SCOTT COCHRANE SENTENCED IN DORSET FOR WILDLIFE PERSECUTION AND COURT ORDER BREACHES

Serial wildlife persecutor Scott Matthew Cochrane, born 9 November 1989, of 4 Yarrow Close, Poole BH12 4FL, has been repeatedly involved in illegal activities related to poaching and wildlife harm. He was convicted in 2019 after officers found him in possession of dead rabbits, lurcher-type dogs, and steel ball bearings. Cochrane, a notorious offender, stood before the court once more after breaching a five-year criminal behaviour order first imposed in September 2015. This order stemmed from a prior incident where he was filmed pulling the head off a live wood pigeon and uploaded the video to Facebook. He pleaded guilty to possessing a wild animal and hunting a wild mammal using a dog, offences under Section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

His Facebook account contains numerous claims boasting about his wildlife 'kills.' As part of his new restrictions, Cochrane is now banned from numerous rural regions across Dorset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. These areas include the southern side of the A35 in Purbeck and Dorchester, northeastern Dorset extending toward the M4 corridor in north Wiltshire, and sections of the New Forest in Hampshire. The restrictions specifically prohibit him from using routes such as the A338 from Ringwood into Wiltshire, the A354 from Puddletown to Salisbury, and the A350 from Wimborne into Wiltshire—routes frequently linked with rural crimes.

On the night of Saturday, October 5, 2019, police responded to reports of suspected poaching near Blandford. Officers located a van with two men, one of whom was Cochrane, equipped with two lurcher-type dogs, a high-powered lamp, and carrying dead rabbits. A search of their vehicle uncovered a catapult, steel ball bearings, and additional dead rabbits. This led to the issuance of a three-year criminal behaviour order, which prohibits Cochrane from engaging in various activities including instructing others in anti-social behaviour, possessing wild animals or parts, owning prohibited dog breeds like lurchers and greyhounds except under specific conditions, and controlling dogs off-lead on public land without permission.

Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Co-ordinator, emphasized the seriousness: “Coursing with dogs and poaching is a national priority for rural and wildlife crime. Many victims across the UK suffer recurrent damages, and the offenders often threaten communities and damage property. They train dogs on wildlife with little regard for animal welfare and travel great distances across counties.” She added, “This broader order is pioneering in rural crime enforcement, restricting Cochrane from large swaths of land across three counties and regulating his ownership of certain breeds.”

Cochrane faced sentencing for these offences: eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, along with a victim surcharge of £122 and costs of £85. The other man involved received a caution. Additionally, Cochrane was subjected to a new three-year criminal behaviour order.

Update in March 2020 revealed that Dorset Police announced Cochrane was jailed for breaching a court order banning possession of a catapult. On 6 March 2020, he received a 12-week prison sentence after admitting the breach, which included a previous suspended sentence. His breach stemmed from a video uploaded during Christmas 2019 showing him in a vehicle pulling out a catapult and pretending to fire it at the camera. He was arrested in January 2020 and recognized from the footage. Dorset Police's Rural Crime Co-ordinator, Claire Dinsdale, condemned his actions, highlighting his blatant disregard for court orders.

Further court proceedings occurred in October 2020, when Cochrane admitted breaching the criminal behaviour order and committing vehicle interference. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £500 in compensation after an incident in August involving an attempt to force open a horsebox trailer using a metal pin in a field near Wimborne. The damage was valued at approximately £500. The incident was caught on a wildlife camera, and Cochrane was identified from footage shared on social media. His location at the time was on a list of areas restricted by the earlier criminal behaviour order. Rural Crime Inspector Darren Stanton commented, “Cochrane is a repeat offender who continues to offend despite court restrictions. We will work to enforce these orders and bring him before the courts.”