Poachers Caught Red-Handed in Queenborough
Rural Task Force officers swooped on Thomsett Way, Queenborough, last Friday after reports of poaching on the land. On arrival, they caught four men and eight Jack Russell-type dogs flushing out rabbits from the reeds before chasing them.
Man Tries to Escape But Gets Banged Up
A 33-year-old tried to make a run for it, diving into a dyke to evade officers. Not so lucky—he was detained and arrested for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order linked to past poaching offences.
Community Warnings Handed Out
- A 32-year-old man received a Community Protection Warning to deter further offences.
- A 29-year-old was slapped with a Community Protection Notice that bans trespassing and walking dogs off-leads on private land.
- Ignore this notice and jail is next.
- A 12-year-old boy with the group was given a stern verbal warning.
Joint Crackdown on Poaching Across Seven Forces
This tough legislation covers seven forces: Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk, Herefordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Bedfordshire. Together, they back Operation Galileo — a national drive targeting hare coursing and poaching.
Thanks to an agreement supported by the Crown Prosecution Service, these forces can share intelligence, use automatic number plate recognition, and seize dogs to stamp out rural crime.
