mislead the public, police and politicians in an attempt to fuel their agenda to ban an activity which involves dragging a scented rag across the countryside.”

The LACS figures are compiled from the charity’s confidential Animal Crimewatch service and hunt monitors’ reports by the League’s intelligence team, which is staffed by former police officers and civilian analysts.

Ms Judd said: “These figures show fox hunts have an appalling disregard for the law and, as has been proven in court, the Warwickshire Hunt is chasing and killing foxes as they did before the ban.”

“The time for change is now. New stronger fox hunting laws are needed to consign this barbaric activity to the history books.”

LACS Crimewatch service is available on 0300 444 1234, email [email protected] or WhatsApp at 0755 278 8247.