Peter McGuigan, 37, and Simon Evans, 40, both from Llandysul, on the border of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, had shovels, dogs and netting. District judge Mark Layton, sitting at Llanelli magistrates, said they were guilty of "sickening and appalling acts of cruelty". Small terriers, are sent into a badger sett to locate a badger and hold it in position. A farm worker has been jailed for causing "gratuitous suffering" to animals by badger baiting. "Once the programme had been broadcast our job was done - we were pleased to have exposed these men and raised awareness of this illegal activity in Wales. Badger-baiting 'holidays' The programme shows armed police discovering a recently-devastated badger sett and a badger thrown into the undergrowth, still bleeding from its wounds. Both the badgers and dogs suffer inconceivably painful injuries. Dogs wearing radio collars are sent below ground into a badger sett and the radio signal is tracked from above. Damien Sweeney was sentenced to 20 weeks and banned from keeping dogs for eight years. An investigation by BBC Wales Investigates has exposed a secretive network of illegal hunters in south Wales. "Wales has a particular problem because of the remoteness and the ease in which they can carry out their activities. 21:14. As part of a six-month investigation, BBC Wales infiltrated two gangs, uncovering a network across south Wales. Shocking rise in badger baiting. Badger baiting can lead to imprisonment and a £5,000 fine. A BBC WALES investigation exposing badger baiting in Pembrokeshire is set to air tonight (May 22). The RSPCA began its investigations in March 2019 after North Wales Police shared evidence from a mobile phone which had been seized from Sweeney which revealed offences relating to badger baiting… They're just thrown down holes, they've got to do their job. Top Stories. It's as cruel to the dogs that are encouraged to fight as it is to the badgers themselves.". "Let my dog mangle it… he'll go and then grab it by its throat and its going nowhere like, you know what I mean. The RSPCA began its investigations in March 2019 after North Wales Police shared evidence from a mobile phone which had been seized from Sweeney which revealed offences relating to badger baiting. In fact, some baiters have even been known to join in the fight, brutally beating the badgers with spades or stamping on them. Horrific footage shows badger baiting with dogs A man hunted and killed a badger with his dogs in an act of “Medieval barbarity”. Badger Drawing Background "A Match at the Badger" by Henry Alken circa 1820. A baiting session typically results in the death of the badger, and possibly serious injuries to the dogs. Videos included a tan lurcher attacking a badger which would have suffered considerable pain and distress from the attack. The Investigates programme infiltrated a gang over a six month period to expose its cruel and illegal activity, writes CATHERINE HARTE "Badger baiting is a barbaric activity - and we will investigate thoroughly any evidence passed onto us which suggest crimes have been committed against these animals. Damien Sweeney (d.o.b 02/11/1986) of Maes Glyndwr, Treuddyn, Mold, was found guilty on 12 charges – eight under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and four under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 – at an October trial. In the programme Ian Briggs urges members of the public to report sightings of possible badger baiters to the RSPCA. Wales News. Badger baiting involves torturing badgers until death and is a thriving ‘blood-sport’ across the UK. All four denied the charges against them, but were found guilty following a trial. Undercover with badger baiters as network infiltrated, Badger baiters exposed in undercover investigation, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. Intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy a badger sett, or obstruct access to it. But Ian Briggs from the RSPCA disagrees: "A lot of the time they say they are doing a service to the rural community, especially with badgers and things like TB… it's just purely a smokescreen. Published 30 September 2019. Neath. Rural crime officers from North Wales … A baiting session typically results in the death of the badger, and possibly serious injuries to the dogs. The RSPCA began its investigations in March 2019 after North Wales Police shared evidence from a mobile phone which had been seized from Sweeney which revealed offences relating to badger baiting. Watching badgers and dogs fight until death is perceived as good fun for some people. The production team received a tip-off that many badger baiters gather on closed or secret social media groups dedicated to working dogs. A spokesman for RSPCA Cymru said: "We have requested all material from the BBC in relation to their investigations related to alleged illegal badger baiting activity in Wales - and are awaiting this evidence. Young was sentenced to 20 weeks after admitting to six badger and animal cruelty offences. BBC Wales Investigates producer Clare Hutchinson explains how they went about making the programme that exposed the highly secretive blood sport. A DOG has suffered horrific injuries caused by suspected badger baiting - in what an RSPCA inspector described as 'one of the worst' cases they have seen in 20 years. #TheList Molly Rose (aka Molly Price or Molly Rees), born c. 2001, of Ystradowen, Cowbridge, South Glamorgan, Wales CF71 – exposed for illegally hunting badgers and foxes with dogs in a 2018 BBC documentary Teenager Molly Rose of Cowbridge in Wales glorifies illegal hunting with dogs on social … Dig for a badger. Eventually after digging for 10 hours they call it a day. An experienced huntsman has been jailed after being caught badger-baiting on remote farmland in north Wales. On the journey there Young tells "John": "There's always a farmer, where we're going it's permission, it's not dodgy like… they want you to go and sort their pest problem out like.". 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WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT. 2 comments. Donate now. Badger Baiting was made illegal in 1835 and is currently an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, but it has never died out. Then basically the two dogs will kill it.". This is the first time in over 30 years that a group of badger baiters have been infiltrated in this manner, revealing […] "This is … Watching badgers and dogs fight until death is perceived as good fun for some people. Trump options narrow as Michigan backs Biden win. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. The RSPCA began its investigations in March 2019 after North Wales Police shared evidence from a mobile phone which had been seized from Sweeney which revealed offences relating to badger baiting. "What these people like doing is killing stuff. Dog on the mend after suspected badger baiting incident. Badger crime is prolific in all areas of the country with crimes from badger baiting to sett blocking remaining prevalent long after the Protection of Badgers Act was established. No badger was caught that day but the footage prompted the RSPCA to launch an inquiry after the footage was broadcast in May 2018. This is the first time in over 30 years that a group of badger baiters have been infiltrated in this manner, revealing […] Videos included a tan lurcher attacking a badger which would have suffered considerable pain and distress from the attack. RSPCA inspectors and police also found two foxes in a cage next to a pack of dogs on the farm, a meeting place for the Dwyryd Hunt, and believe they were going to be released for dogs to attack. Badger baiting is as popular as ever - and the true scale of the crime remains unknown, according to an investigation by BBC Wales. We can issue licences for appropriate purposes, so you can work legally. Four badger baiters have been convicted after being caught on camera by a BBC undercover investigation. Sadly, it is the badger’s tenacity, its apparent ability to absorb almost any punishment and still go on fighting, which has made it a target for people who get their kicks from inflicting cruelty upon animals, even today. Badger baiting: North Wales Farm worker Damien Sweeney jailed. Other members of the network, including a convicted badger baiter banned from keeping dogs, were filmed illegally digging a sett in Pembrokeshire. Since December 2004, police have received 11 reports of persecution relating to the protected animal. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Welsh Government (WG) issue licences for … Picture: RSPCA Cymru . Yet the Home Office is still failing to collect vital information about this sadistic blood sport, instead classifying badger baiting as a ‘miscellaneous’ crime in England and Wales. It also revealed the brutal reality of how wild animals - and the dogs used to kill them - were treated. No-deal Navy threat 'irresponsible' - Tory MP, US faces bleak winter amid worst Covid wave yet, Trump's latest, legal longshot doomed by Supreme Court, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}Secret filming shows two men pulling a cub from the ground and setting dogs on it before killing it with a spade. 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