Man jailed after his horse trampled a hunt protestor near Harborough

A man whose horse trampled a hunt protestor has been jailed.

On the morning of September 5, 2020, the Pytchley Hunt were in the Sibbertoft area of Northamptonshire when they came upon a group of hunt protestors.

An altercation followed whereby body cameras and camcorders held by the protestors were damaged by members of the hunt, before Pytchley Hunt member Christopher Mardles, aged 27, previously of Petworth, West Sussex, rode his horse in the direction of members of the protest and crashed into a man in his 60s.

The man had to be airlifted to hospital with broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a split shoulder blade and nerve damage. Police say he is still ‘continuing on his journey to recovery’.

In his victim personal statement, the man wrote: “I still keep playing that moment over in my head all the time. I thought I was going to die, I really did. I was out to campaign, but I didn’t ask for that, I didn’t deserve that. I can’t understand that he was so unconcerned, that he didn’t even look back. I keep seeing that moment and him just galloping on. I was screaming out in pain and they just carried on hunting.”

At a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court in March this year, Mardles pleaded guilty to wounding, and at the same court on November 9, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison.

Lead investigator DC Craig Copeland, of Northamptonshire Police, said: “I welcome the sentence handed out to Mardles today as his reckless actions that day could have had fatal consequences.

“The injuries he left this man with were extensive and he continues on his journey to recovery. I would like to thank him for his support during our investigation and I hope yesterday will give him some much-needed closure.

“This was quite a unique case to investigate however I hope it goes to show that Northamptonshire Police are equipped to deal with all kinds of incidents and will ensure justice is served whatever the circumstances.”