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<p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) properly applied the Code for Crown Prosecutors
to the available evidence when making a decision to charge the three individuals with
offences under the Hunting Act 2004. Having applied the Code for Crown Prosecutors,
the decision was that at that time there was sufficient evidence to provide a realistic
prospect of conviction for the charges laid against all three men.</p><p>Prosecutors
must take account of any change in circumstances that occurs as a case develops, including
what becomes known of the defence case. As a consequence of further information being
made available it later became apparent that there was no longer a realistic prospect
of conviction. The case was duly stopped.</p><p>There is no reason to believe that
the CPS in reaching the decision to charge these three individuals did anything which
requires an investigation into its conduct of the case.</p><p> </p>
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