NGO calls for a task force to tackle criminal gangs 

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) is calling for the creation of a task force to tackle poaching gangs and hare coursers, following the recent escalation of organised rural crime. 

Last year a Wiltshire gamekeeper was brutally attacked by poachers (News, 6 November 2024), leaving him unable to work, and in January hare coursing groups in 4x4s caused havoc and damaged property in Hertfordshire (News, 18 December 2024). 

The NGO wrote to Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Policing, requesting that a national task force be formed to gather intelligence on these criminal groups. It is also seeking improved police response times, stronger enforcement, and increased sentencing for repeat offenders. 

Tim Weston, NGO director of environment, policy and politics, told ST: “When it comes to poaching and hare coursing, it is often keepers who end up dealing with these people face to face. We believe the police are trying their best, but the rural crime teams simply don’t have the funding or the resources to tackle the issue properly. This is why we have asked the Policing Minister to establish a dedicated national task force, to ensure a coordinated approach across police forces.”