Police arrest man with dog on suspicion of hare coursing in Clanfield amid spate of incidents

It comes as officers from Hampshire police’s Country Watch team, neighbourhoods teams, district policing teams and Roads Policing Unit responded to reports of hare coursing last night (21 September) across the county.

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The first incident occurred in Clanfield where police received a call at 6.10pm to reports of hare coursing taking place in land off North Lane. Police attended and located a man with a Lurcher.

The 35-year-old was subsequently arrested on suspicion of trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs under Section 63 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 – a recent legislation introduced in April 2022. The man remains in custody at this time.

Later that night, police received a call at 10.53pm of two 4x4 vehicles trespassing on land in the Woodmancott area of Rural Winchester. Officers attended and the vehicles were located by the Dog Unit, before failing to stop for police.

One of the vehicles was subsequently located on its roof on a byway in the Cliddesden area. The occupants had since left the area, leaving behind a Lurcher dog.

A dead hare was found next to the vehicle. Police seized the vehicle, the dog, and some suspected cannabis found in the vehicle.

Enquiries remain ongoing. The force said: “We continue to encourage anyone with information about hare coursing or suspicious vehicles in their local area to please report this to police.”