A 82-year-old aristocrat who was punched in the head by a “bully” hunt saboteur is “delighted” that she has been convicted guilty of assault and fined nearly £1,000
The wealthy landowner Richard de Pelet was left disoriented and bleeding from an open wound after Alexandra Dennis struck him with a video camera during a meeting in the countryside of north Dorset on 18 December 2021.
In a video of the attack, revealed exclusively by MailOnline, Dennis must be prevented from attacking Mr. de Pelet again as she is heard hurling insults at the visibly scared senior, who exclaims in surprise, “you hit me!” Dennis is also heard threatening to kill Mr. de Pelet.
Following a trial at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, Dennis was found guilty of assault by beating and fined £959, of which £100 would go to Mr. de Pelet as compensation.
18 December 2021, wealthy landowner Richard de Pelet (pictured) was left disoriented and bleeding from an open wound after Alexandra Dennis struck him with a video camera during a meeting in the countryside of north Dorset.
The video depicts the moment Richard de Pelet, age 82, was assaulted by a hunt saboteur convicted of assault by beating.
The incident left Mr. de Pelet with a hurting head for days, the court heard.
He was the former chairman of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hunt for more than four decades, and his annual farmer’s drinks party attracted up to 450 guests to his and his wife Isabel’s vast Inwood House estate.
Members of the hunt, which Mr. de Pelet had been supporting on foot, and saboteurs were rumored to have been involved in a series of clashes that occurred about a year ago.
In the woods of Holnest, close to Sturminster Newton, both parties had yelled at and pushed one another.
The court heard that Mr. de Pelet arrived on the scene after hearing yelling in the forest.
During the skirmish between the parties, one of the saboteurs’ body cameras was knocked to the ground.
On film, the elderly, attired in beige corduroy pants and a tweed jacket, can be heard asking, “Whose is this?” after picking up the recording device.
The video then shows Dennis whirling around and running at Mr. de Pelet.
Prosecutor Olivia McGonigle told Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, “The video clearly shows her grabbing the camera, and rather than fleeing, she smacks him on the back of the head, forcing him to fall to the ground.”
‘He is an elderly gentleman, there was no case for self defence once the camera was taken away from him.’
Dennis, from Sturminster Newton, denied a charge of assault on the grounds she had acted in self defence.
Mr McGonigle said the defendant was not scared by Mr de Pelet but had lashed out in anger.
She said: ‘All of the huntsmen were behind the gate, nobody other than Mr de Pelet was in the area at the time.
‘The question is whether the force was reasonable or necessary and it is the Crown’s case that Mr de Pelet was not a threat to anyone.
‘He was not trying to steal the evidence on the camera, he was just asking to see who the camera belonged to.
‘You can hear him in the video footage saying ”Whose is this, is this yours?”
Alexandra Dennis lunged at the elderly pensioner as he attempted to retrieve something from the ground just behind her and then struck him in the head with a video camera
‘Miss Dennis was angry and that can be seen when she is kept away from the defendant on the ground.’
Kenneth Sharpe, defending, claimed his client and other female saboteurs had been manhandled that day.
He said: ‘The way that Miss Dennis must have felt to have had men riding horses with whips looming over her earlier that day must have had a real impact on her.
‘Miss Dennis didn’t even have a second to react when she turned and saw Mr de Pelet grappling with her friend.
‘She reacted instinctively and in that moment she did not have the time to consider how much force she used.
‘I do not believe it is an unreasonable reaction, Miss Dennis genuinely believed her friend was in danger and acted accordingly.’
Giving evidence, Dennis told the court that she believed it was all ‘about to kick off again’ when she saw her friend trying to get hold of the camera.
She said: ‘I thought the next moment he was going to hit her with it.
‘I thought all the rest of the hunt would run in and they would attack us again.
‘It all happened in a split second, I didn’t realise I had the camera in my hand.’
In finding her guilty, presiding magistrate Justice Dominic Britton told Dennis the aggression shown after snatching the camera was out of proportion.
He said: ‘Having viewed the video evidence and heard the oral evidence we believe snatching the camera was a reasonable use of force considering what had already happened that day.
‘However, she then went on to strike Mr de Pelet which was completely out of proportion and unnecessary. We therefore find you guilty of battery.’
Afterwards, Mr de Pelet said he was delighted with the result.
He said: ‘The gash on the back of my head hurt for a very long time.
‘Farmers agree to let us use their land and then these people come and harass us without permission. They never leave when they are told to.’
His family said that it was completely unacceptable to strike an elderly gentleman and that it was the best result they could have hoped for.
Polly Portwin, a spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance, said: ‘While small in numbers, hunt saboteurs are routinely aggressive and often violent towards many within the rural community.
‘It cannot be right that these bullies are able to carry out their campaigns of terrorising law abiding rural people.
Video footage, provided exclusively to MailOnline, shows how Dennis attacked the elderly victim as shocked members of the public tried to move her away from him
‘We urge police across the countryside to take their activity incredibly seriously, both for the safety of the hunting community but also the wider public.’
A spokesperson for the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, speaking on behalf of the shaken victim, told MailOnline yesterday that the organisation is ‘relieved that justice had been done’.
‘This shocking incident highlights the horrific abuse members of our community suffer at the hands of hunt saboteurs,’ the spokesperson said.
‘While he has recovered physically, the elderly victim understandably remains emotionally scarred by the violent actions of Alexandra Dennis.’
The spokesperson explained that for many – particularly elderly people living in rural areas – trail hunting remains a ‘important social activity.’
‘[Trail hunting] can be one of limited avenues of interaction in more isolated areas of the countryside,’ the representative stated.
‘Sadly, there are a small number of people who don’t understand this and go out of their way to intimidate and attack innocent people. We would like to thank the police and the CPS for their professionalism in assisting to bring Dennis to justice’.
Trail hunting was established in the wake of the 2004 Hunting Act to legally recreate the illegal sport of fox hunting as nearly as possible.
Under the guidelines, horseback riders with dogs can legally follow trails created with smell, instead of chasing a live animal.
However, if hounds should happen to pick up the scent of a fox and hunt it as a result of the trail, then there are no legal penalties.
The League Against Cruel Sports argues trail hunting is a cover for illegal hunting, meant to confuse the authorities and make the prosecution of illegal hunters exceedingly difficult.
The 2004 Hunting Act prohibits hunting foxes with hounds, however there have been instances of infractions since.
Although animals are not actively pursued, wounded, or killed during trail hunting, many animal rights advocates publicly condemn the practice.
The Countryside Alliance, a rural advocacy group, thinks that Sunday’s incident underscores the importance of police taking threats made by hunt saboteur groups’seriously.’
The man slumped to the ground while Dennis could be heard yelling insults at him. The man, disoriented and plainly terrified, adds, “you hit me.”
Polly Portwin, who manages the organization’s Campaign for Hunting, remarked, “Although few in number, hunt saboteurs are habitually confrontational and frequently violent toward many members of the rural community.”
“Hunt workers, who work tirelessly to preserve and defend the wellbeing of the animals in their care, are frequently falsely accused by sabotage organizations, as was reported in Wiltshire over the weekend.
“It cannot be acceptable that these bullies are free to terrorize law-abiding rural citizens with their efforts.”
She said, “We urge police throughout the countryside to take their activities extremely seriously, for the safety of the hunting community as well as the general public.”
After a trial at Weymouth Magistrates Court, Dennis was found guilty and fined £959 for assault by beating. The victim claims that he is still “emotionally wounded” by her “violent conduct.”
The Countryside Alliance, a rural advocacy group, thinks that Sunday’s incident underscores the importance of authorities taking threats made by hunt saboteur groups’seriously’
Ms. Portwin remarked that two weeks previously, police urged another hunt to relocate its operations due to a “hate campaign against local clergy by hunt saboteurs.”
The saboteurs of the hunt had posted information about the group’s Christmas service at St. George’s Church in Clun. In addition, they distributed the email address of Reverend Caroline Harrison and requested that activists contact her to lodge complaints.
Animal rights groups and activists from around the world, including Canada and New Zealand, contacted the hunt.
Ms. Portwin noted that the service still occurred last weekend despite the threats.
Since then, a representative for the United Pack has criticized the protesters, stating, “We had no doubt that our carol service would take place this year.”
‘It is an important element of the holiday calendar for many locals, regardless of whether or not they participate in hunting.
We would never give in to internet bullies’ threats, but we recognize how unpleasant it may be for those who are victimized.
Last weekend’s event, according to the United Pack, was “without a doubt the best supported service” the organization has ever provided.
Officials report that attendance was “above average” and that the group had more newcomers than in prior years, “which just reinforces the power of rural community spirit and the significance of this time of year.”
The spokesperson continued, ‘The sermon was beautifully constructed, and the roughly 100 congregants all agreed that the rural community in the Welsh Marches was much better off as a result of the joyful and heartfelt service.’
»Aristocrat and former hunt chairman, 82, was beaten with a camera by an angry saboteur«
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