TWO men have been jailed for badger baiting and animal cruelty after a judge described their sickening wildlife crimes in and around the Forest of Dean as “medieval barbarity”.
One horrific incident filmed on video showed a baby badger being skinned alive by dogs while the thugs laughed.
In another scene of savagery, terriers were set on a wild boar before it was stabbed, while deer were also attacked.
A third co-defendant was also jailed for animal cruelty at Merthyr Magistrates’ Court last Friday (June 21) after failing to get medical care for two injured dogs, and all three men were banned from keeping dogs for life.
Ryan Harrison, 24, of Masefield Road, Caldicot, pleaded guilty to 15 offences of cruelty to badgers, deer and boar, and was jailed for 22 weeks, while Thomas Young, 26, of East Pentwyn, Blaina, admitted six offences and was jailed for 20 weeks.
Cyle Jones, 31, of Newgate Street, Brecon, received 18 weeks in jail and all three were also banned from driving for two years.
The offences came to light after a BBC Wales undercover investigation last year, which led to a programme called The Secret World of Badger Baiters.
Harrison, Young and Jones were identified when the programme was broadcast and warrants were executed at their addresses.
District Judge Neil Thomas was told that a phone seized from Harrison had hundreds of videos, text messages and images depicting hunting and animal cruelty offences.
The number of video clips amounted to 447 with most of the material “extreme in its nature”, including the horrific footage of a baby badger being skinned alive by dogs.
The badger’s skin was split down the middle and pulled back from the body before the animal was discarded.
Shortly afterwards, with the badger still alive, Young kills it with a shovel.
The voice of Harrison was heard on the clips and videos and pictures showed Young, the court heard.
The men claimed they had grown up with countryside pursuits, but Judge Thomas told them there was no mitigation in his view.
“The absence of remorse was obvious,” he said.
Chief inspector Ian Briggs, of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said after the hearing: “The unit has to investigate some truly gruesome acts on animals, but the prolific nature of these horrific crimes are some of the worst I – and my inspectors – have ever had the displeasure of witnessing.
“This barbaric, deliberate and calculated torture has caused wildlife and dogs to suffer immeasurably, solely for the sadistic pleasure of a handful of depraved individuals.
“BBC Wales’ initial work on this case was very important, and firmly in the public interest – paving the way for the RSPCA to undertake this investigation and bring these perpetrators to justice.
“Sadly, people who enjoy inflicting such pain and suffering on wildlife continue to offend.
“The RSPCA will not rest in bringing people like these to justice,” added Inspector Briggs.
“As well as BBC Wales, we’d also like to thank the police forces who assisted us on this case – Gwent Police, South Wales Police, Dyfed Powys and Gloucestershire Police,” he said.
The offences were committed under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Deer Act 1991 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Harrison and Young pleaded guilty to six joint offences of wilfully killing, injuring or taking a badger on four different occasions; attempting to take or kill a deer; and causing unnecessary suffering to a boar by causing it to be attacked by dogs and by stabbing the animal with a knife.
Harrison also pleaded guilty to another nine offences of attempting to take or kill a deer; attempting to kill, injure or take a badger on two occasions; three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to obtain veterinary care for injuries to the lip, chin and neck; and three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a boar by letting it be attacked by dogs, including one where the animal was stabbed.
He was also sentenced to a deprivation order on the dogs seized as part of the case along with equipment and paraphernalia.
Jones admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a Patterdale terrier and a black and white female bull lurcher by failing to provide professional veterinary care regarding their injuries.