Four protestors found guilty after breaking onto the circuit at Towcester Racecourse during Greyhound Derby

Four protestors have been found guilty after breaking onto the circuit at Towcester Racecourse during the Greyhound Derby.

Alexandra Dunnet, aged 24, of Market Place, East Finchley, Edward Allnutt, aged 32, Sasha Joliffe, aged 46, and Joseph Moss, aged 21, all of no fixed abode were found guilty at Northampton Magistrates Court on February 9.

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”.

The charges relate to an incident on July 1, last year when a peaceful protest was held ahead of the racing starting at Towcester Racecourse on the day of the English Greyhound Derby.

Once the racing began, a small number of the protesting group broke onto the race circuit and attempted to storm the track.

Chief Inspector Pete Basham said: “I am really pleased with these convictions and the fact that we are a trailblazer in regards to Edward Allnut’s conviction in particular.

“It is always difficult securing convictions in the early days of new legislation as the judiciary are learning about the offences at the same time as we are, and there is no case law or previous rulings to guide them. So to secure this result is a real positive for us and reflective of the work put in.”

All four will be sentenced at Northampton Magistrates Court in April.

The protest was held by a group called Animal Rising, which says they were present to “send a clear message that we need a national conversation about our broken relationship with other animals and nature”. Animal Rising supports calls by the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, and Blue Cross to end Greyhound racing in the UK.

A total of 13 animal rights activists were arrested on the day.