Hunting charges dropped from ex-councillor who made lewd Remarks to protester
Charles Carter, 33 Norfolk. Picture: Nigel Roddis/PA Wire
A search master and previous councillor filmed making lewd comments to a female protester was cleared of searching fees.
Footage comprising former Tory Breckland councillor Charles Carter – who is Master of the Middleton Hunt – was revealed during a trial in York Magistrates’ Court Mr Carter and whipper-in of the search Colin Milburn, 59, who were both charged with searching offences relating to 2 foxes.
The two defendants walked free from court on Monday, October 9 after district judge Adrian Lower dismissed all of the charges against them after an application by his or her attorney.
Throughout the trial, Linda Hoggard, who took the footage, told a district judge how she lived about half an hour from where the Middleton Hunt had been assembly at Squirrel Hall, near Duggleby.
She stated she put off with her camera along with anti-hunt spray because she was concerned about a set of foxes she’d noticed in the area.
Mrs Hoggard described an encounter with Mr Carter, 34 and filmed the search in some woodland, she also captured on her phone.
From the footage Mr Carter is apparently filming the encounter himself on his phone and is dressed in complete red looking attire.
He also made a lewd proposal to Mrs Hoggard, which comprised asking her “Can I take you to bed, please?”
Stephen Welford, cross-examining Mrs Hoggard, protecting, asked her how much money she’d made from selling video footage on media outlets and she informed the court she’d earned nothing.
Asked why she had been in the area at the moment, Mrs Hoggard told the courtroom: “I had been hoping to save a fox’s life”.
Asked by the district judge whether she moved out that afternoon to undermine the search or to take pictures of wildlife, she explained: “A little of both.”
Opening the case for the prosecution, ” Christopher Rowe told the district judge just how Mr Carter told authorities he was speaking with Mrs Hoggard and created the remarks caught on camera “in order to make light of the scenario”.
Mr Rowe said Mr Carter told officers that a trail was laid for the hounds and he wasn’t conscious of the foxes.
After the prosecution case, Mr Welford contended there was no case to answer because the prosecution had not given evidence of intent.
Agreeing to discount the charges, ” Mr Carter forced to Mrs Hoggard was called the opinions by Mr Lower.
He explained: “They had been boorish, they were offensive, they had been distasteful. I picture they caused her level of upset. But I put all of that to one side”
A bill against Mr Carter of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior to cause harassment, alarm or distress was stopped at a hearing.
Mr Carter was a councillor to get Saham Toney ward on Breckland Council at Norfolk in the time of the incident on January 23 but resigned after the footage emerged.
Mr Carter, of Mr Milburn, North Yorkshire, and also Birdsall, of West Knapton, North Yorkshire, each denied two charges for hunting a wild mammal with dogs.
Both men sat viewing event sporting suits.
They explained as they left the courtroom, they didn’t need to comment.
source http://www.tnbearhunters.com/after-making-comments-former-breckland-councillor-charles-carter-cleared/
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