JAMIE DAVIES, NATHANIEL HOLMES AND BRANDON ABBOTT CAUGHT BADGER BAITING IN CASTLEFORD

On Boxing Day in 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded in the quiet woodland near Church Fenton, North Yorkshire, involving three men from Castleford—Jamie Davies, Nathaniel Holmes, and Brandon Abbott—who were caught engaging in illegal badger baiting activities. The trio was observed by a vigilant member of the public carrying five dogs and spades, raising suspicion about their intentions in the secluded area.

Concerned about their suspicious behavior, the witness contacted both the landowner and the police. When the landowner arrived at the scene, he discovered a troubling scene: three spades abandoned in a puddle of water, and a black terrier dog with severe injuries, sitting perilously close to a known active badger sett. The injuries to the dog’s jaw and teeth were consistent with injuries caused by a badger, indicating that the dog had been involved in the illegal activity.

As the three men attempted to leave the area, they were intercepted by an officer from North Yorkshire Police. The police quickly seized the four dogs present at the scene, which were taken to police kennels for further examination. The injured black terrier was transported to a veterinary clinic, where it was found to have injuries to its jaw and teeth, consistent with badger baiting. The dog was covered in dried mud, indicating it had been forced into the sett or involved in the activity for some time. After treatment, the dog was successfully rehomed, but the scars of the abuse remained.

North Yorkshire Police issued a statement emphasizing the significance of the case. They acknowledged the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other procedural issues but expressed relief that justice was finally served. The police highlighted the cruelty involved in interfering with badger setts, which not only violates the law but also inflicts immense suffering on both the badgers and the dogs used in these brutal activities.

According to the police, the black terrier found at the scene had multiple old injuries that had not been treated, causing it significant pain. The injuries were consistent with those inflicted during badger baiting, a barbaric 'sport' where dogs are sent into badger setts to flush out the animals, often leading to violent confrontations. The badgers are sometimes allowed to escape, but more often, they are forced to fight the dogs, resulting in severe injuries or death for the badgers and serious harm to the dogs involved.

Further investigation revealed that the men had a cover story, claiming they had lost their dog after it chased a fox, and that they had permission to be in the area. The landowner’s daughter, however, confronted them directly, recognizing their suspicious activity as they were digging into a large badger sett. She bravely questioned their intentions, despite their attempt to deceive her with false explanations. Recognizing the danger, she promptly called her father, a local farmer, who then drove to the scene.

Upon arrival, the farmer found the men’s vehicle—a silver Subaru Forester with registration number SL03 HWT—and confronted them. The men, visibly unsettled, fled across a muddy field with four dogs, crossing a deep dyke in their attempt to escape. The farmer followed their footprints back across the field, discovering two spades discarded in a puddle of water, with a third later found during crop spraying. No locator collar from the dogs was recovered, a detail that the defense argued could complicate the case, as removing such evidence can hinder prosecution efforts.

Thanks to the quick thinking of the farmer and his daughter, police were able to intercept the vehicle and the four dogs, none of which were microchipped. The fifth dog, a badly injured Patterdale terrier, was found trembling on top of the badger sett, covered in mud and exhibiting signs of trauma. The dog was treated by a veterinarian, who identified old, infected wounds alongside a fresh lower jaw injury consistent with a head-to-head encounter with a badger. The men did not claim ownership of this dog, which was subsequently rehomed after treatment.

Sadly, the other four dogs, housed in kennels for two years, faced uncertain futures. Although the kennels had good homes waiting for them, the fate of these animals remains a concern, especially considering the illegal activities they were involved in. The case had been delayed multiple times due to the pandemic and procedural issues, initially being heard at York Magistrates Court before being moved to Scarborough, which diminished some of the initial impact of the prosecution’s case.

Evidence presented by the farmer, his daughter, a badger expert, police, and veterinary surgeons painted a clear picture of the cruelty involved. The offenders, all from Castleford, were identified as Jamie Davies, who is also known as Jamie Milner and works as a self-employed painter and decorator, and the two others, Nathaniel Holmes and Brandon Abbott, both employed in groundworks with Wakefield Council. In December 2020, Jamie Davies had previously been convicted for stripping copper wire from power lines, an act that left 45,000 homes without power, resulting in an 18-month jail sentence.

In the end, the three men were sentenced to pay fines: Jamie Davies was fined £428, Nathaniel Holmes £252, and Brandon Abbott £656. No additional penalties or imprisonment were imposed, but the case served as a stark reminder of the ongoing fight against illegal badger baiting and animal cruelty in the region.