http://www.westpress.co.uk

HUNT PAIR ADMIT THEFT
21 November 2007

The leader of a group of anti-hunt monitors has questioned the motives of two hunt supporters who stole a video camera from a woman during a confrontation at a meet. Malcolm Scobie, 41, and David Gibbons, 52, were due to stand trial for robbery after a meet of the Avon Vale hunt near Melksham in October 2005.

But at Swindon Crown Court this week, the pair admitted a lesser charge of theft, and were ordered to pay £175 compensation to anti-hunt monitor Melanie Bates.

Judge Douglas Field gave the pair a one-year conditional discharge.

After the case, anti- hunt campaigner Aubrey Burge said: "These two consistently denied doing this, right up until the day they stood in court. We think the sentence is far too lenient, and the question remains, if the Avon Vale hunt is doing everything legally, why did they have to steal a video camera?"