Two men banned from Lincolnshire after killing deer near Grantham

Two men have been sentenced to seven-year Criminal Behaviour Orders for deer hunting with a dog and killing a fallow deer at night.

Richard Bostock and Daniel Simpson were stopped by police officers near Holdingham roundabout on Friday, 19 April.

This followed a witness reporting suspected lamping in woodlands near Hanby, a hamlet south-east of Grantham. The witness reported seeing torch lights in the woods. The intestines of a deer were later found near to where the lights had been seen.

When the officers from our Specialist Operations Team stopped Bostock and Simpson, what they found in the vehicle was a scene from a thriller. Their hands were covered in blood, there was a large bull lurcher type dog in the van and a dead fallow deer.

They also had with them lamps, a power pack and the combination lock cut off a gate. The lock was on the gate to prevent access and costly damage to farmland.

Both men were subsequently arrested for offences under the Hunting Act.

During his police interview, Bostock said: “We didn’t do owt to anyone, any property or owt like that, weren’t out thieving or owt like that we were just out for the craic I suppose, you know.”

As part of the investigation the deer was sent off for a postmortem. The veterinary pathologist found the deer had probably died from cardiovascular shock after haemorrhage owing to incisions and stab wounds to the neck along with respiratory distress caused by a hole in the thorax. The attack would have had severe welfare implications for the animal. The wounds to the thorax and neck would not have led to the rapid death of the animal.

DC Aaron Flint, the Investigating Officer, from our Rural Crime Team, said: “The deer had been gralloched in the woodlands, that means they had cut out the intestines of the animal.

“The postmortem found this fallow deer was killed and died a horrible and cruel death.

“We will continue to do everything we can to enforce the Hunting Act in Lincolnshire. Hunting mammals is cruel and inhumane.”

Richard Bostock, 41, of Marsh, Huddersfield, and Daniel Simpson, 34, from Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty at Lincoln Magistrates Court on 31 October.

They were sentenced to Criminal Behaviour Orders for seven years, banning them from being in Lincolnshire and four other counties with a dog between 31 August and 30 April. They must pay fines and costs of £716. Additionally, Simpson was handed a Community Order and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Their dog and equipment were forfeited. Happily, Billy the dog will be rehomed.