Wildlife police officer resigns after it emerged she went fox hunting

Pc Sharon Roscoe, the wildlife officer for Leicestershire Police, was also a member of the Belvoir Hunt.

Anti-hunt campaigners had argued that Pc Roscoe’s hunting hobby involved a potential conflict of interest.

And a petition demanding that she step down, launched by The Hunt Saboteurs Association, had attracted more than 6,000 signatures.

Leicestershire’s Deputy Chief Constable Roger Bannister said: “Her former connection with hunting coupled with her voluntary role as wildlife officer has attracted much interest and, I regret to say, a significant amount of highly offensive, spiteful, malicious and threatening comments.”

Anti-hunting organisations condemned the abusive messages, but welcomed the Melton-based officer’s decision to leave the role.

A spokesman for Leicester Animal Rights, said: “A lot of people felt there was a potential conflict of interest in the officer having the 
role.”