Police were alerted to footage on a Facebook profile which showed hare coursing taking place in north east Fife on New Year’s Day 2020.

Following further enquiries police established that a saluki type dog seen in the footage belonged to Jackie Stewart, 41 and officers executed a Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 search warrant at Stewart’s home address on 30 January 2020, resulting in him being arrested, interviewed and reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with hare coursing.

Stewart entered a guilty plea to the offence when he appeared in court on 17th June 2020. At a sentencing hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court on Wednesday, 1 September, 2021 he was fined £1,000.

Hare coursing is a fairly common offence at this time of year and one that the police find hard to tackle. It is good to see that a case has been brought to court on this occasion but sad not to hear of dogs being seized and a ban on ownership or possession made.