Operation Seal inquiry snares three North men

May 29 2009 by Peter Taylor, The Journal

A BLOOD sport swoop saw three men arrested in Northumberland.

The Operation Seal inquiry was set up jointly between Northumbria Police and the RSPCA’s special operations unit. It followed an intelligence-led operation into badger baiting and cock fighting in Northumberland.

The operation also investigated the baiting of other protected animals with dogs.

Search warrants were executed at three houses in the Lynemouth, Blyth and Whitfield areas of Northumberland under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Animal Welfare Act .

Three men, one aged 32 and two 21-year-olds, were arrested. Police said a number of items, believed to be connected with badger baiting, had been seized.

All three have been released on police bail pending further inquiries. Northumberland Area Command wildlife crime officer PC Andy Swinburne said: “Wildlife crime will not be tolerated and if someone sees offences occurring they should report it to Northumbria Police immediately.

“We would also ask that anyone who may have information about people committing wildlife crime to contact us and ask for their local wildlife crime officer.’’

Badger baiting is a brutal blood sport dating back to Victorian times and involves flushing a badger out of its sett and watching as a dog or pack of dogs attack it.

Baiters have been known to use transmitters to track the badgers and then dig them out of their setts.

After the badger has been killed, either by dogs, being stabbed or being battered with a spade, it is often placed at the side of road in an attempt to make it look like road-kill.