SERIAL HARE COURSERS FROM NORTH YORKSHIRE RECEIVE HEAVY SENTENCES
Serial animal abusers Shane Hooton (see here), John Langan (see here and here) and Tommy Jaffray (see here) ran a lurcher with such horrific degloving injuries she had to be put down.The trio had travelled more than two hours from North Yorkshire to Lincolnshire for a hare coursing match on February 9, 2025.
They had three dogs, two white and one black.
Shortly before 1pm, the men were seen lining up on land at Waddingham, approximately 50m apart, with one dog actively pursuing a hare.
Officers arrived as they were running to their silver Vauxhall Vectra, which had already been blocked in.
The police found the 'terrified' female lurcher in the boot with a 'horrendous degloving injury' to her lower jaw.
DC Aaron Flint, the Wildlife Crime Officer, said: 'When officers saw the horrific injuries to the black dog, they immediately took it to a vet where it was sadly put to sleep.
The owner, Shane Hooton, had known of the dog’s injuries for six days.
By taking the dog hare coursing, the defendants caused horrendous and unnecessary suffering.
They should have sought veterinary care immediately.
They were involved in hare coursing, and two ignored Criminal Behaviour Orders designed to protect animals and the public.' Voice notes on Hooton’s phone confirmed he attempted to superglue and staple the dog’s face together.
The examining vet said the animal suffered 'significant pain' and 'unnecessary suffering.' A graphic video from February 6 showed the severity of the dog’s de-gloved chin, with the dog crying as her lips were pulled to capture the injury.
Many photos, videos, and voice messages on the men’s phones related to hare coursing.
Evidence included footage of their way to Lincolnshire, their dogs, and dead hares.
All three admitted involvement in the hare coursing match in February 2026.
Hooton also pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog.
Hooton and Langan were in breach of court orders for previous hare coursing offences.
The court heard that as members of the travelling community, hare coursing was ingrained in their culture, and they were unaware it was illegal.
Hooton’s defense claimed his poor literacy prevented him from understanding the earlier ban, though the probation service did not fully accept this.
Sentencing: Hooton, whose prior convictions include fraud related to defrauding elderly residents, received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
Langan was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Jaffray received an 18-month community order.
All three were issued a 15-year criminal behavior order preventing them from entering Lincolnshire during hare coursing season.
The silver Vauxhall Vectra was confiscated, and each was ordered to cover kennelling and care costs of £1,733.
They are banned from keeping dogs for ten years, expiring January 2036.
