15th March 2023

Hunter Chris Mardles has pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm after trampling a sab with his horse. Mardles was the whipper-in of the Pytchley with Woodland Hunt when he injured the sab in September 2020.

Mel Broughton, a member of Northants Hunt Saboteurs, suffered from a collapsed lung, six broken ribs, a broken collar bone and a shattered shoulder blade. He had to be airlifted to hospital.

Mardles pleaded guilty to the section 18 GBH offence, meaning that he has admitted to intending to injure the victim. He will be sentenced on 25 April 2023. The maximum sentence for section 18 GBH is life imprisonment.

Broughton could have died

Following the news, Northants Sabs wrote:

“Mardles denied any charges throughout but this morning in court he plead guilty...

Let’s remember that our sab could have died out on the hunting field after what Chris…