Animal rights activists fined total of £60,000 after protest at Towcester Racecourse during Greyhound Derby

Animal rights activists have been fined a combined total of £60,000 after a protest at Towcester Racecourse on the Greyhound Derby day.

Alexandra Dunnet, aged 24, of Market Place, East Finchley, London, Edward Allnutt, aged 42, Sasha Joliffe, aged 46, and 21-year-old Joseph Moss, all of no fixed abode were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates Court on April 12 after being found guilty at the same court in February.

Northampton Magistrates Court heard how the defendants, who were all linked to the Animal Rising protest group, had attempted to disrupt the English Greyhound Derby – the premier UK greyhound racing event – on July 1 last year. The protestors broke into the race circuit and attempted to storm the track. The protest group says no disruption was caused.

All four were charged with obstructing/disrupting a person engaged in a lawful activity. Allnutt was also charged with going equipped to lock on, which is believed to be the first conviction of this charge in the country. According to the College of Policing, going equipped to lock on is where an “individual attaches themselves to others, objects or buildings to cause serious disruption”.

Chief Inspector Pete Basham, who led the policing of the protest, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the sentences handed down by the court, in particular the very significant financial penalties imposed. They send out a clear message to people determined to disrupt perfectly legal events that their actions will not be tolerated and they risk heavy fines for breaking the law.

“Northamptonshire Police mounted a significant, but proportionate public order operation to minimise disruption and as a result public safety was maintained throughout and the spectators were able to see all races completed as scheduled."

The group, Animal Rising, carried out the protest to “shine a spotlight on our broken relationship with animals and nature”. They claim greyhound racing is a perfect example of this broken relationship, where “man’s best friend is put in harm’s way in the name of entertainment and money-making”.

A spokesperson from human rights organisation Liberty said: “This sentencing sets a really alarming precedent for protest rights. In recent years, the Government has brought in a raft of increasingly broad and vague protest offences, which have criminalised protesters and created a hostile environment for people who are trying to make their voices heard on the issues they care most about.

“It is especially worrying that even more anti-protest laws are planned to be introduced in the Criminal Justice Bill. The Government should be protecting our right to protest, not chipping away at it further.”

Allnutt, Moss and Joliffe were each sentenced to nine weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with Dunnet handed a six-week suspended sentence.

All were ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and complete 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Magistrates also ordered the four to pay compensation of £15,000 – split between Northamptonshire Police and Towcester Racecourse – in addition to costs of £850 each.

All four were made subject to a restraining order not to enter or attend any sporting activity involving greyhound racing anywhere in the UK.

Allnutt received no separate penalty for the offence of going equipped to lock on.