Hunt master found guilty of racially abusing anti-blood sports protester
A HUNT master has been found guilty of hurling racist abuse at an anti-blood sports protester.
David Lee Peters, 33, hurled insults at saboteurs who gathered in 4x4 vehicles to voice their protests at a meet in Ross-on-Wye on January 7.
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insults: David Lee Peters.
The married dad-of-one, who is the master of the Ross Harriers hunt, went on to abuse protester Hiba Hassan as he rode past on horseback, Hereford Magistrates' Court was told. Peters called police to disperse the protesters who claimed they were monitoring for illegal hunting.
But he was arrested when the anti-hunting group told officers about the racist slur.
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Prosecutor Michael Taylor said to him during the trial: "You tried to take a look inside the Land Rover.
"You even went to look in the back and when you saw a black person you shouted out (a racial obscenity). Presumably loud enough to impress the people behind you."
Ms Hassan told the court she was on her first hunt protest and was left "upset".
She said: "Mr Peters began banging on the Land Rover and shouting at us."
She heard him say "you're going to get it" and say a racially insulting term.
"He was aggressive the whole way through," she said. "Everyone was in hearing distance. I felt very alienated and upset and shocked."
She told police an hour later and witness Robert Muncey told the court he saw the lead rider crouch down as he passed the Land Rover, looking in the cab window, then crouch by the back window and yell out a racial obscenity to the riders behind.
"It was said very loudly in a venomous manner," he said. "I couldn't believe what I had heard. I really thought there was going to be trouble."
Peters admitted shouting some threats towards the group as he passed them on horseback but denied using racist language.
He claimed he was verbally abused himself by the group.
"I was told that there were saboteurs present," he said. "The information I had was that they had baseball bats. I phoned the police and just told them the information I had. As soon as you're aware of saboteurs, it's my duty as a master to inform the police.
"We left the pub and went around the bend and there's some saboteurs to my left hand side just parked up really. I did not stop because I had the hounds around me. And I didn't say those words, I didn't hear those words."
When he went back up the lane, he claimed he was grabbed by the leg and he reacted because he was backed into a corner.
"Then I retraced my steps back up the lane. I got near enough to the top and one of the saboteurs made a grab for me and had me by the leg trying to get me off the horse."
Yesterday, Peters was found guilty of racially aggravated harassment and fined £700, ordered to pay £200 compensation, £2,000 prosecution costs, and a £15 victim surcharge.
Comments
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Friday, November 16 2012, 4:36PM
“It's nice to see smurf101 giving us all a good indication of exactly what sort of pleasant people the hunt followers are.”
by eyeopener
Friday, November 16 2012, 3:20PM
“smurf101
"so the man huntsman can be assulted but the protester cant be verbally abused!
Double standards eyeopener.
if someone i didnt know grabbed me i would defend myself."
Try reading the article more carefully:
The hunt master David Lee Peters gave an inconsistent account saying "I got near enough to the top and one of the saboteurs made a grab for me and had me by the leg trying to get me off the horse."
He also "admitted shouting some threats towards the group as he passed them on horseback but denied using racist language. The two statements do not tally.
Prosecutor Michael Taylor said to him during the trial: "You tried to take a look inside the Land Rover.
"You even went to look in the back and when you saw a black person you shouted out (a racial obscenity). Presumably loud enough to impress the people behind you."
The Land Rover driver said ""Mr Peters began banging on the Land Rover and shouting at us."
She heard him say "you're going to get it" and say a racially insulting term.
"He was aggressive the whole way through," she said. "Everyone was in hearing distance. I felt very alienated and upset and shocked."
How can you be on your horse, and looking into the back of a Land Rover at the same time? The height difference would have made this very difficult especially if you were as Peters claimed having your leg grabbed at the same time.
The court simply did not believe him, and he was "found guilty of hurling racist abuse at an anti-blood sports protester."”
by smurf101
Friday, November 16 2012, 2:59PM
“so the man huntsman can be assulted but the protester cant be verbally abused!
Double standards eyeopener.
if someone i didnt know grabbed me i would defend myself.”
by eyeopener
Friday, November 16 2012, 2:28PM
“@smurf101
"he should have got off his horse and kicked the c*** out of them!"
Thank you for giving us an insight into hunt supporter mentality.”
by JustTrolling
Friday, November 16 2012, 2:27PM
“Are there any details about the police investigations into the abuse that the saboteurs dished out? I can't seem to find any details on here.”
by smurf101
Friday, November 16 2012, 1:43PM
“he should have got off his horse and kicked the c*** out of them!”
by Lord_Gaga_
Friday, November 16 2012, 11:29AM
“I share your views on the convicted;
what does that mean?”
by agent006
Friday, November 16 2012, 10:33AM
“Quite the opposite Doctor. I share your views on the convicted; I just found someone calling him a coward from the safety of a keyboard quite ironic.”
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Friday, November 16 2012, 10:18AM
“agent006, so because he does it in person and that that makes it ok to racially abuse someone then? I'm guessing that you are either a bloodthirsty chinless sadist like him or one of the toadying parasite followers who scurry along behind their lords and masters bowing and scraping as they go?”
by agent006
Friday, November 16 2012, 9:34AM
“At least he throws insults in person, not from the safety of the keyboard. Who is the bigger coward, Lord_Gaga_?”