KIMBLEWICK HUNT ASSOCIATES IAN PARKINSON AND MARK VINCENT CAUGHT IN AYLESBURY FOX CRUELTY SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked animal rights advocates and the local community in Aylesbury, two men associated with the Kimblewick Hunt, Ian Parkinson and Mark Vincent, were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. The incident, which took place in early 2019, involved the brutal treatment of a fox trapped underground, and the subsequent endangerment of the animal during a hunt.

According to court records and covert footage obtained by the Hunt Saboteurs’ Association, the events unfolded in January 2019 in the vicinity of Moreton, near Thame. The footage clearly depicted a scene where a fox was held captive in pipes underground, with one individual seen assembling a rod from pipes, allegedly used to push the fox into a more accessible position. Mark Vincent, who is employed by the Kimblewick Hunt and also serves as a local event coordinator, was directly involved in the act. The footage shows another man forcibly dragging the fox out of its underground hiding spot by its hind legs as the animal desperately tried to escape, before releasing it into the open.

Moments after the fox was released, a pack of hounds was observed running past the scene, sniffing at the ground, seemingly in pursuit of the animal. The court heard that the men’s actions had put the fox at significant risk of further suffering, with District Judge Kamlesh Rana condemning their conduct. The judge emphasized that the men had “put this fox at substantial risk of further suffering,” highlighting the cruelty involved.

During the trial, prosecutor Peter Rymon explained that the men had intentionally placed the fox in the path of the approaching hunt in the woodland area. He pointed out that the use of the rod to push the fox and the act of pulling it out by its tail caused unnecessary pain and suffering. Rymon stressed that animals under human control possess rights, and those rights are violated when suffering is inflicted without justification.

It was also revealed that Mark Vincent holds the position of President of the Kimblewick Hunt, which operates across several counties including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. Additionally, he is listed as a local event coordinator in a hunt newsletter, indicating his prominent role within the organization.

Martin Sims, the director of investigations at the League Against Cruel Sports and a former head of the police’s National Wildlife Crime Unit, commented on the case, stating that it provided “clear evidence that the Kimblewick Hunt is flouting the hunting ban.” The case underscored ongoing concerns about illegal hunting activities and animal cruelty associated with traditional fox hunting practices.

District Judge Rana described the defendants’ actions as “deliberate and premeditated,” though she noted during sentencing that they were not the “brains of the operation.” The court sentenced Ian Parkinson and Mark Vincent to 12 weeks of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, along with 120 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation. They were also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £113 each, along with costs totaling £960. The case has drawn widespread condemnation from animal rights groups and the local community in Aylesbury, highlighting the ongoing struggle to enforce laws against illegal hunting and animal cruelty in the region.