By Mark Mackay

SOME OF Scotland’s most hardened criminals are heading to Tayside to get their fill of blood sports.

New intelligence suggests that participation in barbaric pastimes such as hare-coursing and the poaching of red deer is not simply the preserve of the “wildlife” criminal.

Poaching is on the increase throughout Scotland as criminals hunt for anything that can generate cash, and Tayside’s beautiful countryside has long been a go-to destination for those who like to indulge in hare-coursing.

The brutal practice has been outlawed in Scotland since 2002 but is a seasonal problem in Perthshire and Angus.

Groups travel from all over the country to the areas’ farmland to send their greyhound and lurcher-type dogs hunting for a kill.

The often remote locations, the network of country roads and the fact that the crime is often carried out at night make it difficult for the police to catch them in the act.

The gangs often spend very little time in a field, with bets taken, dogs released and hares killed in minutes and with a police response time of 10-15 minutes, the perpetrators have usually moved on.

However, it is now clear to Tayside Police that those responsible cannot simply be classified as perpetrators of wildlife crimes.

Intelligence shows that a number of those involved have lengthy criminal records for often very serious offences.

One case in particular in the past year shone a light on those who carry out wildlife crimes.

Officers were able to trace a group of men who had been hare-coursing in the area—to their surprise, one of the men involved turned out to be a significant player in Scotland’s drug trade.

“These people are involved in drug dealing, poaching and serious crimes of violence,” said Tayside Police wildlife and environmental crime officer Alan Stewart.

“Very often they also turn out to be those responsible for carrying out bogus workmen scams.

“These are not just wildlife criminals, they are very often career criminals, for whom taking eggs, poaching or hare-coursing are just the least of the risks they take.

“These are often very serious men.”