A landowner who was furious that a hunt had “run amok” on his property ran over hounds in his car, reversed at horse riders and attacked a foot follower by grabbing him by his neck, a court has heard.
Jonathon Wright-Watson claimed the hounds had trespassed on his land and that hunters had struck out at his vehicle with their riding crops.
The Dart Vale and South Pool Harriers were on a Saturday morning hunt near Totnes in Devon following a scented trail, Plymouth crown court heard on Tuesday.
Wright-Watson had said he did not want the hunt, made up of 35 hounds, 20 riders and about 40 foot followers, on his land.
Edward Bailey, prosecuting, said: “Mr Wright-Watson exercised his right, which he is perfectly entitled to do, to say that this hunt would not have any permission to hunt over his land.” But Bailey said: “This is exactly what appears to have happened during the course of that morning.”
Bailey said Wright-Watson was to tell police later that the hounds were clambering over the roofs of outbuildings, frightening children and scaring his pets. “He was cross about this to say the least,” said Bailey.
The prosecutor said he grabbed one hound and put it in the back of his pickup before driving off at speed to try to find the owner.
When he came upon hunt follower Stanley Wreyford he allegedly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and shouted at him: “Is this your fucking dog?” Wreyford said it wasn’t and Wright-Watson drove on, the court heard.
Wright-Watson, 55, of Harberton, Devon, allegedly hit three hounds who were in the middle of a lane, leaving one of them – called Bounty - with a broken pelvis, which means she cannot hunt or breed. He then reversed at a group of riders, it is claimed.
In police interview, Wright-Watson said he was annoyed that the hounds were on his land. But he said he drove down the lanes in first gear at 15mph and he had merely put out his arm towards Wreyford to stop him falling down a bank. He denied hitting any hounds and said there was plenty of room for the riders to get around his vehicle when he reversed down the lane.
He claimed that the riders were “in a frenzy” and were hitting his vehicle with their riding crops and opening his boot to look inside. Wright-Watson denies dangerous driving and assaulting Wreyford by beating.
The trial continues.
