PCC welcomes tougher sentencing for hare coursing but urges consistent use of new powers

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has welcomed tougher sentencing guidance for hare coursing offences but has warned that its impact will depend on how consistently it is understood and applied by the courts.

New sentencing guidelines, which came into force on 1 June 2026, give courts clearer direction to treat hare coursing as the serious, often organised, criminal activity it is with sentencing now firmly linked to both the level of harm caused and the culpability of the offender.

Mr Wilkinson said: “I welcome these tougher sentencing powers and the much stronger recognition of the harm hare coursing causes to our rural communities.

“This is not a minor rural nuisance. It is criminal behaviour that damages property, harms wildlife, intimidates farmers and is frequently linked to organised crime.”

To find out more, including what the PCC and Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police said, visit the web page:
www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/about-us/news/2026/june-2026/pcc-welcomes-tougher-sentencing-for-hare-coursing-but-urges-consistent-use-of-new-powers