Anti-snare campaigner cleared of damage and theft on duke’s estate

Doug Maw posted videos of animals caught in wire nooses and was charged with damaging and stealing snares and traps

An animal rights campaigner who posted videos of a distressed hare and fawn caught in snares has been found not guilty of nine charges of criminal damage and theft.

Doug Maw, who is campaigning for snares to be banned in England, filmed a screaming hare and a fawn running in circles caught in legal snares on farmland inside the South Downs national park. He then freed the animals.