BILLY AND RICKY CROTTY AND ASSOCIATES FROM ROYSTON CLEARED OF BADGER KILLING IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

William Crotty, born November 1981, and Ricky Crotty, born March 1990, both residents of Royston, faced serious allegations related to the illegal killing of a badger. The charges also implicated other individuals, including Scott Brown of Boldon Colliery, Tyne and Wear, Kevin Barry Cowell and Gabrielle Freeney, both from Enfield, London, and David Fox of Ongar, Essex. The accusations stemmed from an incident that took place near Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, on November 6, 2011.

According to the prosecution, the men were accused of interfering with badger setts, digging for badgers, and deliberately killing a badger. However, after a lengthy trial, the jury ultimately found all the defendants not guilty of these charges. The case drew significant attention, partly due to the evidence presented by police, including a video captured from a police helicopter. The footage showed five men, including Billy and Ricky Crotty, standing in a field with spades and a lurcher-type dog around a hole that police described as resembling a grave.

Police officer Pc Timothy Gawler, who observed the scene from the helicopter at approximately 1:55 pm, testified that the group was gathered around the hole, which appeared to be a grave. The footage also showed the men beginning to fill the hole, suggesting they were attempting to conceal their activity. Witnesses noted that three of the men left the scene in a red truck with a sixth individual, the driver, while the remaining two men departed on foot. All six individuals were later detained by authorities.

Despite the compelling evidence, including the helicopter footage and witness accounts, the jury acquitted the defendants, ruling that there was insufficient proof of illegal activity. Following the verdict, Billy and Ricky Crotty, who are known to be involved in boxing promotion and tree surgery respectively, expressed their frustration and disappointment. They claimed that their personal and professional lives had been adversely affected by the case, which they described as a wrongful accusation.

Billy Crotty, who is part of the traveling community, vehemently denied the allegations of badger baiting, emphasizing that he and his associates are fully aware that such activities are illegal. Instead, he asserted that their activities involved fox control, for which they had obtained permission from a local farmer to be on the land. Billy also mentioned that he and his brother undertake voluntary pest control services for several farmers in the area.

It is noteworthy that Ricky Crotty has a criminal record; in June 2018, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of trafficking Class A drugs. This background adds context to the ongoing public and legal scrutiny surrounding the Crotty family and their activities in the region.