Hare coursing is defined as the illegal pursuit and killing of hares using dogs, often involving large, organised groups of people, betting, and linked to other crimes such as theft, vandalism, and intimidation. Illegal in the UK since the Hunting Act 2004, this seasonal activity takes place on open farmland when crops are low, allowing hares little cover.
The Sussex Rural Crime Team (RCT) are alert to hare coursing in Sussex and the issues caused by this crime. It is not just the wildlife who are impacted but also the landowners, as individuals illegally access and using their land for this activity.
Leading the way, Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team introduced ‘Operation Galileo’ – a dedicated effort to tackle hare coursing and this operation is now a national operation across all police force areas.
In August alone, the Sussex RCT conducted nearly 26 hours of Op Galileo patrols after receiving reports or intelligence relating to hare coursing. These patrols span across the county, specifically in the Adur, Mid Sussex, Wealden, Lewes and Rother Districts.
During Rural Crime Action Week, targeted activity was carried out by the Rural policing team which included visiting several areas of land where hare coursing can occur. These patrols happen late evening when it is dark, so the team use a thermo-imaging and night-vision technology drone to scan from the sky to identify any potential criminals in the area.
Speaking about the importance of Operation Galileo, Sussex PCC Katy Bourne said: “Hare coursing is an invasive crime, illegally killing animals for sport and money and damaging and destroying essential farmland in the process.
“We also sadly see hare coursing spill over into other crime areas such as equipment theft, vandalism and sometimes violence towards landowners. I am pleased the Sussex Rural Crime Team take a zero-tolerance approach to this crime and dedicate a lot of resource to tackling this illegal activity.
“Sussex have led the creation and implementation of Op Galileo and it’s great to see this has been picked up nationally by other police forces – rural crime can often cross county borders and so it is essential that our police forces work collaboratively.”
Inspector Andy Barker from the Sussex Rural Crime Team said: “Hare coursing represents a significant challenge for rural communities in Sussex, with impacts extending far beyond wildlife to affect landowners whose property is illegally accessed and damaged by these criminal activities.
“We have maintained significant ongoing efforts to tackle this issue across Sussex, including training programs to increase knowledge throughout our force and ensure a consistent, robust response to all reports.
“Our regular interaction with the national Operation Galileo framework enables us to share vital intelligence and track offenders as they move across county boundaries, recognising that rural crime rarely respects borders.
“The seasonal nature of hare coursing, particularly when crops are low and hares have little natural cover, requires us to be proactive in our approach, utilising technology including thermal imaging, night-vision and drones during our targeted evening patrols.”
