THE failed prosecution against a Dorset hunter has sparked a war of words over how animal rights activists gather video evidence.

The case against Christopher Leadbetter from near Dorchester was dropped at Bournemouth Magistrates the day before the hearing.

The 27-year-old, from Piddletrenthide, is an employee of the South Dorset Hunt and was being prosecuted for interfering with a badger sett.

The case came about after activists from the League Against Cruel Sports recorded footage at Wootton Glanville, near Sherborne.

The Countryside Alliance said the case “raised important questions” about whether such surveillance should be regulated by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa).

That is the anti-terror law that was famously used to spy on where a Poole couple lived as they tried to get their child into a good school.

Tim Bonner, Head of Media for the Countryside Alliance, said: “A completely innocent man has spent two years clearing his name at the cost of over £250,000 to the taxpayer.

“This is all because the police and CPS chose to pursue prosecutions based on the spurious allegations and unauthorised surveillance evidence of animal rights activists.”

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports said: “The CPS has issued guidance to the police that covert observation footage is acceptable and doesn’t need to be approved under Ripa.

“It’s no different to gathering any other form of evidence.

“If members of the public weren’t allowed to collect evidence without Ripa authorisation, it would mean if you filmed a burglar in the act, that would not be used.”

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