GAINBOROUGH BADGER BAITER RYAN SMITH SENTENCED AFTER HORRIFIC CRUELTY IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

Ryan Michael Smith, a resident of Gainsborough, has been convicted of heinous acts of animal cruelty involving badgers. Born on July 6, 1993, Smith has a troubling criminal history that includes previous convictions for violence and time served in prison. His latest offense, which came to light during a court appearance at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court, involved interfering with a badger sett and attempting to kill a badger, acts that are both illegal and deeply disturbing.

According to court proceedings, Smith was identified as one of three individuals spotted by a gamekeeper on land near Beckingham, Nottinghamshire. The gamekeeper’s suspicions were confirmed when police arrived at the scene and found evidence of illegal badger baiting. The other two individuals involved, Dale Shields and Murphy Thorne, were arrested separately and faced their own legal consequences. The gamekeeper had observed the trio engaging in activities characteristic of badger baiting, a cruel practice where dogs are used to flush out and attack badgers in their dens, with the intent to kill or remove them for later slaughter.

Police responded swiftly to the reports, apprehending Shields and Thorne close to the scene. Smith was detained later that same day, away from the badger sett. Initially, Smith denied any involvement in the offenses, but he later changed his plea to guilty before the trial commenced. Evidence collected at the scene painted a grim picture: a six-foot hole had been dug into the badger sett, with spades found nearby, indicating deliberate interference. Additionally, a net used for capturing badgers was recovered, further implicating the trio in illegal activities.

Authorities also seized two dogs, both fitted with radio collars, which were taken to a veterinary clinic in Retford for treatment. The dogs had sustained facial and dental injuries, and one was found in a collapsed state due to exhaustion. The RSPCA was alerted to the incident, and inspector Keith Ellis launched an investigation. An expert witness confirmed that the badger sett was active and had been disturbed, although no dead badger was recovered. Inspector Ellis noted that it was possible the badger had died within the sett as a result of the disturbance.

Veterinary assessments of the dogs indicated that their facial injuries were consistent with fights involving animals of similar size, suggesting they had been used in the baiting activities. The gamekeeper’s testimony was particularly damning, describing how the men jumped into the six-foot hole they had dug into the badger sett, prompting police to intervene. The presence of spades and the radio collars on the dogs provided concrete evidence of illegal baiting operations, where handlers locate the badgers underground and then dig down to kill them.

During sentencing, Smith admitted that he had merely 'tagged along' with the other two men, offering little in mitigation for his actions. The court ordered the forfeiture of the seized dogs, which are currently in the care of the RSPCA and are expected to be re-homed soon. Smith received an 18-week jail sentence, suspended for two months, and was ordered to pay £415 in fines. Additionally, a deprivation order was issued for his dogs, and he was banned from keeping dogs for five years. The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat illegal badger baiting and animal cruelty in Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas.