Violent saboteur given Asbo-style ban from attending hunts

A man described as “the face of UK hunt saboteurs” has been handed an Asbo-style ban to prevent him attending hunts in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.

Branded a “danger to the public” by a judge, Paul Allman has a history of violent offences and he has now been barred from carrying out activities to disrupt trail hunts.

This includes attending any hunt in Cheshire or North Wales, wearing a face covering, or having in his possession items “to disrupt or distress persons or animals at a hunt such as chains, zip ties, hunting horn, spray or a device containing recordings of hounds”.

A breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order is punishable by up to five years in prison.  The orders were introduced in 2014 as part of a range of anti-social behaviour measures that replaced Asbos.

The move has been welcomed by the Countryside Alliance, who have repeatedly called on Cheshire Police to act. The Alliance has also urged other forces to take the threat posed by hunt saboteurs seriously.

Allman, 49, from Stockport, was jailed for 20 weeks in August after attacking two supporters of the Wynnstay Hunt in Cuddington, Cheshire, knocking one to the floor.

During the hearing, district judge John McGarva said that Allman was a “danger to the public” and “had a history of violent offending”.

His previous convictions include one in March 2019 for assaulting the master of the Cheshire Hunt, for which he was fined £200.

In September 2022 he was handed an 18-week sentence, suspended for a year, after he was one of five hunt saboteurs convicted at Leicester Magistrates’ Court for public order offences at the Cottesmore Hunt in January 2022.

He has now been made subject to a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order aimed at restricting his sabbing activities.

The Telegraph reports that Cheshire Police said the order “was obtained following a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour when attending trail hunts in Cheshire and north Wales”. It states that Allman cannot “attend any recognised hunt-related activity in Cheshire and North Wales” or go within a mile of a number of named kennels.

It also bars him from entering “any private land or property without having the written permission of the land owner and this must be in his possession” or wearing “face coverings within a vehicle that he is driving or in which he is a passenger excluding medical graded masks”. The court had previously heard that Allman had attended hunts clad in black and worn a balaclava as part of a “militia”.

He is also banned from using “or encouraging others to use, foul, abusive, insulting, offensive, disorderly or intimidating language or behaviour towards any members associated with trail hunts”, associating with others at hunt gatherings, and transporting people there.

Polly Portwin, Director of Hunting at the Countryside Alliance, said:

“We are pleased to see robust action taken against Paul Allman, considered by many as the face of UK hunt saboteurs.

“Anti-hunting thugs get gratification from bullying law-abiding country people and this action shows that such behaviour, when pursued effectively in the courts, will not be tolerated.

“The Alliance has been and will continue to be vocal about the very serious danger hunt saboteurs pose to the public and we will continue to urge police forces across the country to take any reports about saboteur activity incredibly seriously.”

A Cheshire Police spokesman said:

“Paul Allman must comply with the… conditions to prevent further anti-social behaviour and criminal offences. If the conditions are not complied with, Allman risks being imprisoned.”