A stag hunt follower was yesterday convicted of attacking an animal welfare officer at a meet on Exmoor.
Countryside Alliance member Christopher Marles (44) repeatedly punched Kevin Hill, a hunt monitor with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Sixteen-stone Marles, a livestock farmer from Farringdon, near Exeter, Devon, had pleaded not guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Mr Hill at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunt on October 27 last year.
Following his conviction at Exeter Crown Court Marles was allowed bail by Judge Jeremy Griggs while a presentence report is prepared.
The judge said he will be sentenced on October 23, and ordered that in the meantime he should not attend any hunting event.
Mr Hill, from Beaminster, Dorset, suffered a bleeding face as well as a black eye during the attack, the jury heard. Marles, an amateur whipper-in with the East Devon Hunt, told the court he initially pushed and shoved Mr Hill and tried to grab his camera.
But he maintained he did not attack him, saying: "I certainly did not punch that man. I did not kick him. I did not see him bleeding."
Prosecutor David Evans said Mr Hill's job was to film hunts to ensure they were complying with the law.
He had gone to film the hunt with colleagues from IFAW.
Mr Hill told the court Marles tried to take his camera, so he crouched to protect it. "He started punching me," said Mr Hill. "On one occasion I saw his foot lift up.
"I am not sure where he kneed me or kicked me, but it was a tremendous blow. I was very frightened," he said.
During the trial, the jury saw a 17-minute video which showed Marles confronting Mr Hill.
The footage showed someone trying to take the camera, though the lens was pointing towards the road, and did not show the attacker.
After the case Mr Hill said: "We will not be driven away; we will always be there for the hunted animal.
"I am not victorious in these things, but unfortunately sometimes they do end up in court and people have to be told what they do to us is not acceptable.
"There was a huge amount of arrogance in the hunting world, they believe they can do what they do to animals and try to chase us away."
Detective Constable Rob Parish, the officer in charge of the case, said: "We sincerely hope that it sends a clear message that such an act will not be tolerated by the police; this has been endorsed by the court today. The victim has suffered not only physical pain and discomfort by the assault, but also a great amount of distress."