Judge sits on fence over hunting

The High Court yesterday reserved judgment on whether the National Trust is open to judicial review over its decision to ban deer hunting on its land.

The decision last April to impose the ban was condemned in court as "peremptory, unfair and invalid" by a QC representing West Country hunts and hunt supporters. Michael Beloff QC accused the Trust council of failing to carry out proper consultations before "obliterating an immemorial tradition after the briefest of debates". But Lindsay Boswell QC, for the Trust, argued in a day-long hearing that the charity was not open to judicial review and that the action should be blocked straight away. Mr Justice Tucker said he hoped to give his decision later this week.