A man has been fined and banned from owning or keeping dogs following a hare coursing incident in Caithness.
A man has been fined and banned from owning or keeping dogs following a hare coursing incident in Caithness.
Nickolas Chenier, 55, was fined £750 and received a disqualification order preventing him for owning or keeping dogs for five years at Wick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, 5 February, 2025, after pleading guilty to the offence.
Deer coursing is a wildlife crime where dogs such as Greyhounds, Salukis and other Lurcher type dogs are used to illegally chase, catch, injure, and kill deers.
The incident happened on Saturday, 3 March, 2024 when members of the public saw a small roe deer being chased by a Lurcher dog in the Olrig area of Thurso.
Officers executed a search warrant at Chenier’s home address on Thursday, 6 March, 2024, resulting in the deer being discovered and Chenier being arrested.
Constable Erin Robinson, Thurso Police Station said: “Deer and hare coursing are barbaric and have no place in society. This often results in severe suffering for the animals and the dogs involved.
“I hope this sentence sends a clear message to those who commit these types of crimes that we will investigate and work with partners to seek prosecution.
Constable Daniel Sutherland, Wildlife Crime Liaison Officer said: “This was excellent partnership work with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) to bring this case to a conclusion.
“The deer was found hanging within the home address of Chenier and DNA work carried out on the carcass by SASA was crucial as it matched the hair and bone fragments found within the Olrig area. Female dog DNA was also found on one of the swabs taken from the deer carcass.
“I would encourage any member of the public who suspects hare or deer coursing is taking place to call Police Scotland 101 or 999 in an emergency.
“Also, if anyone has information regarding individuals whom they suspect of being involved in these types of crime, you can provide this anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
