Badger killer in prison for the new year as Badger Trust urges public to report crimes

Badger Trust Staff Team
Jan 5, 2023
3 min read

Cruel badger killer starts 2023 in jail after badger baiting conviction.

A Carlisle man faces the new year in prison after he was convicted of digging out and killing a badger. After a trial at Rickergate Magistrates Court, Dale Rickerby, 28, was also found guilty of offences against his dog, who was severely injured in the incident. The Carlisle man dug out and bludgeoned the badger with a spade before tossing the terrified animal to his dog.

Rickerby was found guilty and was sentenced to 20 weeks in jail in late December 2022, and his dog was handed over to the care of the RSPCA.

Craig Fellowes, Badger Trust Wildlife Crime Officer and Trainer, commented:

“I would like to commend the excellent work done by the police and RSPCA. This conviction is a great outcome and sends a strong message that horrific crimes against wildlife will not go unpunished.”

During badger baiting, badgers are forced to fight with large powerful dogs.

Badger baiting remains a national problem and needs to stop. Badgers and dogs suffer horribly in the process, and convictions like this are needed more than ever.

“It’s good news that Rickerby starts 2023 in prison.”

Badgers are the UK’s most persecuted protected species, with badger crime a UK Wildlife Crime Priority for over ten years because of the scale of abuse. A recent wildlife crime report revealed 526 reported incidents of illegal badger persecution in 2021 in England and Wales. However, Badger Trust knows these reports are just the tip of the iceberg and fears that thousands of crimes are unreported or unrecognised.

Fighting back against badger crime

“Badger Trust is fighting back against badger crime,” Fellowes continued. “We will keep raising awareness by helping the public to recognise, record and report badger crime and suspicious incidents. And in 2023, we will continue to roll out even more of our badger crime training courses for police forces, plus specialised training sessions for our affiliated badger groups throughout England and Wales. Badger Trust also continues to campaign for sentencing crimes against badgers to be brought into line with the Animal Welfare Act, increasing maximum sentences from six months to five years.”

Further recent cases show the importance of members of the public reporting crimes against badgers. For example, after evidence of badger sett disturbance in Lancashire, with help from the public, police officers were able to identify and locate one of those they believed were responsible and, assisted by the RSPCA, they attended an address in Greater Manchester and seized vehicles, tools and dogs.

Stop Badger Crime : Remember the 3 R's Recognise, Record , Report

How you can help us stop badger crime

Badger Trust has an experienced Crime Team dedicated to monitoring and tracking badger crime across England and Wales. They work closely with the police to follow ongoing investigations and assist as needed. This work ensures that no case slips through the cracks, giving the best chance to achieve more wildlife crime prosecutions.

Report badger crime

By reporting badger crime, the information you provide could help investigators bring offenders to justice. In addition, your reports support vital campaigning work calling for changes to the law to improve the lives of thousands of animals.

If you see a badger crime or suspicious incident in progress:

call 999 and ask for police assistance
ensure you get a reference number for your call
report the incident on our website using our online form or report using the Badger Watch App

If you discover a badger crime that has already happened:

call the police on their non-emergency number 101
ensure you get a reference number for your call
report the incident on our website using our online form or report using the Badger Watch App