Four men to face trial for hunting offences after hounds kill fox on family's patio in Norfolk

Three men will face trial for hunting offences after a pack of hounds killed a fox on a family's patio.

Police officers were called to Hingham in Norfolk shortly after 3.30pm on 20 February after the hunt was captured on CCTV cameras.

Footage showed the dogs entering the grounds of the house and killing the fox.

Four men were charged at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Friday, where they entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Edward Bell, 29, and Adam Egginton, 22, both of Moor Lane in Necton in Norfolk, and Andrew Kendall, 66, of Hulver Road in Henstead, near Beccles in Suffolk all deny:

• Three counts of criminal damage to a property in Hingham;

• Two counts of owning or being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in Hingham on 20 February 2023 and Tittleshall in Norfolk on 8 February 2023;

• Two counts of hunting a wild mammal with dogs in Hingham on 20 February 2023 and Tittleshall on 8 February 2023.

Adam Egginton and Andrew Kendall have also denied intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission of a summary offence.

Not guilty pleas were also entered for a fourth man, Robert Gurney, 53, of West Norfolk Foxhounds.

Mr Gurney, of Bawdeswell in Norfolk, was charged with hunting a wild mammal with dogs, and being the owner or person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control at Tittleshall on 8 February.

The Tittleshall charges relate to an incident when a member of the public reported seeing several horse riders next to a field in the village, together with a large pack of dogs following a fox into a hedgerow.

They were told they would face trial at Norwich Crown Court, sitting in Great Yarmouth, in July 2024.

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