A FARMER who confronted trespassers used a hunting gun to fire a warning shot into the ground.

David Manton, who was out shooting rabbits when he caught members of a running group on his farm, repeatedly told them to get off his land. He swore, shouted and, at one point, fired his shotgun at the ground.

At Worcester Magistrates Court the 44-year-old, who lives and works at Camp Farm in Great Witley, near Worcester, admitted using threatening words and behaviour causing the runners to fear violence.

Liam Finch, prosecuting, said witness statements varied as some runners were just 4ft from Manton when he fired the warning shot, while others were 30ft away, but that they all feared they could be shot in the back.

“One witness said Manton told her in no uncertain terms to get off his land,” said Mr Finch.

“She says he discharged the firearm twice, once into the ground and once to the side of him, and that his actions were a way of re-enforcing his invitation for them to get off the land.”

Mark Lister, defending, said livestock farmer Manton was concerned for some pregnant horses in a nearby field. He was further angered when the group, despite being told to leave, continued their run.

He said: “He told them, using some choice language, that there were no footpaths for them.

“He explained that there were footpaths in the next field along. However, rather than going to find those footpaths, they were insistent with following the trail on his land. He acknowledges that at that point he discharged the shotgun once into the ground. He then walked forward to them and there was a verbal altercation. By that point he had put the gun down, but he was determined that they were not going to trespass on his land.

“He is perfectly entitled to do that. He is not entitled to confront them in the way that he did and he knows that.”

Magistrates sentenced Manton to a two-year conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £60 court costs.