Fox hunt hounds run amok on Ed Miliband’s Oxfordshire property

Hounds from an Oxfordshire fox hunt have been filmed running amok through a private garden and orchard co-owned by former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband MP.

Hunting with hounds was made illegal by Labour almost 20 years ago on February 18, 2005, with the introduction of the Hunting Act, shortly before the now-Energy Secretary became an MP for the first time.

Local residents in Claydon, near Bicester, reported the incident anonymously to animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports and shared footage of the hounds on the private land in Mollington Road, where Mr Miliband owns one of three cottages, and also doorbell camera footage of the hunt riding through the village itself.

Some have publicly spoken of their shock, anger and disgust that the hunt, which claimed to have been following a pre-laid trail, was trespassing on a number of properties and in other areas, such as a public park, where a trail simply could not have been laid.

One resident who reported the incident to the League and who wishes to remain anonymous, believes the hounds belonged to Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase and that they could not have been trail hunting as they claimed.

She said: “To see the hunt running riot like this was very upsetting and they either had no control over their dogs or they were hunting animals, their behaviour being entirely inconsistent with the excuse they use that they are trail hunting.

“Having hunt hounds so close to our house where we have cats was really scary as I know from experience what they can do.”

During the Mollington Road incident, although not caught on film, residents reported a muntjac deer fleeing from the hunt towards a busy road. Another resident watched a fox in Claydon village also running from the hounds.

Chris Luffingham, acting chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This incident should not have happened, 20 years after this so-called sport was supposedly banned, and the outrage from local residents shows hunts are not wanted in rural communities.

“The current government, which Ed Miliband represents, has promised the most comprehensive animal welfare package in a generation so we are calling for it to urgently set out a timetable of measures for fox hunting laws to be strengthened.

“It’s time for change – to end the sham of trail hunting, for loopholes in the Hunting Act to be removed, and a maximum custodial sentence introduced for those that break the law.”

· The public can report wildlife crime to the League’s Animal Crimewatch service on 0300 444 1234 or email crimewatch@league.org.uk or WhatsApp at 0755 278 8247.

Ends

Notes to editors

The League has approached Ed Miliband for comment, but has yet to receive a response.

A package of footage relating to the incident is available on request.

It includes:

• Footage of hounds loose in a private garden
• Hounds running down a road in the village of Claydon
• Hounds trespassing on a farm in Claydon village
• Screenshots from the Claydon, Oxfordshire, UK Community Facebook page.

Trail hunting has been describedby Temporary Chief Constable Matt Longman, the most senior police officer in England with responsibility for fox hunting crime, as a “smokescreen for illegal fox hunting”. He has also described illegal hunting as “prolific”.

The environment secretary Steve Reed has called for a full hunting ban that will remove the loopholes in the Hunting Act that make it difficult for the law to be enforced, and a ban on trail hunting.

You can find details of the League Against Cruel Sports press office here:

https://www.league.org.uk/pres...