Bradford City player from Pontefract fined for hare coursing

Kian Harratt, who is on loan at Bradford City from Huddersfield Town, was fined alongside Billy Haigh from South Hiendley, Codie Colin Smith from Brierley for poaching offences in East Yorkshire.

Following reports of hare coursing on farmland in the Wressle, near Howden, on April 3 this year, a vehicle was stopped, and the three men were dealt with by police for Game Act offences.

Harratt was playing on loan for Port Vale at the time of the offences and has previously had spells at Harrogate Town and Guiseley.

He has also been part of youth academies at Leeds United and Barnsley before moving to Huddersfield.

At Beverley Magistrates Court on October 26, the three were convicted of daytime poaching under Section 30 of the Game Act 1831.

Harratt, aged 20, of Craven Road in Pontefract was fined £830 and ordered to pay £150 in costs and a victim surcharge of £83.

Billy Haigh, aged 20, of Main Street, South Heindley, Barnsley was fined £519 and ordered to pay £150 in costs and a victim surcharge of £52.

Codie Colin Smith, aged 18, of Frickley Bridge Lane, Brierley, Barnsley, was fined £173 and ordered to pay £150 in costs and a victim surcharge of £34

Rural Task Force Sergeant Kevin Jones said: “This conviction shows that the Rural Task Force will deal strongly with those offenders that visit our force area to commit hare coursing offences.

“Along with the criminal offences, the offenders are dealt with via the local authority’s antisocial behaviour team.

“I would like to thank the members of the public and landowners who witnessed this incident and who reported it and support our investigation.

“We will not tolerate the barbaric act of hare coursing, not only causing unimaginable suffering to our wildlife but also causing issues for local landowners who are often the subject of antisocial behaviour and damage to their land and property.”

New measures to tackle hare coursing were introduced by the government on August 1, since the offences in East Yorkshire were committed.

Anyone caught hare coursing can now face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.