WATCH: Tory MP's dog causes deer stampede in Richmond Park in shocking new video
By Ellie Brown - Local Democracy Reporter
10th Jun 2021 | Local News
The full video of a Conservative MP's dog chasing hundreds of deer in Richmond Park has now been released following his trial earlier this week.
The footage, shot by East Sheen resident Donald Milton, was used as evidence in MP Danny Kruger's case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday 7 June.
Kruger, Conservative MP for Devizes in Wiltshire since 2019, pleaded guilty to causing or permitting an animal to chase or worry another animal in a royal park and was fined £719.
Donald Milton was walking in the park when the incident happened on March 20.
He filmed the MP's white Jack Russell 'Pebble' as it sprinted towards a herd of deer, causing the group to panic and run in all directions.
Park security can be heard in the background asking people to stand back from the deer to keep safe and a member of the public shouts "somebody get that dog!"
40 seconds into the stampede, Kruger can be seen running towards the scene and calling his dog's name furiously.
Milton later said that dogs chasing deer is the biggest problem facing Richmond Park this year.
Park Rangers had already told Mr Kruger to put his dog on a lead, he added.
They had just come out of Holly Lodge, near where the incident happened, when the 11-month old Jack Russell started to give chase.
"When deer stampede you are in big trouble," Milton said.
"The animals were petrified.
"These were fallow deer - if they had been bigger it would have been a lot worse."
Summing up Kruger's case on Monday, Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram said: "The video says it all really, doesn't it?
"You should have known better, especially in Richmond Park, where everyone knows there are wild deer.
"Your dog was not under control, he was able to frighten the deer and here you are in court today.
"The deer were clearly startled and frightened. It could have caused injury, fortunately it didn't."
Prosecutor Dominic Hockley said: "It's been said it only takes one pebble to start an avalanche.
"In this case it only took one Pebble to start a stampede."
The court fined Kruger £719 in total, with a £120 fine plus £575 costs and a £34 surcharge.
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