Keeper clubbed badgers to death (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Keeper clubbed badgers to death

8:18am Thursday 28th August 2008 in News By Paul Ferguson

Kyle Burden

A GAMEKEEPER who killed birds of prey and clubbed badgers to death could be sent to prison.

Kyle Burden, of Lydbury North, appeared before Ludlow Magistrates last Thursday on several counts of animal cruelty.

The court heard how Burden, aged 19, used guns and illegal traps to kill badgers and buzzards on the Kempton Estate between May 14 and July 21 last year.

He will be sentenced next month in Telford after admitting nine charges. Six other offences were taken into consideration.

Phil Mason, prosecuting, said the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was tipped off by two whistleblowers working on the 6,000-acre estate in 2007.

He said a complaint was first reported to the National Gamekeepers Association (NGA) but the witnesses were unhappy with the NGA’s reaction.

“One of the witnesses saw Burden shooting at a number of buzzards and attempting to shoot a number of buzzards,” he said. “The first witness also saw the clubbing of badgers taking place. Badgers had been caught in snares and were then clubbed to death.”

Mr Mason added that spring traps, sometimes used to legally catch birds, had been surrounded by food and items to attract larger birds.

Huw Williams, for Burden, said the defendant “knew he did wrong”, but was trying to protect a group of pheasants.

“His life is ruined. He was on his own, 24 hours day, seven days a week, looking after his pheasants,” he said.

“The buzzards and badgers were attacking and he was losing big numbers. The shooting season was coming so he had to keep numbers up.”

Burden had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of intentionally killing a buzzard, two charges of attempting to kill a buzzard and two charges of possessing a shotgun to commit the offences. He also admitted two counts of intentionally killing a badger and one count of setting eight spring traps.

Magistrates warned Burden he could face prison when sentencing took place on September 19.