Raging Crufts competitor who drove van into show ring before hurling racist insults at judge after her dogs were barred from contest is fined £4,000

A raging Crufts competitor who drove a van into a show ring and hurled racist insults at a judge after her dogs were barred from a competition has been fined £4,000. 

Marianne Hunter, 63, 'lost her temper' and racially abused a judge for blocking her beloved lurchers from entering the 'Snooty Fox' dog show in Wales, a court heard.

The mother-of-two travelled 270 miles from Kent to the countryside event held in Narberth, West Wales, before she was told her prized pooches could not compete in the same category.

After being denied entry, Hunter, who was described as a business manager for Public Health England, burst into a rage and called dog show judge Tracey Hodges a 'Welsh c***'.

She then drove her white Ford Transit van into the show ring and knocked a participant over while children played nearby, Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court heard.

Hunter's outburst took place at the annual dog show named after Narberth town's local pub The Snooty Fox in June last year.

Prizes at the family dog show held in Pembrokeshire included £100 for each show champion featuring whippets, terriers and lurchers as well as Kennel Club classes.

But refusing one of Hunter's dog entrance into the show caused her to launch a racist and violent tirade. 

Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said Hunter had 'no regard for anyone else' when she drove the van before she was stopped by her husband taking the keys.

She said: 'There was a difficulty with the defendant’s dogs when she was told they were unable to enter two categories at the same time.

'Marianne Hunter lost her temper and called Tracey Hodges a "Welsh c***".'

The court also heard that Hunter's husband had to remove the keys from the van to prevent any further road rage.

Ms Vaughan continued: 'The keys were then taken from the vehicle by her husband, and if he had not done that, the situation could have become a lot worse.

'There were a lot of young children running around the event, but while the defendant was moving her vehicle, she had no regard for anyone else.'

Pictures online show Hunter posing proudly at Crufts with a green rosette from the Royal Kennel Club for her black and white lurcher who received a good citizen training award.

She is also listed as a committee member of the Aylesford and District Dog Training Society registered with the Kennel Club.

Following her outburst at the show, Hunter, from Crockenhill, Kent, admitted racially aggravated intentional harassment on June 1 last year.

She denied dangerous driving but was found guilty and was fined £2,676 for dangerous driving and £1,115 for racially aggravated harassment.

She received a 12-month driving ban and was ordered to pass an extended driving test before she is allowed to drive again.

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