GAZETTE & HERALD: THREE men charged with poaching just hours after the hunting ban came into effect in February have appeared before Chippenham magistrates.

They were not charged under the new legislation that made hunting with hounds illegal but they were found with four dogs, a gun and two dead animals.

Defence solicitor, Clive Rees said last Thursday the poachers thought they still had seven days before the ban was passed when they were caught on February 19, a day after it became a law on February 18.

Timothy Barry, 54, of Cork, south west Ireland, with Steven Edwards, 32 and Davyn Jones, 33, both from Mid Glamorgan in south Wales pleaded guilty to poaching by night.

Sparking a huge firearms investigation after police spotted them with a gun, they were arrested close to Lords Wood, between Hullavington and Sherston.

Stacey Turner, prosecuting, said police on patrol around 3.45am saw their Mitsubishi 4x4 travelling at a slow speed.

While one officer spoke to the men, another saw four dogs in the back of the car, looking like Lurchers, a popular poacher's dog.

She told how the driver, Jones, got out of the car and explained they had come over from Wales and had been night shooting, known as lamping.

They were now lost and were looking for the road back to the motorway.

While they spoke the second officer noticed a large black 2.2 calibre gun in the car.

Firearms officers were scrambled to the scene and the gun was found to be unloaded. The men were searched.

The gun belonged to Gerard Mabey, 33, also from Mid Glamorgan who did not appear in court. He is charged with possessing a firearm and poaching.

Magistrates issued a warrant .

Jones was found in possession of two lock knives and was charged with having a blade or point in a public place.

A rabbit and a hare, that had had its throat ripped out were found in the front passenger foot well of their vehicle.

And two high power lamps and four batteries were seized, which are used to scan the land for animals.

The reflection of the lamplight in the eyes of the quarry startles them and helps direct the lamper's aim.

Initially the men said the hare had been run over and they had picked it up, but in their interviews they admitted lamping.

Mr Rees said despite the media attention in court last Thursday, the defendants were not the first people to be arrested under the hunting act.

"The hunting act hasn't been pursued against them because they are poachers," he said.

"They were quite forthright in their interviews.

"They accepted certainly that they were where they were and they were lost.

"They were separately interviewed and confirmed the hare had been shot by Mabey who owned the gun, but they had to accept that this was a joint enterprise."

He said Jones' parents lived on a farm and the lamps were used there.

Jones, Barry and Edwards were ordered to pay £70 costs and an £80 fine.

Jones was fined an extra £100 for being in possession of the two lock knives and he was ordered to destroy them.