MID Devon hunt supporters have welcomed a ruling which they say will make successful prosecutions under the hunting ban far more difficult.

The High Court decision appears to reduce the potential scope of the 2004 Hunting Act by providing a very specific definition of 'hunting' and restoring the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

Last week's ruling was the culmination of years of legal wrangling which began in Exeter Crown Court when Judge Graham Cottle upheld an appeal against the conviction of huntsman Tony Wright. It has been seen as a blow to animal rights campaigners and to Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, who is a staunch supporter of the ban on hunting.

Michael Moore, joint master of the East Devon Hunt, which hunts an area between Exeter and Tiverton, described the ruling as the "final nail in the coffin" for a "flawed piece of legislation".

"I think it's very good news. They have underlined the principle of innocent until proven guilty," he said.

"The Crown Prosecution Service will be reluctant to pursue a case now unless it has an absolutely watertight case."

Mr Moore said that he was glad Mr Wright had been acquitted and the case was now laid to rest.

"He's had this hanging over him for three years and is a very genuine and nice person," he said.

Alison Hawes, South West spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance, said: "The Hunting Act is an increasingly pointless piece of legislation that offered little and has achieved less.

"Politicians of all parties are coming to realise that it has failed and it is now a question of when, not if, the Hunting Act is repealed."

The League Against Cruel Sports — which organised campaigns for the ban and now monitors hunts in an attempt to gather evidence that foxes and stags are still being killed illegally — said that it was considering the ruling carefully. Tiverton resident Ivor Annetts, a hunt monitor and campaigner for the league, said the ruling would now allow around 18 prosecutions to proceed which had been suspended pending the judgement.

He said: "We are pleased that the law is clear and we know what evidence we have to gather to ensure a successful prosecution."

Mr Annetts described recent meetings with Devon and Cornwall Police as "extremely positive" and now expects more successful prosecutions to be brought under the Hunting Act.

Mr Bradshaw said: "The law reflects the settled will of Parliament and the country that hunting with hounds as it used to be conducted was unnecessarily cruel.

"The law has been and should continue to be enforced. The main threat to hunting ban is the Conservative Party's pledge to repeal it if they get into Government."