Trio convicted of hunting offences in rural Winchester

Two men and a child have been convicted of numerous rural offences following an investigation by Hampshire-based Country Watch officers.

Mark Mosley, aged 28, of Broom Field in Lightwater, Surrey and John Quilligan, aged 20 of Cambridge Road, London – along with a 17-year-old boy - pleaded guilty and were convicted of hunting offences following an incident in Ovington in early January of this year.

Appearing at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Wednesday 2 November, the court heard how two 4x4 vehicles were seen in a field off Lovington Lane just before 9pm on Saturday 8 January 2022 with high powered lights.

Two vehicles matching the descriptions provided by the witnesses were spotted covered in mud shortly afterwards by police officers in the nearby vicinity.

One of the vehicles was stopped and Mosely, Quilligan and the teenage boy were detained. During the search by officers a number of items were located and seized for evidential purposes, including; high-powered lamps, numerous dead animals, four dogs, a catapult and a knife.

Whilst the occupants of the other vehicle had decamped – officers searched the vehicle and located a further dog utilised for the hunting offences.

All three pleaded guilty to offences of hunting a wild mammal with a dog, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

In passing sentence on Wednesday 2 November, the Judge gave the teenager a 9-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £17.

At a previous hearing, Mark Mosley was to forfeit ownership of the dogs – along with the lamps, vehicle, catapults and the knife which were seized. He was also ordered to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work, complete rehabilitation activity as well as paying court costs of £85 and a £95 victim surcharge.

John Quilligan received a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £40 costs and a victim surcharge of £22.