Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, is seeking a meeting with the Rural Crime Minister as well as local farmers to highlight the problem of rural crime, which has seen a recent increase in several areas across the UK.
In particular, farmers are left feeling isolated when dealing with hare coursers, who trespass on farmers’ land as they carry out their illegal activities and often subject them to threatening and intimidating behaviour.
Hare coursing was banned by the Hunting Act 2004, which the Government has confirmed will stay in place. Dogs are let off the lead to hunt down wild hares, and the practice is fuelled by illegal online gambling on the outcome. Often, those involved operate in gangs and are linked to wider crime.
Graham commented, “Over the course of the election campaign I met with local farmers through meetings with Holderness Farm Watch and local National Farmers Union branches.
“At these meetings, I heard just how frightening it can be when farmers – often far from any other properties and sometimes with young families in their homes – have to face threatening behaviour with very little help.
“I know that the local police are working to catch perpetrators where possible, and it’s vitally important that people always report any suspicious activity to 101. However, it’s clear that this is a problem that needs to be addressed further, and I was pleased to see a commitment to tackling rural crime included in the Conservative manifesto.”
Graham wants to bring local farmers together with the Rural Crime Minister, so that farmers can outline what measures they would like to see put in place. He has already written to the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner to ask what steps the local police force is taking in the meantime and intends to continue pressing those responsible to keep it on their list of priorities.
Graham added, “It’s easy for this type of crime to fall by the wayside in terms of attention, but incidences of rural crime are just as daunting as urban crimes which traditionally receive the attention of the media.”
