‘Twisted’ badger baiter Anthony Lee jailed

A man who urged his dog to attack and kill badgers and kept footage of the fights on his phone has been jailed. A magistrate wiped away tears while watching three videos of animal fights that Anthony Lee, 23, recorded. Lee, of Coronation Way, Keighley, West Yorkshire, admitted three counts of animal fighting and was [...]

Tiverton huntsman John Norrish jailed for four years for party rape

Tiverton huntsman John Norrish jailed for four years for party rape A former huntmaster has been jailed for four years for raping a guest as he gave her a lift home following a ball. John Norrish, 68, of East Worlington, near Tiverton denied rape but was found guilty by a jury. The court heard he [...]

Hunt members found guilty of illegally pursuing fox with hounds

Verdict is triumph for animal rights groups as trio from Crawley and Horsham Hunt convicted and fined Three leading members of a Sussex hunt have been convicted of pursuing a fox illegally with hounds, in a case that will be seen a significant victory for animal rights activists. The guilty verdicts at Haywards Heath magistrates [...]

Hunt terrier man fined over fox ‘in a barrel’

A LEADING member of Peterborough’s Fitzwilliam Hunt has been fined for a breach of anti-hunting laws. Gamekeeper John Bycroft (67), who is the terrier man to the Fitzwilliam Hunt, was found with another man using terriers to flush foxes from underground dens. But he fell foul of the law after putting a live pregnant vixen [...]

Hunt master fined over gun charges

A LLANBEDR hunt master has been fined £3,500 for ‘losing’ two guns and leaving a pistol in his car. Alan Owen, 63, of Glandŵr Cottages, Llanbedr, who is the Llanbedr Master of the Hounds, pleaded guilty at Dolgellau magistrates court this week to three charges of failing to comply with the conditions of a shotgun [...]

Terrierman wins badger sett appeal

A hunt supporter has been cleared of damaging a badger sett after a judge ruled he may have been the victim of mistaken identity. Andrew Bellamy, 41, had always denied that he was a man caught on film by anti hunt monitors sending a terrier underground and then digging out and killing a fox which [...]

Scottish gamekeeper guilty of wildlife crime after trapping owl

Scottish gamekeeper guilty of wildlife crime after trapping owl A Kirriemuir gamekeeper has admitted illegal trapping an owl in a cage trap. Robert Christie, 58, of Lindertis Estate, Airlie, pled guilty to the offence, which occurred in 2010, and was admonished at Forfar Sheriff Court. The tawny owl suffered an injury to its beak and [...]

Keighley man faces jail over ‘horror’ badger baiting

Magistrates have warned a Keighley man he faces being sent to jail for a “horrendous” case of badger baiting after he admitted causing his dog to fight the animals. Anthony Lee, 23, of Coronation Way, Braithwaite, Keighley, pleaded guilty to three counts of badger baiting at Bradford Magistrates’ Court. The court was shown three videos [...]

Rural gangs linked to drug operations

Poaching and hare coursing gangs often linked with major drugs operations are behind most crimes against wildlife. In Cumbria last year, 363 wildlife crimes were reported to the police and of those 211 involved poaching, hare coursing and lamping – hunting animals at night with high-powered lights. In one incident at Sandysyke near Longtown, three [...]

Gamekeeper used live pigeon to lure other birds into his sights

Craig Barrie has failed in a bid to keep his gamekeeper licence after he was caught using a pigeon as a decoy. A gamekeeper caught using a live pigeon to lure other birds into his sights has failed in a bid to keep his job. Craig Barrie used a live pigeon as a decoy to [...]