Badger baiter from Motherwell banned from keeping animals for life

A number of incriminating images were found on King's phone

A man has been banned from keeping animals for life, two years after he was caught by police digging into an active badger sett.

In February, Robert King, 34, was found guilty of badger baiting near Carluke.

He had sent two Jack Russell terriers - which were allowed to roam freely with his lurcher - into the sett.

At Lanark Sheriff Court he was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and given a Restriction of Liberty Order for seven months.

The court heard that King, from Motherwell, was caught by police digging into the sett in woodland near Carluke railway station on 25 April 2018. The terriers had been fitted with locator collars which enabled him to know where the dogs were when underground.

The Scottish SPCA was called to assist police and when the terriers returned to the surface they were found to have injuries suggesting they had fought with a badger.

All three dogs were seized by the animal welfare charity, with one of the terriers later having to be put down due to its injuries.

The other two dogs were taken from King following a court order.

Police found a number of incriminating images on King's phone.

He had been found guilty of two charges of badger baiting, one under under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and another charge under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Sara Shaw, head of the wildlife and environmental crime unit, said: "I welcome the conviction and sentence of Robert King and the message it sends to others who would cause such terrible and unnecessary suffering.

"The law protects badgers from harm, as well as dogs from being used for fighting.

"COPFS [Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service] will continue to work to ensure those who participate in this barbaric practice are prosecuted and would encourage anyone who may have information on animal fighting to contact Police Scotland."