Beaulieu Estate shooting: 69-year-old Lymington man convicted of firearm offences and trespassing after illegally shooting on Hampshire estate

William George Knight, 69, of Sway Road in Lymington, was fined £900 after being prosecuted for trespassing on private land, and for being in possession of a firearm in a public place.

CountryWatch officers responded to reports from local gatekeepers of two suspicious men shooting late at night on the Beaulieu Estate, New Forest.

This happened at roughly 10pm, on March 9.

Southampton Magistrates Court heard one of the men had alleged he had permission to be on the land, and was hunting a fox he had seen.

Upon further investigation, he was witnessed standing on a public verge next to his vehicle with the firearm – committing an offence in the process.

He was also found not to have permission to be on the land, and was trespassing.

The elderly man was found guilty of possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, and trespassing on land with a firearm, in court yesterday.

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He was fined £900, ordered to pay £620 in court costs and a victim surcharge totalling £90.

PC Matt Thelwell, of the CountryWatch team, said: ‘We hope that this conviction sends out a strong message to those with firearms licences across the New Forest, but who may be acting inappropriately with their legally held firearm.

‘Whether that is poaching deer, shooting without permission – if we are aware that these offences are taking place we will seek to take robust action and bring those responsible in front of the courts and justice will be served.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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