Three Men Fined for Trespassing and Poaching Rabbits in Kent Farmland
Kent Police Rural Task Force swooped on three men caught trespassing on farmland in Queenborough on 21 October 2022. One of the group was arrested for breaching an existing criminal behaviour order (CBO) related to the same offence.
Illegal Hunt Ends with Knife, Catapult Seized
Albert Wilson and Jimmy Adcock were summonsed to court for trespassing while pursuing game. Officers found eight dead rabbits, a catapult, ball bearings, and a hunting knife at the scene. Later that day, Sydney Samuels faced charges for breaching his CBO and trespassing for the same purpose.
Magistrates Hand Out Fines and Unpaid Work
On 15 February 2023, all three pleaded guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court. Wilson, 29, from Tonbridge, and Adcock, 32, from Surrey, were each fined £300 with an additional £205 in costs. Samuels, 33, from Sittingbourne, was fined £80 plus nearly £200 costs and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Police Warn: Poaching Crackdown is On
“The east of England regularly suffers incidents of illegal hunting,” said Sergeant Darren Walshaw. “Those involved are often linked to other crimes that seriously impact rural communities.”
“Our seven-force collaboration takes a borderless approach to tackling countryside crime. Working with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are determined to slash poaching and prosecute offenders.”
