Two men in Essex and one in Peterborough arrested after violent disorder, criminality and hare coursing across Welney and Fenland
Three more people have been arrested in connection with violent disorder and criminality which saw Welney, as well as a number of other Cambridgeshire locations, terrorised by hare coursers last weekend.
Two men, aged 22 and 51, were arrested in Essex this morning, while a 46-year-old man was arrested in Peterborough this afternoon.
It comes after Cambridgeshire Constabulary launched an investigation following multiple complaints of hare coursing, criminal damage and dangerous driving in various parts of the county on Saturday, January 25.
Incidents took place in Welney, Chatteris, Manea, Wimblington, Doddington, Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow and Littleport.
Police are continuing to appeal for the public’s help in identifying those involved.
Local policing commander, Superintendent Ben Martin said: “Our investigation team have been working tirelessly reviewing the many pieces of information that have been coming into us which have led to these arrests, which demonstrates the continuing commitment by the constabulary to bring the offenders to justice.”
An 18-year-old man from Spalding and a 26-year-old man from Grantham were arrested on Friday morning (January 31) on suspicion of violent disorder and attending a hare coursing event.
Police also seized four vehicles - three in Grantham and one in Essex - as well as hare coursing equipment.
The men were both released on bail to return to Thorpe Wood Police Station at a later date, with strict conditions:
- Not to be in possession of, be in control of, or be in the company of any dog on private land without the owner’s written permission.
- When in possession of, in control of, or in the company of any dog, said dog must be on a lead.
- Not to be in a vehicle with any dog, whilst outside of a five-mile radius of your home address, unless for a pre-arranged veterinary appointment.
- Not to be in possession of a catapult or shot, such as ball bearing, and/or an air weapon or any part of an air weapon.
- You must not drive or be conveyed in a mechanically propelled vehicle onto private fields or agriculture field belonging to another person without written permission presentable to an officer.
- You must not use any public spaces, footpaths, bridleways or other such like areas belonging to the local authority or another unspecified person with the intention to hare course.
- You must not shout at, swear at, or intimidate any persons in any of the 12 counties – Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire or Nottinghamshire.
Supt Martin added: “We still have a lot of work to do to bring those responsible for this abhorrent criminality to justice but are working closely with our policing colleagues across the country to do all we can and will continue to make arrests in the coming days and weeks.”
Anyone with any information and footage that could assist in identifying those involved is asked to email OpCalluna@cambs.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.