Deer poachers banned from entering Humberside Police area
Two men convicted of poaching deer with dogs have been banned from entering the Humberside Police force area, except to catch a plane, ferry, or for work.
Scott Hayes, 24, and Christopher Darwin, 28, used lurchers to attack a male roe deer near Haxey in North Lincolnshire, on Christmas Eve. The men were also banned from being on private farmland with a dog in England and Wales without written permission. They were given three-year bans at Grimsby Magistrates' Court. Hayes, of Blakewood Drive, Blaxton, near Doncaster, and Darwin, of Laycock Avenue, Doncaster, were caught after police received reports of dogs being used to chase a group of roe deer in the Haxey area. A dead male deer that had recently been killed was discovered nearby at East Lound. Humberside Police, which covers North Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, said the injuries found on the deer were consistent with it having being killed by dogs. The force said deer poaching is a problem in many areas and can involve extreme cruelty, especially when dogs are used to chase and drag the animal down. The Food Standards Agency has also previously warned of the health threat posed by the poaching of deer, with some offenders trying to sell venison to restaurants and shops. Speaking after the case, Ch Insp Paul Butler said the banning order was an effective way to prevent the men reoffending both in the local area, and beyond. "This court result should send out a very clear message to those who commit wildlife offences that we take these offences seriously and will seek other sanctions available to the courts," he added. The men were also sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, Criminal Behaviour Orders allow individuals to be banned from certain activities or places. A breach could incur a maximum five-year prison term. More news from across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook on Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.