Otis Ferry

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Charles Frederick Otis Ferry (born 1 November 1982) is a British model and prominent pro-fox hunting enthusiast. He has served as joint master of the South Shropshire hunt.[1]

Ferry has been arrested and charged several times for activities related to hunting, two of which led to convictions.

Early life[]

The son of Bryan Ferry and Lucy Ferry (who later married Robin Birley), Ferry was educated at Marlborough College.[2]

Ferry was introduced to fox-hunting at the age of fifteen by , a field sports journalist, and soon developed a passion for it.[3]

Career[]

In 2004, Tatler magazine put Ferry at number 2 in its list of the 200 "most desirable" men.[4] In 2007, he was modelling for Burberry.[5]

On 15 September 2004, Ferry and seven other pro-hunting protesters entered chamber of the House of Commons in protest at anti-hunting legislation.[6] After a short adjournment, the House then went on to approve the Hunting Bill by a majority of 356 to 166.[7] All eight men were charged with offences under the Public Order Act 1986 and denied the charges,[8] but they were later convicted, and each was fined £350 and given an 18-month conditional discharge.[9][10]

In accepting a lifetime achievement award at the Q Awards of 2004, Bryan Ferry said he was dedicating it to his brave son.[11]

On 20 June 2005, Ferry appeared as a member of the BBC Television Question Time panel, together with Tony Benn, Justine Greening, Lembit Opik, and June Sarpong.[12] By then he was widely seen as the public face of the pro-hunting campaign.[13]

In 2007, Ferry became huntsman and joint master of the South Shropshire Hunt. At the age of 25, he was believed to be the youngest master of foxhounds in three hundred years.[14]

On 21 November 2007, after an incident with hunt protestors during a meet of the Heythrop Hunt at Lower Swell, Ferry was arrested on suspicion of common assault and robbery. It was alleged that he had taken a video camera from two hunt saboteurs who said they were investigating possible breaches of the Hunting Act 2004.[15][16] He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with the common assault charge. Although he was initially granted bail, he was subsequently remanded in custody[17][18] until shortly before the trial in 2009 when he was released on bail.[19] At that point he had spent four months in prison.[20] The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently decided not to proceed with the charges of perverting the course of justice,[21] and Ferry was formally acquitted of them in April 2009.[22] In May 2009 he was convicted on a lesser charge of "causing fear and stress".[20]

Speaking about his time in prison, Ferry claimed he had been imprisoned for his beliefs.[23] He later added "It was a doddle compared to public school".[24]

In the run-up to the British general election of 2015, Ferry headed Vote-OK, a campaign group which offered to supply canvassers for Conservative candidates who would support a repeal of the Hunting Act 2004.[25]

Personal life[]

In 2020, Ferry was reported to be the long-term boyfriend of Lady Alice Manners, a daughter of the Duke of Rutland, and to be living with her at Belvoir Castle.[26]

Sources[]

  1. ^ "Foxhound packs (P-S) in England and Wales". Horse & Hound Magazine. 2006-11-01. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  2. ^ McSmith, A. (2008-09-19). "Otis Ferry accused of trying to nobble witness in assault trial". London: Independent. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  3. ^ Allyson N. May, The Fox-Hunting Controversy, 1781-2004: Class and Cruelty (2016), p. 182
  4. ^ Alexa Baracia, "Ferry Eligible", Evening Standard
  5. ^ "Kate's on the Beaton track", thisislondon.co.uk
  6. ^ Jones, G. (2004-09-16). "Hunt brawl in Commons". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  7. ^ Fox Protest, CNN, 2004
  8. ^ "Commons Hunt Protestors Deny Charges". Sky News. 2004-12-21. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  9. ^ "Rock Star's son convicted over Commons protest". London: The Telegraph. 2005-05-26. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  10. ^ "Eight charged over Commons hunt protest". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2004-12-14. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  11. ^ Zoë Howe, How's Your Dad?: Living in the Shadow of a Rock Star Parent (Omnibus Press, 2010), p. 86
  12. ^ "BBC NEWS - Programmes - Question Time - Classic Question Times". bbc.co.uk. 20 February 2008.
  13. ^ Sarah Neal, Julian Agyeman, The New Countryside? Ethnicity, Nation and Exclusion in Contemporary Rural Britain (2006, ISBN 978-1861347954), p. 106
  14. ^ Tim Walker, Robin Muir, Pictures (Teneues, 2008, ISBN 978-3-8327-9245-9), p. 140
  15. ^ Siddique, H. (2008-04-15). "Otis Ferry charged with attacking hunt saboteurs". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  16. ^ Gray, S. (2007-11-27). "Otis Ferry arrested after hunt". London: Independent. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  17. ^ Salter, J. (2008-09-19). "Otis Ferry remanded in custody". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  18. ^ Asthana, Anushka (2008-09-18). "Otis Ferry, rock star's son, charged with perverting the course of justice". London: The Times. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  19. ^ Savill, R. (2009-01-15). "Otis Ferry freed on bail". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  20. ^ a b Emma Tilley, "Otis Ferry walked free from court after he admitted causing fear to hunt monitor", Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard, 22 May 2007
  21. ^ Gibb, Frances (2009-03-10). "Judge furious as 'witness-nobbling' charges against Otis Ferry are dropped". London: The Times. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  22. ^ "Otis Ferry cleared of witness intimidation charges". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  23. ^ Andrew Alderson, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5412582/Otis-Ferry-They-put-me-in-jail-for-my-beliefs.html "Otis Ferry: 'They put me in jail for my beliefs'", The Daily Telegraph, 30 May 2009 (subscription required)
  24. ^ Clive Bloom, Riot City: Protest and Rebellion in the Capital (2012), p. 69
  25. ^ Tom Bawden, "Fox-hunting lobbyists fronted by Otis Ferry target backing of Tory candidates in stealth campaign", The Independent, 11 March 2015
  26. ^ Hilary Rose, "A 356-room castle, three socialites, no staff…", The Times, 14 May 2020, accessed 6 December 2021
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