Boar farmer loses licence appeal

The council said a licence required electric fencing

A wild boar breeder whose Devon farm was attacked by suspected animal rights activists has lost his appeal to continue farming the animals.

More than 100 boar have been freed from Allan Dedames' South Molton farm.

North Devon District Council said the farm was not safe for keeping the animals and a magistrate rejected an appeal by Mr Dedames.

Since the releases, wild boar have been blamed for destruction of parts of the countryside and aggression to dogs.

No alarm

Mr Dedames' farm was first attacked on 23 December 2005, leaving fencing completely destroyed and more than 60 boar on the loose.

That incident and subsequent attacks led to more than 100 of the animals being released.

Magistrates have upheld the decision not to re-issue Mr Dedames with a dangerous wild animals licence after it was claimed he had failed to comply with some of the 22 new conditions added to his application.

The council has given him 14 days to dispose of his remaining animals.

A council spokesman said it sympathised with Mr Dedames, but there were safety concerns.

He said: "The farm was not covered by public liability insurance, which is a mandatory requirement of the licence.

"Mr Dedames had failed to install an alarm system and electric fencing, which were required as conditions of the previous licence."