Appearing at Crawley Magistrates Court today, he was fined £200 and asked to make a £15 victim impact payment and to pay £35 costs.

The case resulted from an incident on New Year's Day near Mr Soames' Slaugham home when he was filmed by anti-hunt monitor Simon Wild who distributed a copy of the video to the media.

Mr Soames was shown driving a quad bike along a lane with children and adults in a trailor. After a few yards, he turned into a field to follow the Crawley and Horsham Hunt.

Speaking after the court case, Mr Soames said: "I was pleased the magistrates accepted I was driving carefully and cautiously, but this was a farm vehicle which should not have been on the road.

"My anxiety remains over how I am going to get about my constituency with all the meetings I have to get to and concern over the future of maternity services at the Princess Royal Hospital, but I am just relieved the court case is over."

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