TWO men and a child have been convicted of poaching following an investigation by Hampshire-based Country Watch officers.

Mark Mosley, 28, of Broom Field, Lightwater, Surrey, and John Quilligan, 20, of Cambridge Road, London, along with a 17-year-old boy, pleaded guilty following an incident in Ovington in early January. 

Appearing at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Wednesday November 2, the court heard how two 4x4 vehicles were seen in a field off Lovington Lane just before 9pm on Saturday January 8 with high-powered lights.

Two vehicles matching the descriptions provided by the witnesses were spotted nearby covered in mud shortly afterwards by police officers.

One of the vehicles was stopped and Mosley, Quilligan and the teenage boy were arrested. During the search by officers a number of items were seized, including; high-powered lamps, numerous dead animals, four dogs, a catapult and a knife.

Whilst the occupants of the other vehicle had escaped – officers searched the vehicle and located a further dog used for the hunting offences.

All three pleaded guilty to offences of hunting a wild mammal with a dog, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

The Judge gave the teenager a nine-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £17.

At a previous hearing, Mosley was to forfeit ownership of the dogs – along with the lamps, vehicle, catapults and the knife which were seized. He was also ordered to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work, complete rehabilitation activity as well as paying court costs of £85 and a £95 victim surcharge.

Quilligan received a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £40 costs and a victim surcharge of £22.