A professional huntsman has spoken of his relief after being cleared of attacking two saboteurs.

Jonathan Boise, 46, was found not guilty of causing actual bodily harm to protesters Jaine and Simon Wild.

Video footage had been shown in court of the defendant, who is leader of the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt, punching Mrs Wild and fighting with her husband.

But Mr Boise, of London Road, Petworth, who has 27 years experience of hunting, maintained he had been acting in self-defence.

Anti-hunt campaigners shouted "this is not justice" when the verdict concerning Mrs Wild was read out yesterday. Mr Boise had been cleared of attacking her husband on Tuesday.

Outside the court, flanked by his photographer wife, Rose Beddington, 52, Mr Boise said: "I am pleased. I always felt I was the victim but the jury was very thorough and accepted that I was acting in self-defence.

"The video footage was very shocking and powerful. I was shocked the first time I saw it but I stand by my version of events."

Mr Broise had known the Wilds, from Bognor, for years. He said: "I see them two or three times a week.

"I am at the front of their local hunt. If they feel they can nobble and pressurise me then they think they can stop me and the hunt.

"I would not be at all surprised to see them protesting again at the hunt."

Trouble flared during a hunt meeting near Petworth on October 9 last year.

At the beginning of the eight-day trial, there were gasps as the jury was shown video footage of Mr Broise, who could be seen riding his horse close to Mrs Wild and then dismounting.

The film also appeared to show him punching her in the face.

But when giving evidence, Mr Broise said he merely pushed Mrs Wild on her chest, using a technique learnt in judo as an 11-year-old boy, and that she had sprayed perfume used to distract fox hounds in his face and hit him with a whip.

Pictures were taken of Mrs Wild following the incident showing blood on her face, which she said was "pumping" from a cut.

But a member of the hunt said he did not see any blood.

Anthony Chinn, defending, suggested Mrs Wild had painted blood on her face to make her injuries appear worse.

She denied the allegation.