NEW figures for Somerset fox hunting show an “appalling disregard for the law”, says A League Against Cruel Sports leader.

Released on Friday, April 11, by the League Against Cruel Sports, the new figures show the scale of suspected illegal fox hunting in rural communities, including Somerset, which has the third highest number of incidents of any county across England and Wales.

The figures – recorded between August 2024 and the end of March 2025 - reveal there were a total of 159 incidents recorded for Somerset, consisting of 58 reports relating to suspected illegal hunting, including 49 reports of foxes being chased and 101 reports of hunt havoc.

Emma Judd, head of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “These shocking figures underline why the Government has announced it will launch a consultation to ban trail hunting later this year, something we are urging them to publish without delay.

“But, more than that, the Hunting Act also needs to be strengthened by removing its loopholes, which are exploited by hunts to avoid prosecution for illegal hunting, and for custodial sentences to be introduced for those who persist in breaking the law.”

The figures reveal that the west of England is a fox hunting hot spot, with Dorset, Gloucestershire, and Somerset recording the highest figures of all the counties in England and Wales.

Somerset and Dorset’s Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt - four members of which were found guilty of illegal hunting this week - was the worst offending hunt in the country – with 61 reports relating to suspected illegal hunting, including 48 reports of foxes being chased and 83 reports of hunt havoc.

According to the charity, the havoc caused by hunts includes anti-social behaviour and activities inconsistent with trail hunting, the discredited excuse used by hunts since the fox hunting ban in which they claim to claim to follow pre-laid trails. These activities included hounds being struck on a busy road where no trail would have been laid, digging up badger setts to get to foxes that have fled underground, trespass, and causing harm or distress to other animals, such as family pets.

Trail hunting has been described by temporary assistant chief constable Matt Longman, the national lead on fox hunting crime, as a “smokescreen for illegal fox hunting”. He has also described illegal hunting as “prolific”.

The figures are compiled from the charity’s confidential Animal Crimewatch service and hunt monitors’ reports by the League’s intelligence team, which is staffed by former police officers and civilian analysts.

Nationally there were nearly 1,600 incidents – consisting of 474 reports relating to suspected illegal hunting, which include 397 reports of foxes being chased, and 1,117 reports of hunt havoc.

Emma added: “These figures show the fox hunts have an appalling disregard for the law and are chasing and killing foxes across Somerset as they did before the ban and inflicting misery on rural communities.

“The time for change is now. New stronger fox hunting laws are needed to consign this barbaric activity to the history books.”

The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt have been approached for comment.