A life member of the Hunt Saboteurs Association has won the right to sue his former employers for discriminating against him because of his strong animal rights beliefs in the sanctity of life, which a judge has ruled are akin to religious convictions.
Joe Hashman was sacked from his job at Orchard Park Garden Centre, Gillingham, Dorset, the day after his covert video recording helped to convict TV cook Clarissa Dickson-Wright for attending an illegal hare-coursing event in 2009. He claims this was because the garden-centre owners, Ronald and Sheila Clarke are keen supporters of the South and West Wiltshire Hunt, an allegation the Clarkes deny.