Badger baiting: Jamie Rush wins conviction appeal

L-R: Cyle Jones, Jamie Rush, Christian Latcham and Thomas Young

A man who was convicted of badger baiting has won an appeal against a court's verdict.

Jamie Rush was one of four men found guilty in October of attempting to kill or take badgers in Pembrokeshire.

He was jailed for 22 weeks after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court, following an undercover investigation by BBC Wales Investigates, in March 2018.

Mr Rush, 27, of Brecon, successfully appealed against his conviction at Merthyr Crown Court on Thursday.

The RSPCA said it opposed the appeal, but said it was unable to continue due to issues related to the anonymity of a key witness.

While a court at a previous hearing had granted the witness anonymity, the appeal court did not do so.

Christian Latcham, 32, from Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Thomas Young, 26, from Newbridge, Caerphilly and Cyle Jones, 31, from Brecon, Powys, were all found guilty at last year's trial.

Latcham was sentenced to 26 weeks in custody and Jones was jailed for 22 weeks.

Young was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months and was placed on curfew for 12 weeks.

The RSPCA said: "The RSPCA made applications related to the anonymity of this witness in good faith - and to the earlier satisfaction of the courts in this case.

"Ultimately, the RSPCA could not ethically allow witness anonymity to be compromised - which is why we were unable to proceed further with this case."