BADGER BAITERS ALAN ALEXANDER AND RICHARD SIMPSON BUSTED IN YORK AND STRAFFORD-ON-AVON

A disturbing case of animal cruelty has come to light involving a group of six men and a teenage boy who engaged in illegal badger baiting on farmland near York, specifically at Howsham. The incident, which took place in January 2011, was characterized by extreme brutality and callousness, leaving authorities and wildlife advocates appalled.

According to court proceedings at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court, the group, which included Alan Alexander, Richard Lee Simpson, Paul Ian Tindall, William Edward Anderson, Christopher Holmes, and Malcolm David Warner, was involved in digging out two badgers from their setts. Witnesses reported hearing the sounds of dogs barking excitedly and a badger squealing in distress, prompting them to investigate the commotion. Upon arrival, they witnessed a horrifying scene: two large dogs violently attacking a badger, gripping it in their mouths and shaking it as if engaged in a brutal tug-of-war.

Wildlife photographer Robert Fuller, who was among the witnesses, managed to capture a photograph showing Alan Alexander attempting to snatch a badger from the jaws of a dog. Fuller later testified that the men were laughing and encouraging the dogs during the attack, displaying a disturbing level of cruelty. When the group noticed Fuller observing them, they quickly fled the scene to avoid arrest.

Further investigation revealed that the badger was shot dead by William Anderson and the others once they became aware of the witnesses. In an attempt to conceal their crime, the men threw the dead badger into nearby undergrowth. They also buried a second badger, which was pregnant and had been torn apart by the dogs, back into the hole from which it had been dug. The scene was gruesome, with animal intestines, badger fetuses, and bloodstains scattered across the area.

Police and RSPCA inspectors responded swiftly, recovering the two badgers. One had been shot at close range, suffering a fractured skull and jaw, while the other had a missing portion of its abdomen and injuries consistent with dog attacks. The authorities also found evidence of a highly organized operation, including equipment used to track down and locate badgers, indicating a sophisticated and deliberate effort to hunt these protected animals.

Witnesses, including Fuller, provided photographs that were instrumental in securing convictions. The evidence showed that the group had killed three adult badgers and three unborn cubs. The pregnant badger had endured a prolonged attack by multiple dogs, resulting in its death from blood loss. The other badger had been shot immediately after a severe attack.

During sentencing, the court heard that Alexander, Simpson, Tindall, and Anderson were each sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for their roles in the illegal activity, including killing a badger, hunting with dogs, digging for badgers, and interfering with a badger sett. Additionally, Alexander and Simpson were convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. All four men were ordered to pay £750 in costs and £100 in compensation.

Holmes and Warner received 12-week custodial sentences, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to similar charges, including killing a badger and interfering with a sett. They were also ordered to pay £250 in costs and £100 in compensation. The 17-year-old boy involved was given a youth rehabilitation order, as he could not be named for legal reasons. An eighth individual, James Doyle from Westfield Avenue, Knottingley, was acquitted of all charges.

RSPCA Inspector Geoff Edmond, who was present during the investigation, described the scene as horrific and barbaric. He recounted removing a pregnant badger that had been buried and torn apart by dogs, emphasizing the cruelty inflicted upon these animals. The case has highlighted the ongoing issue of illegal badger baiting and the need for continued enforcement to protect wildlife from such heinous acts.