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| Huntsman guilty of monitor attack | Huntsman guilty of monitor attack |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Devon huntsman has been found guilty of attacking a campaigner who was filming a hunting event. | A Devon huntsman has been found guilty of attacking a campaigner who was filming a hunting event. |
| Christopher Marles, 44, of Farringdon, near Exeter, repeatedly punched Kevin Hill, a hunt monitor with the International Fund for Animal Welfare. | Christopher Marles, 44, of Farringdon, near Exeter, repeatedly punched Kevin Hill, a hunt monitor with the International Fund for Animal Welfare. |
| He denied assault at a Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunt last October. | He denied assault at a Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunt last October. |
| Exeter Crown Court heard that Mr Hill, 56, from Beaminster, Dorset, suffered a bleeding face as well as a black eye during the attack. | Exeter Crown Court heard that Mr Hill, 56, from Beaminster, Dorset, suffered a bleeding face as well as a black eye during the attack. |
| They believe they can do what they do to animals and try to chase us away Kevin Hill Sixteen-stone Marles was bailed for sentencing to 23 October and the judge ordered that in the meantime he should not attend any hunting event. | They believe they can do what they do to animals and try to chase us away Kevin Hill Sixteen-stone Marles was bailed for sentencing to 23 October and the judge ordered that in the meantime he should not attend any hunting event. |
| Mr Hill was filming the hunt on Exmoor to ensure it was complying with the law against hunting with hounds which was introduced in February last year. | |
| He told the court Marles, an amateur whipper-in with the east Devon hunt, tried to take his camera, so he crouched to protect it. | He told the court Marles, an amateur whipper-in with the east Devon hunt, tried to take his camera, so he crouched to protect it. |
| "He started punching me," said Mr Hill. "On one occasion I saw his foot lift up. | "He started punching me," said Mr Hill. "On one occasion I saw his foot lift up. |
| "I am not sure where he kneed me or kicked me, but it was a tremendous blow. | "I am not sure where he kneed me or kicked me, but it was a tremendous blow. |
| "I was very frightened," he said. | "I was very frightened," he said. |
| After the case, Mr Hill, who said he had been attacked many times before, said: "We will not go away, we will not be driven away, we will always be there for the hunted animal. | After the case, Mr Hill, who said he had been attacked many times before, said: "We will not go away, we will not be driven away, we will always be there for the hunted animal. |
| "People have to be told what they do to us is not acceptable. | "People have to be told what they do to us is not acceptable. |
| "There was a huge amount of arrogance in the hunting world, they believe they can do what they do to animals and try to chase us away." | "There was a huge amount of arrogance in the hunting world, they believe they can do what they do to animals and try to chase us away." |
| The Devon and Somerset Staghounds were unavailable for comment. |