Gamekeeper fined for wilfully killing badger

A GAMEKEEPER has been fined after admitting wilfully killing a badger.

David Stephen Welford, 43, of Thornthorpe, Malton, was sentenced yesterday at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court following the incident in Laysikes Wood, Menethorpe, last September. He was fined £385 and ordered to pay £100 costs, with a £15 victim surcharge.

Jean Thorpe, of Ryedale Badger Group, said she hoped the sentence would send out a message to others that such crimes would result in prosecution.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police added: “Protecting our wildlife is something we will continue to do in partnership with other agencies. If anyone knows of people committing this type of offence they should contact North Yorkshire Police or Crimestoppers straight away.”

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/local/gamekeeper_fined_for_wilfully_killing_badger_1_3422634

Animal trap cut off foxes leg

An illegal animal trap which cut off foxes’ legs was set by a man unhappy the animals had made holes in his fence.

Dantai Le, 60, of St Julians Farm Road, West Norwood, pleaded guilty to charges of using and possessing an illegal trap contrary the Pests Act 1954, causing unnecessary suffering, and not protecting an animal from pain, injury and suffering.

He was ordered to wear an electronic tag and put under curfew between 9.30pm and 5.30am for 56 days when he appeared at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 24.

He was also told to pay £500 costs.

On 22 February, RSPCA inspector Rebecca London received an emergency call saying there was a fox caught in a trap, and when she arrived at Le’s house looked through a hole in the fence and saw a fox trapped in Le’s garden with something around its leg.

When Li released the fox it had half its front leg missing, but still escaped before it could be caught. It was never found.

On further inspection of Li’s garden the RSPCA inspector and police found the spring trap ”covered in blood” and another dead fox, who had its front leg torn off.

A RSPCA spokesman said: “Le told inspector London that he had set the trap with a ring in it so that he did not harm the foxes too much, and that he had brought the trap from China.

“He said he had set a trap for the foxes because they made holes in his garden fence.”

Ms London said: “These traps have rightly been outlawed because they cause terrible suffering to any animal that is caught in them.

“The only place you would see them now would be hanging on a pub wall.

“The foxes who were caught in Le’s trap had their legs terribly injured or torn off, and must have been in appalling pain.”

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/9053649.Animal_trap_cut_off_foxes_leg/

Gamekeeper fined £1,500 after admitting possessing a dead red kite

At Inverness Sheriff Court, a former apprentice gamekeeper was fined £1,500 after he admitted possessing a dead red kite.

James Rolfe

James Rolfe, 20, who was a gamekeeper at Moy Estate, near Inverness said he found the bird of prey in a trap set for stoats and weasels but picked it up put the bird in a Land Rover rather than leave it and inform his bosses, the police, or RSPB.

The bird was not poisoned.

RSPB Scotland said it was pleased the sheriff had sent out “a clear message” that society would not tolerate “reckless and deplorable behaviour in the countryside”.

Rolfe was found with the dead red kite by police who had arrived on Moy estate with search warrants, issued under the wildlife crimes act on 3 June 2010.

Defence lawyer Iain Fleming said his client was 19 at the time and he had panicked after finding the kite dead in the trap.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13550213

Norwich man ran cockfights at his parents’ home in Horsham St Faith for nearly three years

Trevor Hall

A Norwich man who set up a cockfighting training farm at his parents’ home and ran illegal fights for nearly three years has been banned from keeping animals for five years.

A court was yesterday shown a 6-minute video filmed by Trevor Hall showing cockfighting at his parents’ farm in Horsham St Faith, near Norwich.

Hall, 45, had previously admitted five charges of holding cockfights, keeping and training cocks to fight, keeping premises for cockfights, taking part in cockfights, and being present at a cockfight.

But he claimed that he was forced into holding the cockfights by Travellers who had threatened the safety of his girlfriend and parents.

Yesterday’s trial at Norwich Magistrates’ Court heard that Hall had a collection of cockfighting books including ‘The art of training fighting cocks’, DVDs and videos including ‘Chicken Fights 3’, and had filmed his cockerels fighting.

He was finally caught when the RSPCA and police jointly carried out raids at his parents’ home, and at his girlfriend‘s home in Vale Green, Mile Cross, where he lived, on August 18 last year.

RSPCA Inspector Ben Kirby, who gave evidence at the trial, said after the verdict: “That is a superb sentence and I think it’s appropriate and proportionate to the offence.

“Cockfighting is a notoriously difficult offence to investigate because of its underground nature.

“The RSPCA is becoming more pro-active in fighting this offence, and we will prosecute whenever we get the opportunity.”

Hall, though his solicitor Simon Nicholls, had put forward the defence that he was been forced to hold the cockfighting events by Travellers.

But chairman of the bench, Bob Price said he did not believe Hall could use the defence of acting under duress, because he said he always had the option of reporting it to the police or RSPCA, or he could just have got rid of his birds.

Jonathan Eales, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said 10 cocks suspected of being involved in cockfighting were seized from the parents’ farm on August 18, and a number of video tapes and books relating to cockfighting were seized from the address in Vale Green.

He added: “This included two VHS tapes containing 300 minutes of multiple cockfighting images, some with metal spurs on their legs to cause more injury. At least one fight was to the death.

“Two Camcorders and a laptop were also seized, also containing footage of cockfighting, and some cockfighting magazines and five cockfighting books.”

Hall was arrested and said in police interview that he obtained a bird and started breeding in 2004/5, when one of his birds was bought by a Traveller. He maintained that Travellers thereafter regularly visited and he was left intimidated, Mr Eales said.

Hall said they forced him to allow the birds to fight, and admitted to filming two birds sparring at the farm on two occasions, while no one else was present.

Giving evidence, Hall said he did not want to get rid of his birds because he loved them.

He said the Travellers would turn up for cockfights in groups of about four, but they were never seen in the videos. He said he was never paid for holding the fights.

Mr Nicholls said all the factual evidence presented in court was unchallenged, but said that Hall had been acting under duress.

He said: “The level of threats was serious. They are talking about burning houses down and causing serious injury to Mr Hall, his girlfriend and his parents. These are serious threats. They are – Either do this or else.”

Hall was given an 18-week suspended sentence and a curfew for five months to live at the address in Vale Green between 8pm and 7am daily. He must also pay £250 towards costs.

The court also heard that in March Hall was given a suspended jail sentence at Norwich Crown Court for supplying drugs, and was already on a 6-month curfew.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich_man_ran_cockfights_at_his_parents_home_in_horsham_st_faith_for_nearly_three_years_1_905258

Gamekeeper pleads guilty to banned pesticide possession

An estate worker had enough illegal poison to “wipe out the entire Scottish golden eagle and red kite populations several times over”, a court has heard.

Gamekeeper Dean Barr

Gamekeeper Dean Barr, 44, of East Lodge, Clashmore, Dornoch, admitted possessing 10kg of Carbofuran.

The insecticide, banned in 2005, was found in a farm building, used by Barr, on the exclusive Highlands Skibo Castle estate in May 2010.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson fined the former Ulster Defence Regiment soldier £3,300 at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Despite the find, the Crown accepted Barr had no part in the deaths of two golden eagles and a sparrow hawk found on the estate in May 2010.

The insecticide was discovered in a locked store by police investigating the deaths of the birds. Barr had the keys to the store.
‘Foolish omission’

The Carbofuran found had been bought by a farmer to legally treat crops on a Scottish Borders estate where Barr had worked.

The court heard that while father-of-two Barr had not purchased the powder, he took it with him – along with other items, from a shed when he took the job at Skibo in 2008.

Fiscal depute Ian Smith said: “The RSPB said this was the largest find of any illegal poison in the UK.”

He added: “10kg is sufficient to wipe out the entire Scottish golden eagle and red kite populations several times over.

“Only a few granules are needed to kill a bird of prey.”

Defence lawyer David McKie said Barr was aware of the risks Carbofuran posed, but he had not known how to safely dispose of the powder, which was kept in a plastic tub.

Dwad golden eagle on Skibo estate. Pic by RSPB A dead golden eagle was found on the Skibo estate on 7 May 2010

Mr McKie said Barr’s case was one of “foolish omission” and that his client had been naive and had never used the substance.

However, Sheriff Neilson said it was “extraordinary” that a man of Barr’s experience had not known how to legally dispose of Carbofuran and had been prepared to take it 200 miles north from the Borders to the Highlands.

She told Barr that had he been found responsible for the birds’ deaths, he would have been facing a custodial sentence.

She fined him £3,300 for possession of Carbofuran to “mark the court’s disapproval”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13550213

Three Hunt Saboteurs found not guilty of Aggravated Trespass

Three members of the Hunt Saboteurs Association were yesterday found not-guilty of Aggravated Trespass after a three day trial at Newark Magistrates Court. They had been monitoring the Grove and Rufford Foxhounds, in November last year, to ensure compliance with the Hunting Act.

It was suspected that the hunt had been hunting live foxes. At least one fox had been seen running from the hunt that day.

The defendants exercised their lawful right not to supply their details to police but were then arrested and prosecuted.

After two days of prosecution evidence material came to light that showed prosecution witnesses, including police officers, had lied under oath and the case was dismissed.

During his summing up the District Judge expressed his displeasure with the Crown Prosecution Service for allowing the case to come to trial and demanded answers from them about why this decision had been made.

Lee Moon, spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: This ridiculous court case has wasted a huge amount of public funds. This money should have been used by the police and Crown Prosecution Service to enforce the Hunting Act rather than persecuting innocent people.

We hope Nottinghamshire Police learn from this verdict and start to focus their resources on the real criminals who continue to illegally chase and kill wildlife.

Animal Aid on Countryfile this Sunday 29th May

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_shooting//2493//
Larsen Traps

Larsen trap

Viewers of the BBC Countryfileprogramme on Sunday 29 May 2011 will see Animal Aid’s Shooting Consultant, Kit Davidson, being interviewed about a particularly cruel device used by gamekeepers for killing birds – the Larsen Trap. Animal Aid was asked to contribute to a video feature about Songbird Survival, an organisation connected with the game bird shooting industry that promotes a self-serving unproven theory that the current decline in songbirds is not related to loss of habitat and modern farming methods but to predation by members of the crow family (corvids).Songbird Survival commissioned the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) to use Larsen Traps to catch and destroy corvid birds at four secret locations. Natural England authorised this ‘research’ by granting a special licence, despite the GWCT having already completed recent similar research, which produced results that did not agree with Songbird Survival’s claims.

What is wrong with Larsen Traps?

Larsen Traps were designed by a Danish gamekeeper in the 1950s but are now banned in Denmark because of their cruelty. They were introduced to the UK by the Game Conservancy Trust (now named the GWCT) – a keen promoter of the game bird shooting industry. Larsen Traps are designed to eliminate a natural indigenous wild species in favour of large unnatural releases of artificially bred game birds, who are destined to be killed for sport.

The traps are made from wire and wood and have a compartment where a live decoy bird is kept to take advantage of the corvid species’ territorial or inquisitive behaviour. Set in spring or early summer (the breeding season) when these behaviours are strongest, the investigating bird comes down and falls into a cage trap sprung by a collapsing perch and a swing door. When the gamekeeper returns, the caught birds are ‘dispatched’. Decoy birds are often found dead through neglect or starvation, or can only watch on as other trapped birds are killed.

All traps are cruel and unnecessary. The Larsen Trap is particularly brutal because:

• A wild corvid ‘bait bird’ is routinely and legally incarcerated in a cage. This is not legal or routine for any other wild bird in the UK.
• Incarceration causes stress and trauma to the wild bait bird.
• The capture of adult birds in the breeding and nesting season causes the distress and death of corvid hatchlings and fledglings.
• The traps are set at ground level and expose the bait bird to the trauma of prowling predators.
• Gamekeepers abuse the Larsen Trap law and use illegal bait birds to catch raptors and even foxes.
• The traps are indiscriminate and catch other species.
• The traps are set in England without responsibility. The identity of the trap setter is anonymous. In Scotland, a system of police issued codes identifies the owner of the trap.

There are regulations determining how the traps may be used, but these are routinely and regularly flouted. The regulations include:

• The bait bird must be provided with a perch, fresh water and suitable feed.
• Bait birds must be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
• The bait bird must be provided with shelter from wind, rain and sun.
• Larsen Traps should not be used in severe weather conditions or when they are anticipated.
• The bait bird must have room to stretch his or her wings.
• The bait bird must not be mutilated (wing clipped).
• Only corvid birds and certain parakeets may be used as bait birds (not pigeons, who are used to attract raptors).
• Larsen Traps must be inspected every 24 hours and any dead birds or animals must be removed.
• Trapped birds must be dispatched ‘humanely’.
• Larsen Traps must be locked securely when not in use or put out of use by collapsing and storing.
• Any person convicted of an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 may not use a Larsen Trap unless they are ‘rehabilitated’ or absolutely discharged.

In summary, Animal Aid objects to all traps, but Larsen Traps are particularly cruel. Anybody can set them without further specific permission under the General Licences issued by Natural England and devolved UK governments. People may even set them in their own back gardens. There is little enforcement of the feeble regulations in England and Wales, and little chance of proving responsibility for abuses. The permissive law has been upheld by successive governments, which pander to the game shooting industry.

References:

Natural England’s list of General Licences: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/licences/appexamples.aspx

Natural England’s Guidelines on using Larsen Traps: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/Gen-L05draft_tcm6-13925.pdf

Scottish regulation on using Larsen Traps: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/16330/general-licences

Isle of Wight Hunt exposed yet again, video now on YouTube

Showing the violent and threatening nature of members of the Isle of Wight hunt towards hunt monitors, whose video cameras pose a threat to the hunt’s existence now hunting with dogs is banned.

Please sign this petition

Face Book – Please clean it UP!! No animal abuse allowed on your network

http://www.change.org/petitions/face-book-please-clean-it-up-no-animal-abuse-allowed-on-your-network

There are many groups supporting animal abuse on face book. These groups, mostly dog fighting, have graphic videos, pictures, and are selling and trading pit bulls, and other dogs to fight, some until death. Fighting dogs is illegal in the United States, and in most countries. Face book is based in the United States and should not allow these groups to continue. Just deleting the videos or pictures does not stop the problem. The entire groups need to be deleted off of face book.

There are young adults on face book that do not need to be exposed to such violence.

Also, we are requesting face book to please add a ANIMAL ABUSE button to their report selection. At this time there is no selection to choose to report animal abuse.

Please sign this petition to stop these groups in the act.

http://www.change.org/petitions/face-book-please-clean-it-up-no-animal-abuse-allowed-on-your-network

Thank you

Golfer who battered tame fox to death for stealing biscuit is fined

http://news.scotsman.com/environment/Golfer-who-battered-tame-fox.6769510.jp

A GOLFER has been fined £750 for battering a tame fox with a golf club after it stole his chocolate biscuit.

Donald Forbes

Donald Forbes, 55, of Riverdale, Burnside Road, Peterculter lashed out at the animal, striking it on the head, after he spotted it rummaging through his golf bag.

It was so badly injured it had to be killed by another golfer.

Forbes went on trial accused of striking the fox with the “intent to inflict unnecessary suffering” at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.

He told how the creature managed to sink its teeth into his Tunnocks Caramel Wafer by chewing through his bag as he played at Peterculter Golf Club.

He claimed he felt so threatened that he tried to scare it away with his driver.

But Sheriff Annella Cowan said the evidence proved he was out for revenge on the fox and had used his club as a weapon. She told Forbes: “My understanding was you had seen it, you became annoyed with it going for your chocolate biscuit, you hit it on the head with your driver.

“You did it deliberately. I am satisfied you are guilty of this offence.”

The fox had become a popular fixture at the club, where some members used to feed it.

Other golfers told the court how they saw the company boss run at the creature moments before he hit it over the head on 10 September last year.

Forbes’ golfing companion, Graeme Duthie, 55, also from Peterculter, said they had spotted the fox several times that day.

He said: “The fox was biting Donald’s bag. Donald ran towards the bag and shouted at it. He hit it with the club in his hand. I think he got a shock because it didn’t run away after shouting so loudly at it.”

Procurator fiscal Sandy Hutchison asked: “How hard would you describe the blow?”

He replied: “I wouldn’t have said it was very hard. It was the longest club in the bag. It was nothing like a proper golf shot.”

Mr Hutchison asked whether the fox had moved when he arrived at the scene. Mr Duthie replied: “It was fairly still. There was a wee bit of movement. It didn’t make a sound at all.

“I thought it was stunned and it would get up and walk away. There was no blood whatsoever.”

The engineer said the pair had waited a couple of minutes then carried on golfing.

Forbes said he remembered the fox looking back at him in a “threatening way” at the eighth hole.

He told the court: “I heard that some members had been bitten by the same fox.”

He went on: “My actions, I thought, were proportionate in relation to the threat it was being to me and my belongings. It was an instinctive swing – I happened to have the club in my hand at the time.”

As well as imposing the fine, Sheriff Cowan ordered forfeiture of Forbes’ driver.

After the incident, Forbes’ membership was suspended by officials at Peterculter Golf Club. No-one at the club was available for comment last night.

Grampian Police wildlife crime officer PC Dave MacKinnon said: “The circumstances of the case and the conclusion should highlight to the public the protection afforded to wild mammals and other protected species.”