Feral Pig Hunting Court Case.

UPDATE

Court case UPDATE. Last week, our lawyer, Ross Williamson, asked the magistrate to throw out of court most of the charges against Riley and Marie. He argued the RSPCA was abusing the court process: it had no evidence the charges had been started within the 2 year limitation period which puts a limit on how long the RSPCA can wait before they decide to lay charges. The RSPCA said they could not now prove they had done the right thing, but they hoped to be able to do so later. To our surprise, the magistrate decided to give the RSPCA more time to find this evidence. But Mr Williamson is confident we will win the argument when he raises it again, on 30 June 2025: he says the magistrate should then throw those charges out of court. But 6 other charges will remain. We have to fight those. For that Ross is finding and taking evidence from experienced pig hunters and vets: they will take the stand and explain to the magistrate that using dogs for pig hunting is a common and widespread practice. He is confident that the magistrate will accept the evidence of his expert witnesses and therefore find Riley and Marie not guilty. But there is much work to be done. It takes time and money. For the RSPCA, this trial important in its war against pig hunting, which it wants to make illegal. It is up to the pig hunters now to fight back. No on else will. Please contribute to Riley and Marie’s fighting fund. Your help is greatly appreciated.

I’m reaching out to pig hunters to help my son, Riley Lang, and his hunting companion, Marie Parker, in their court battle against the RSPCA which is persecuting them in order to ban pig hunting. They have charged him and Marie with being cruel to the pigs because they used dogs, as hunters do. They have also charged them with being cruel to the dogs. Nothing happened to the dogs in any hunt but the RSPCA says they are guilty of a criminal offence because hunting exposes the dogs to “risk of harm”! The RSPCA has always hated pig hunting and pig hunters. But they have never before charged anyone with a criminal offence, even though they well know that it’s a very common practice. Ross Williamson is the lawyer helping Riley and Marie. He is a keen pig hunter and knows the truth about hunting. He tells them using dogs is not illegal because the law says that if pig hunting is a generally accepted manner of killing pigs then it is legal. But they have to prove they are innocent with expert witnesses who have to appear in court. Ross is charging less than usual, but he is full time on the case. So the cost is enormous. Riley and Marie are fighting this because they have done nothing wrong. If they lose the RSPCA in WA will then prosecute all pig hunters. Then hunters in other States will be prosecuted. This prosecution is a test case. Mr Williamson’s written advice is attached. Please help Riley and Marie.

(Please no negative comments)

From the office of

Mr R. K. WILLIAMSON

BARRISTER & SOLICITOR

11 March, 2025

Mr Riley Lang

MANJIMUP WA

Dear Mr Lang,

Prosecution of you and Marie Parker under Animal Welfare Act for using dogs for

feral pig hunting

I confirm that you and Marie Parker are charged with 20 animal cruelty offences. All charges

relate to feral pig hunting with dogs. I confirm that 4 of the charges accuse you of being cruel

to your dogs because you used them for hunting. The RSPCA says you “exposed them to risk

of unnecessary harm”. That is even though none of the dogs were injured.

My advice to you is you should fight the charges. But in a case like this the law says that you

(the accused person) must prove that you are innocent. That is because section 24 of the

Animal Welfare Act says you are innocent if you can prove your hunting was in a manner that

is generally accepted as usual and reasonable. Obviously, that applies to you and Marie. I

know that from personal experience, as a pig hunter myself. But my job as your lawyer in

court will be to prove that hunting feral pigs with dogs is commonly done. I have to call

experienced, credible witnesses. I must follow the rules of evidence in court. That takes up

huge amounts of time.

I am now working on your case full-time. I intend to call about 10 witnesses in your defence.

The legal arguments are complex. So too are the factual issues in dispute. Witnesses have to

be flown to Perth from out of WA. Witness will charge for their time. There will be travel and

accommodation costs. My legal fees will be substantial. The trial starts in Bunbury on 30

June 2025.

Yours faithfully

Level 4, 524 Hay Street, PERTH WA 6000

PO Box 36, Herne Hill WA 6056

Tel 0407 426 796 e-mail [email redacted].au

(Ross Williamson is the trading name of Williamson Brothers Property Pty Ltd ACN 008 7