A DATE has been set to establish the future of a court case involving five people, linked to the South Herefordshire Hunt, who were arrested on charges of animal cruelty.

Paul Oliver, aged 39, of Long Sutton, Lincolnshire; Hannah Rose, 29, of Long Sutton, Lincolnshire; Julie Elmore, 54, of Cwmyoy, Abergavenny; Nathan Parry, 38, of Cwmyoy, Abergavenny, and Paul Reece, 47, of Chepstow, appeared at Birmingham magistrates’ court on Tuesday.

The case was adjourned for legal arguments to be made by both sides surrounding the jurisdiction of the court following a request from the defence.

The five did not enter pleas and no trial date has been set.

Arrests, first made two years ago, were linked to allegations of animal cruelty at the hunt’s Wormelow kennels.

Oliver, Rose, Elmore and Parry were charged with four counts of animal cruelty, while Reece was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, last month.

The next hearing takes place on August 30.