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Three men have pleading guilty to hare coursing offences on a farm in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Humberside Police said three men appeared before Beverley Magistrates' Court on October 9 after they trespassed on farmland in the village of Leven last year with the intention to search for hares with dogs.

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Officers confirmed the men - from Knaresborough, Great Ayton and Worksop - were issued with fines and court costs totalling over £1,800.

One man was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment - which was suspended for 12 months - and received a 10-year criminal behaviour order with conditions around the control of dogs, not being on private farmland without permission and a complete ban on entering Humberside.

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Police said a fourth man involved in the case - from Stokesley - did not appear at court and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Sergeant Kevin Jones of the Rural Task Force said the case sent a ‘clear message' officers would take hare coursing seriously.

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Inspector Derek Hussain, force lead for Humberside Police's Rural Task Force, said the result was an example of the police's ‘passion, specialist skills and knowledge' in supporting rural communities.

"I am extremely proud of the work that the rural task force is delivering for our rural community," he added.

"The convictions given here ensure our offenders are robustly tackled, and we will continue our commitment in tackling rural crime, building trust and confidence in the rural community."

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