I GOGGLE at the brass neck of James Barrington (Letters, March 30), long-ago League Against Cruel Sports leader, a man who so ignobly, for whatever reasons, suddenly abandoned his cause and our persecuted wildlife to become a pro-hunt mouthpiece.

The Hunting Act has defects and apparent illogicalities. Some of its weaknesses may have been deliberately inserted. Its wording and loopholes make it difficult to secure adequate evidence to persuade police/CPS to act, or courts to convict, organised hunters — even when they are obviously breaking the letter, let alone the spirit, of the Act.

One reason is the obstructiveness, threats and violence they routinely display towards hunt monitors.

The answer, and what most people would want, is for the Act to be strengthened so that organised hunts can no longer easily continue hunting much as they did pre-ban. They need only now employ one of the ruses afforded them by the Act's weak points. The current problems of enforcement and obtaining convictions will be greatly eased and deterrence enhanced, by this and harsher penalties.

It is vital the mendacious pro-bloodsports zealots are not allowed to sweep away the hard-won Hunting Act.

Alan Kirby

Cornwall