Badger baiter handed lifelong ban from keeping any dogs 

A man from Humberside has been banned for life from keeping dogs after he posted videos of badger hunting. 

Billy Scarah of Hull admitted to charges of interfering with a badger sett and two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal last month. Warrants were executed by Humberside Police in March 2023 at two addresses in Hull and a bull lurcher, called Buddy, was seized and placed in RSPCA care. 

The charity launched the investigation after receiving evidence that Scarah had been posting content of illegal badger baiting in closed Facebook groups as well as videos on TikTok. 

RSPCA officer Jason Bowles confirmed that Buddy had suffered severe injuries consistent with fighting with a badger, including missing a large part of his nose, extensive scarring on his head and legs and a bleeding tail. 

At Hull Magistrates Court, Scarah was given a 12-month suspended sentence for the Animal Welfare Act offence and a five-month suspended term for the Badger Act offence. He was told to pay nearly £800 in costs and ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.