A COUPLE of men have been spared jail after they interfered with a badger sett in Gwynedd.

Anthony Lloyd Wilkinson, 29, of Rhedyw Road, Llanllyfni, and Stephen Lee Jones, 33 of Bro Rhos Estate, Bethel, caused a dog to enter a badger sett, which resulted in it being damaged.

This incident happened in Garndolbenmaen on January 7.

Enquiries identified two suspects and search warrants were later carried out in partnership with the RSPCA on two addresses under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, resulting in two dogs being seized under the Animal Welfare Act.

Wilkinson and Jones later pleaded guilty to charges of interfering with and damaging a badger sett.

They were both handed 12-week prison sentences, suspended for a year, were disqualified from keeping dogs for four years, and were ordered to pay £600 each towards the RSPCA.

The badger is a protected species, and it is illegal to kill, injure or capture them, or to interfere with their setts.

North Wales Police’s investigating officer, Matt Raymond, said: "The law to protect badgers is in place for good reason and we take all reports seriously.

“Given offences of this nature are usually difficult to bring to the courtroom because of their isolated nature, I welcome this result, which also demonstrates the importance of the partnership working that we have with the RSPCA when investigating wildlife crime.

“Rural crimes of this nature aren’t tolerated and will be investigated and dealt with seriously at court.”