Man, 32, to appear in court accused of damaging £3,200 taxidermied hare belonging to Yorkshire pub landlady

Oliver Stephenson allegedly damaged the stuffed animal at The Stanwick Arms in Aldbrough St John, near Richmond, on April 6.

He has been summoned to York Magistrates Court to answer the charge and one count of obstructing or resisting a police officer during the incident at the pub, which only re-opened recently following a three-year closure.

The taxidermy belonged to Chloe Straker, whose family own the business, and was worth £3,200.

Stephenson, of Piercebridge, has not yet indicated pleas.

The Stanwick Arms is named after the Stanwick Hall estate, which was owned by the Dukes of Northumberland and used as a secondary seat until its sale in the 1920s and the house’s subsequent demolition.

The Stanwick Arms was established in 1865 at the behest of Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, who lived at the hall until the age of 90 as a widow. She remodelled the village, building a post office, bridge and church. When she arrived at Stanwick Hall, there were three pubs that she ordered be closed to prevent unruly behaviour and replaced with The Stanwick Arms, which was not allowed to trade on Sundays.

In more recent times the pub has won awards and is a favourite of the Darlington branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.