Fines issued for poaching offences

Four men from Cumbria have been convicted of poaching near Leyburn.

Three of them were convicted at court. David Gibney, 35-years-old was fined £200. Joshua Silver, 19-years-old was fined £440 and Paul Gibney, 21-years-old was fined £440. They were also made to pay a victim surcharge.

Andrew Clarke, 35-years-old, pleaded guilty by post and was made to pay £85.00 and a victim surcharge.

All 4 of them were convicted of daytime trespass in pursuit of game.

The men attended farmland at 10am on Monday 24 October 2022. Witnesses saw them acting suspiciously and alerted the police. Officers immediately attended the location and located the men. They recovered a bag containing several dead rabbits.

 Inspector Clive Turner from the Rural Task Force said:

“Anyone thinking of coming to North Yorkshire to commit poaching offences should know that this behaviour will simply not be tolerated.

“We’re working hand-in-hand with our rural communities. We rely on residents to call in suspicious activity, and we will take such reports extremely seriously. Illegal poachers will find it extremely difficult to enter and leave North Yorkshire unchallenged.”