Claire Bellamy, 51, a former master of Lauderdale Hunt, has become the first person in Scotland to be sentenced for illegal fox hunting under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023. On 17 January 2025, she led a pack of approximately 17 hounds in a wooded area between Houston in Renfrewshire and Kilmacolm in Inverclyde, allowing the dogs to chase a fox beyond the boundaries permitted by her licence. Paisley Sheriff Court found her guilty of breaching the terms of her hunting authorisation.
According to BBC News, Bellamy held permission from Nature Scot to conduct the hunt but failed to keep the dogs sufficiently under control and allowed them to pursue their quarry into undesignated areas. Video evidence captured by anti-hunt campaigners documented the hunt's movement into zones outside those specified in her licence. Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill described Bellamy's actions as "cruel, inhumane and selfish".
The sentencing marks a significant enforcement moment for Scotland's revised hunting legislation. Bellamy was banned from owning or keeping dogs for a period of 10 years, with limited exceptions for her pet terrier and Border Collies used in her work as a shepherdess. She was also made subject to a community payback order requiring her to undertake 300 hours of unpaid work over 12 months. Her legal representatives told the court she would face difficulties completing unpaid work due to her demanding farm-working schedule and risked losing her home if imprisoned.
How did the hunt breach its licence?
The hunt assembled near Kirkton Farm before proceeding towards Kirkton Woods. Although Bellamy possessed authorisation from Nature Scot to conduct fox hunting with dogs, the licence contained specific geographical and operational restrictions. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) established that she permitted the hounds to pick up the scent of a fox and pursue it through a field that fell outside the designated hunting area. Additionally, the dogs were not maintained under sufficient control as required by the terms of her authorisation.
What does the new hunting law require?
The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 replaced the Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002, introducing a licensing system for hunting with dogs. Under the new framework, hunters must obtain a licence to use two or more hounds to flush out wild mammals. Nature Scot may grant such licences only for limited, prescribed purposes—typically to protect livestock, ground-nesting birds, or prevent disease spread. Licences ordinarily contain specific terms designed to restrict hunts to their authorised purposes and minimise unnecessary suffering to foxes. The legislation carries a maximum penalty of 12 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £40,000, or both for breaches.
When MSPs voted to change the law in 2023, Bellamy spoke to BBC Scotland News as master of hounds for Lauderdale Hunt. She argued that the two-hounds requirement was impractical, contending that foxes required the sound of larger packs to be forced from cover so they could be shot.
"That then pushes them out the cover to be able to be shot," she said. "Whereas two hounds, it's not going to happen."Her position reflected the hunting community's concerns about the viability of the new restrictions.
What did prosecutors say about the conviction?
Iain Batho, who leads wildlife crime for COPFS, emphasised the importance of licence compliance. He stated that those granted hunting licences have a duty to strictly adhere to their terms.
"On this occasion Claire Bellamy failed to do so and has now faced the consequences of that."He added that COPFS takes illegal fox hunting seriously and will pursue action through its specialist wildlife and environmental crime unit where evidence is sufficient and prosecution is in the public interest.
The conviction comes as Nature Scot faces a legal challenge over Scottish fox-hunting licences, raising broader questions about the administration and enforceability of the licensing regime. Bellamy's case represents the first successful prosecution under the 2023 Act, establishing a precedent for enforcement.
What is Bellamy's background in hunting?
Bellamy had pursued a three-decade career in fox hunting, having carried out approximately 1,500 hunts during that period. Her long involvement in the activity and her role as master of hounds for Lauderdale Hunt positioned her as a prominent figure within Scotland's hunting community. Her conviction signals that experience and standing within the hunting world do not exempt individuals from compliance with the new legal framework.
Are other hunts facing similar charges?
Bellamy's case is not isolated. The Jed Forest Hunt has been reported to be facing six charges under the 2023 Act, including allegations of illegal fox hunting and licence breaches, indicating that enforcement action extends beyond Bellamy's conviction and suggesting broader compliance issues within Scottish hunting operations.
Key Facts
- Claire Bellamy became the first person in Scotland convicted under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 after leading a hunt that pursued a fox beyond her licensed area on 17 January 2025.
- She received a 10-year ban from owning dogs (except working Border Collies and a pet terrier), a community payback order, and 300 hours of unpaid work.
- The 2023 Act replaced the 2002 Protection of Wild Mammals Act and requires hunters to obtain a licence to use two or more hounds; breaches carry penalties of up to 12 months' imprisonment and fines up to £40,000.
- Nature Scot is currently facing a legal challenge over its fox-hunting licence administration.
- Other hunts, including Jed Forest Hunt, are facing multiple charges under the new legislation.
