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

Snares are banned in Wales and the Scottish government has promised to ban them, but they continue to be legally deployed across England. Photograph: National Anti-Snaring Campaign

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.