Police officers have finally caught an “elusive” suspect who had been reported for allegedly poaching in the county.

It is understood the force had been called on several occasions to reports of the suspected offender but it had not been able to track him down.

However, today (October 26) officers stopped a car and found a man and his two friends in Appledore, near Ashford.

The trio, who are all from outside of Kent, have been issued with community protection warnings and their car has been seized.

Poaching is a wildlife crime meaning it goes against legislation which protects the country’s wild animals and plants and can often be linked to other serious offences.

It is often hard to know whether something is an offence as it is a complicated crime and whether the police should be involved.

Other wildlife crimes include egg theft, animal cruelty, illegal fishing and hunting with dogs.

Last year, three men were fined almost £800 for poaching after they were caught on private land with nine dogs, eight dead rabbits, a catapult, ball bearings and a hunting knife.

Speaking at the time, the investigating officer, Sgt Darren Walshaw said: "The east of England regularly suffers incidents of illegal hunting.

"Those involved are often linked to other offences, which can have an extremely adverse impact on the rural community.

"Others thinking of poaching should be aware that our seven-force collaboration was formed to create a borderless approach to address countryside crimes.”