TWO men, including one from Bradford, have been sentenced for using a puppy terrier dog to hunt a wild fox.

Benjamin Wilson, 34, and Benjamin Grannan, 25, pleaded guilty on their day of trial to hunting a wild mammal with an unexempted dog when they appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates Court in Barrow.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said the defendants had come from Yorkshire to the area to train the puppy to attack wild mammals.

He said Wilson, of Dene Road in the Wibsey area, and Grannan had a slingshot, .22 rifle pellets, underground dog collar, tracking device, shovel, gas cylinder and other paraphernalia consistent with fox hunting.

Mr Dacre said officers on patrol stopped the duo on January 14 last year on Appleby Road in Kendal after Wilson had swerved a grey Land Rover Freelander and then made off at speed.

He said officers then searched the defendants where Wilson admitted being in possession of cocaine and Grannan admitted having cannabis on him.

Mr Dacre said it was then that officers discovered a puppy terrier dog that was ‘wet and muddy’ and an injured fox in two separate compartments of a wooden case in the boot of the vehicle.

Vets attempted to treat the fox as it still had a heartbeat when it arrived but they were eventually forced to euthanise the animal due to its ‘laboured breathing’, the court heard.

They concluded the wound sustained to the side of its face was consistent with either being from a bite or a pellet but they could not say for sure, the court heard.

Mr Dacre said the puppy was seized and placed into kennels where it still belongs today.

He added that the kennel bill had now reached more than £8,000 and that the outstanding vet bill was £394.

Wilson also pleaded guilty to using the Land Rover in a condition that was likely to cause danger of injury. The prosecution said the steering wheel and handbrake of the vehicle had 'faults'.

A charge of possessing a bladed article offence was dropped by the prosecution against Wilson but instead put to Grannan, who pleaded guilty to the charge at the first possible opportunity.

The court heard Wilson had 23 previous convictions for 44 offences including previous history of taking a badger and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

In mitigation, Bill Rawstron, representing both defendants, said: “This is not a pleasant case.

“It is not possible to say whether the puppy was used in the hunting of this fox. The animal was injured but it was not by the use of this dog.

“The car was not owned by either man. It will allow for the true owner to intervene with the court."

Deputy District Judge Hayles fined Wilson and Grannan £100 for the hunting offence.

DDJ Hayles fined Wilson a further £200 for using a motor vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger of injury and for being in possession of cocaine.

He was also issued with three penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay £300 in court costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Grannan, of Burnley Road in Calderdale, was ordered to undertake 80 hours unpaid work as part of a three-month prison sentence which was suspended for 12 months.

He was fined a further £50 for being in possession of cannabis and ordered to pay £300 in court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

Forfeiture and destruction of the drugs was instructed as well as deprivation of the vehicle and items relating to the hunting.