The first man to be convicted of fox hunting in Cheshire has been sentenced in crown court last month.

A man from the Republic of Ireland was found guilty of hunting wild mammals with hounds in Marbury in the east of Cheshire after investigators used their “tenacity” to get a conviction.

John Finnegan, 39, from Dean Hill, Hayse, Navan, County Meath in Ireland was found guilty of one count of hunting a wild mammal with dogs at Crewe Magistrates Court last month on August 15.

Finnegan was fined £468 by the court.

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The charge relates to an incident in Marbury near Whitchurch on November 26 in 2022.

Finnegan was the huntsman at the time of a trail hunt, during which a fox was killed by hounds.

Superintendent Gareth Wrigley of Cheshire Police said the conviction was down to the hard work of investigators as well as those who gave evidence in the case.  

“This is the first successful case in Cheshire and is testament to the hard work and tenacity of the officer in the case and the support and expertise of the prosecutor,” said Superintendent Wrigley.

“I’d like to thank both for their dedication and determination to achieve justice in what is a complicated area of law, and I’d also like to thank those who gave evidence that helped to convict Finnegan.

“It shows the importance of giving evidence and statements in order to successfully prosecute those who break the law.”

This is the first time there has been a conviction for the offence of fox hunting in Cheshire since it was made illegal 20 years ago.

Fox hunting was banned under the Blair Government in the Hunting Act 2004 in England and Wales.

Under the legislation, “a person commits an offence if he hunts a wild mammal with a dog, unless his hunting is exempt.”