A question for the Flying Lawyer really, to do with the new anti-hunting law and airside passes. It is a bit of a contraversial question and I have spent practically my entire life arguing the rights and wrongs of it so if anyone wants to debate hunting I would suggest meeting me over on
www.hounds.com.
Anyway. My question is what would be the criminal charge against someone who happened to be caught riding a horse, or even driving a 4x4, while a pack of hounds were being exercised nearby and they happened to run out of control and kill a fox? In this week's Horse and Hound the Association of Chief Police Officers says people caught hunting won't get a criminal record, just a fine and a conviction which will have to be declared, for example, when applying for a firearms licence or working with children. Defra, on the other hand, says they intend for it to be a recordable offence. It all sounds as though with only two weeks to go noone stills knows what is going on. How would this affect the ability to apply for and keep an airside pass?
FWIW I do not intend to break the law in any way. However I do intend to tag along on any rides my hunt organises, but hounds are bred with the sole purpose of chasing prey and I don't want to lose my job if a pleasant afternoon's drag hunt turns into something more.