Mark Hankinson: Top huntsman guilty of encouraging illegal fox hunting

Key Facts

Mark Hankinson is a director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association A senior fox hunter has been found guilty of encouraging and assisting people to evade the ban on fox hunting.
"We will be setting up a review which will be conducted to ensure that hunts are in a position to offer reassurances to all landowners and other stakeholders that hunts are operating within the law," said Chairman of the Masters of Foxhounds Association Andrew Osborne.
Mr Hankinson told the court that when he said "smokescreen" he was giving advice on laying dummy trails to confuse potential saboteurs and allow legitimate hunting to continue.
Prosecuting barrister Gregory Gordon said in his closing submission that Mr Hankinson was offering advice on how to hunt illegally "behind a smoke screen of trail hunting".