Man, 24, avoids jail over badger sett interference

A 24-year-old man has avoided prison after admitting to interfering with a badger sett in the Midlands. Ryan Brennan filled in the badger sett on land near Ellesmere in Shropshire, in January this year, a court heard.

Such an act can cause the animal unnecessary harm and suffering and it is illegal in the UK because badgers are a protected animal under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Brennan was allegedly caught on camera checking the sett, sniffing it for signs of fox, then entering a terrier dog, according to the campaign group Hunt Saboteurs Association.

The group claimed Brennan then tracked the dog's progress underground using a radio collar and receiver kit, before removing the dog and blocking up the sett entrances. Hidden camera footage allegedly caught Brennan in the act.

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Hunt Saboteurs Association said he is a hunt terrier-man based at the Wrexham-based Wynnstay Hunt. Brennan, of Pen y Lan, Ruabon in Wrexham, was handed a 10-week sentence, suspended for one year, at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Monday, November 11.

Court documents show Brennan was also handed a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Rowan Hughes from the Hunt Saboteurs Association, said: "We celebrate this conviction for badger sett interference, but it shines a light on how ineffective our hunting law is that Brennan was convicted under breaches of the Protection of Badgers act, for blocking setts to prevent a fox from fleeing down there, with no mention of the Hunting Act."

PC Jono Lightfoot, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said: "At West Mercia we take wildlife crime very seriously and will investigate any reports we receive of people interfering with protected animals, such as badgers. We are pleased with the sentence handed to Brennan by the judge, and we hope this sends a strong message to anyone who plans on carrying out wildlife crimes."