CCTV footage shows a man dumping 50 dead hares outside a village shop in Hampshire, while a separate incident involving birds of prey has led to a conviction. James Kempster, 39, was found guilty of possessing the bodies of a barn owl and a kestrel that were rammed into the door handles of a volunteer-led shop in Broughton. However, magistrates in Southampton cleared him of criminal damage, stating the evidence did not prove he was the hooded person who threw the hares, left the birds, and smeared blood on the windows.
DNA Evidence and Court Proceedings
Traces of Kempster's DNA were found on the dead barn owl and kestrel. DNA expert Kassandra Harris testified that it was a billion times more likely the DNA came from Kempster and another individual than from two unrelated people. The court heard that three men used a Suzuki Vitara 4x4 to reach the shop in the early hours of 15 March 2024, turning it into a “horror movie scene.” The vehicle was later found burnt out a few miles away. Kempster, a roofer and father of three from Totton in the New Forest, has previous convictions for poaching. He denied involvement, claiming he had no idea how his DNA got on the carcasses. He was found guilty of two counts under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with a maximum penalty of six months in prison.
Impact on the Community
The incident left Broughton's approximately 1,000 residents unsettled and upset. Farmer Dagan James, who helped clear the hares and birds, noted some had been freshly killed. The mystery of who left the hares remains unsolved. Rural crime experts suggest hare carcasses are sometimes left as warnings or intimidation tactics. Philip Wilkinson, police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire and a board member of the National Rural Crime Network, explained that such acts are often used to intimidate isolated rural communities. He highlighted that hare coursers cause thousands of pounds in damages but face minimal penalties, with the maximum fine this season being £350.
Expert Reactions
Ruth Tingay, co-director of Wild Justice, expressed shock at the depravity of the act, noting that perpetrators usually hide evidence by burning or burying corpses. As Kempster left court, he taunted reporters with “Tweet, tweet, tweet.” Inspector Stu Ross of Hampshire police condemned the incident, stating that the dumping of animal carcasses is used as an intimidation tactic by criminals in remote areas. He emphasized that the sheer number of animals killed was appalling and that such terrorizing of communities will not be tolerated.
