Police rule out action against councillor who 'struck horse' at hunt

Video that anti-hunt activists claimed showed Bill Borrett, a Conservative councillor, hitting his horse twice with the handle of his hunting crop had been passed to Norfolk Constabulary and the RSPCA.

A horserider, believed to be Bill Borrett, bringing his hunting crop down on his horse (Image: Hunt Sabs)

The activists, from a group called Norfolk/Suffolk Hunt Saboteurs, said it had been filmed during a hunt near Lexham Hall, in west Norfolk, on December 18.

Police have now said after reviewing the footage it does not meet the threshold of a crime.

A spokesman said: “There will not be any criminal proceedings into the incident as following consultation with CPS and animal experts, it is deemed that it does not meet the threshold of a crime under the Animal Welfare Act.”

Mr Borrett, who is the cabinet member for adult social care, public health and prevention at Norfolk County Council, refused to comment when approached by this newspaper when the footage emerged.

Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for adult social care, Bill Borrett, who is the Conservative member for Upper Wensum. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2013)

However, a day after the video was posted online he resigned as the director of a hunt group. It is not known if his resignation was linked to the video.

In a statement posted online with the clip, the hunt saboteur activists accused Mr Borrett, of "hitting his horse in anger after it appeared to be refusing his instruction".

A spokesman for the group, who was at the hunt, added: "He was struggling to get his phone out of his pocket to film us, that's when he lost control.”

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “We would like to reassure people that we will always look into complaints made about animal welfare and if anyone has concerns we would urge them to contact the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.”