Man convicted of assaulting hunt saboteur

A 43-year-old man who punched a hunt saboteur on the last day of the season for the Pytchley with Woodland Hunt has been convicted of common assault and sentenced.

On the afternoon of March 18, 2023, the victim parked his car on Main Street in Cottesbrook, with a small group of hunt saboteurs to monitor the activities of the Northamptonshire hunt organisation.

The driver of a black Ford Puma car pulled up near to the hunt saboteurs and front passenger Marc Stewart Birney got out and approached the victim’s vehicle, who remained sitting in the driver’s seat.

Birney deliberately pushed the vehicle’s wing mirror inwards and banged on the driver’s door window as he shouted, “knock, knock!”.

When the hunt saboteur wound down his window, Birney reached in, snatched his sunglasses from his head and punched him twice to the side of his face, causing minor injuries.

Birney only stopped the assault when other hunt saboteurs went to intervene. He retreated, along with another man and woman, and all three got back into the Ford Puma and drove off.

The unsavoury incident was reported to Northamptonshire Police and the Force’s Rural Crime Team launched an investigation which led to Birney, of Oakley Road, Pipewell, being charged with one count of assault by beating.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence but following a trial at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, June 12, he was convicted of the assault.

Today (October 3), he was fined £300, ordered to pay the victim £200 of compensation, and ordered to pay other costs totalling £320.

Lead investigator, PC Chloe Gillies of the Rural Crime Team, said: “I am pleased Marc Birney was found guilty of this offence at court as this type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and there is never an excuse to assault someone.

“Although the sentence is disappointing, I understand the limitations which resulted in it and I hope the victim in this case feels some sense of justice at Birney being convicted of his crime.

“This was an unprovoked attack on the victim and Birney is fortunate that his actions didn’t have more serious consequences. Violence is not tolerated and as a Force, we will always pursue criminal action against any offender.”