PCC welcomes tougher sentencing for hare coursing but urges consistent use of new powers

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has welcomed tougher sentencing guidance for hare coursing offences but has warned that its impact will depend on how consistently it is understood and applied by the courts.

New sentencing guidelines, which came into force on 1 June 2026, give courts clearer direction to treat hare coursing as the serious, often organised, criminal activity it is with sentencing now firmly linked to both the level of harm caused and the culpability of the offender.

Mr Wilkinson said: “I welcome these tougher sentencing powers and the much stronger recognition of the harm hare coursing causes to our rural communities.

“This is not a minor rural nuisance. It is criminal behaviour that damages property, harms wildlife, intimidates farmers and is frequently linked to organised crime.”

Under the new framework, courts are required to assess the seriousness of offences based on clear factors, including:

Higher culpability, where offenders show planning, use intimidation or threats, or are motivated by financial gain
Serious harm, including injury or distress to people, damage to land and crops, and the loss or suffering of animals
In the most serious cases, this can now lead to custodial sentences with starting points of around 18 weeks, rising higher depending on the circumstances, with a clear expectation that the punishment reflects the full impact of the offence.

Mr Wilkinson said the clarity provided by the new guidance is a significant step forward.

He said: “For the first time, there is clear guidance that captures what our rural communities see on the ground: organised groups travelling into our county, using intimidation, damaging land and putting people at risk, all for profit.

“It is right that the courts now have a framework that reflects both the level of planning involved and the very real harm caused.”

The guidelines also strengthen how financial penalties are applied, ensuring fines are proportionate to an offender’s means and designed to remove any financial gain from the crime, so that ‘it is never cheaper to offend than to comply with the law’.

In addition, Mr Wilkinson is urging courts to make full use of ancillary powers, including:

Seizing vehicles, dogs and equipment used in offending
Banning offenders from owning dogs
Ordering offenders to pay compensation and costs linked to their actions
Mr Wilkinson said these combined measures send a clear signal. “This is about more than just punishment. It is about deterrence and disruption and using all the intelligence and tools at our disposal,” he said.

“Taking away the tools offenders rely on, removing any profit from the crime and holding them accountable for the damage they cause is absolutely key.

“Our rural communities have been terrorised in the past and we must do all we can to ensure this does not happen into the future.”

However, he stressed that stronger powers alone will not solve the issue without proper understanding across the justice system.

Mr Wilkinson added: “These guidelines are only as strong as their application. It is essential that everyone involved, from policing to prosecution and the courts, is aware of the full range of powers now available and are confident in using them.

“If that awareness and consistency isn’t there, we risk not delivering the step change rural communities need.”

Hare coursing remains a persistent concern for Wiltshire’s farming communities, with offenders often causing extensive damage while using aggressive and intimidating tactics.

Alongside these strengthened sentencing powers, Wiltshire continues to take a joined-up approach to tackling hare coursing through Operation Ragwort, working in partnership with neighbouring forces, the National Rural Crime Unit and local communities.

This co-ordinated response brings together intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement and proactive patrols to disrupt offenders, many of whom operate across force boundaries and are linked to wider organised crime.

By combining stronger legal tools with collaborative policing, Wiltshire Police is better placed to identify, target and bring offenders to justice and to ensure rural communities feel protected and supported.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said: “I welcome the tougher sentences for crimes which have a devastating impact on our rural communities.

“This, along with the ancillary powers courts have when dealing with rural criminality, will deter criminals from offending and strengthen our focus on disrupting gangs targeting our rural communities.

“Rural crime is everyone’s business and tackling it is the responsibility of our whole Force.

“To strengthen our approach, we have moved away from having a small rural crime team and have, instead, embedded dedicated, specially trained Rural Crime Officers within our Neighbourhood Policing Team model. These officers act as key points of contact within our rural communities, while also providing specialist support to colleagues dealing with rural crime matters.

“The voice of our rural communities is central to shaping our response to the crimes impacting upon them. In May, we convened our first Rural Crime Consultation Panel. This group has been established specifically to focus on rural crime, and its members bring valuable expertise and lived experience from across the rural sector.

“We are confident that this group will support us in strengthening trust and confidence between rural communities and the police, help inform operational policing, encouraging greater reporting of rural crime and building stronger partnerships across agencies and local communities.”

Mr Wilkinson added: “Our message is clear. Wiltshire will not tolerate this behaviour.

“We know the majority of offenders come from outside the south west to commit rural crime but increased partnership working and shared intelligence is yielding positive results.

“Now there are stronger powers, clearer guidance and the backing of the law we must make sure they are used to their full effect so offenders know Wiltshire is not an easy option for their criminal activity.”

Published Monday 29 June 2026

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