PROSECUTED | William Crotty, born November 1981, and Ricky Crotty, born March 1990, both of Royston – charged with killing a badger alongside Scott Brown of Boldon Colliery, Tyne and Wear, Kevin Barry Cowell and Gabrielle Freeney, both of Enfield, London and David Fox of Ongar, Essex.
The men denied three charges each in total – interfering with badger setts, digging for badgers and wilfully killing a badger – and were cleared by a jury.
They were charged after they were caught with spades and a lurcher-type dog in a field near Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire on November 6, 2011.
The court had viewed a video filmed from the police helicopter, showing five men with spades and a lurcher-type dog standing around a hole in a field which Pc Timothy Gawler said “had the appearance of a grave shape”.
Pc Gawler, who spotted the group from the helicopter at 1.55pm, said the men then started to fill the hole in.
Three of the men left the scene in a red truck with a sixth man, the driver, while another two left the scene on foot, and all were later arrested.
Despite the evidence, the men were found not guilty.
Speaking after the verdict, boxing promoter Billy and tree surgeon Ricky, who are members of the travelling fraternity, complained that their businesses and families’ lives had been affected by the case.
“We’ve even had the animal rights people on our backs”, he said bitterly.
Billy denied that the group were badger baiting “as we are aware that it is illegal”. Instead, he said that they were pursuing foxes and had been given permission by a local farmer to be on the land.
He added that he and his brother “do voluntary pest control for a number of farmers”.
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In June 2018 Ricky Crotty was jailed for 11 years after being caught trafficking Class A drugs.
Evil Mentally Disturbed Scum.
Bit Of Work The Scum Want’s.
They wouldn’t have the energy to go out Digging or Lamping, or whatever else they have been up to before they were caught.
They have brought shame to their families and their children, and they will be Bullied in School and out the Street.
They won’t have no luck for whatever they have been up to.