Men 'hunted rabbits, not badgers'

Simon Evans said they did not know they were near a badger sett

Two men accused of badger-baiting in Pembrokeshire were out for a "leisurely day rabbiting", a court has heard.

Simon Evans, 40, said they were legally hunting rabbits when their dogs became involved in a fight with a badger.

He and co-defendant Peter McGuigan, 37, both from Llandysul, Ceredigion, deny five charges brought by the RSPCA at Llanelli magistrates' court.

Mr Evans said he was struggling to release a badger from one of the dog's mouths when police arrived.

Representing himself, Mr Evans told the court: "We were out for a leisurely day rabbiting."

He said it was a "coincidence" that they were hunting rabbits with a ferret, dogs, shovels and netting, close to an active badger sett in woodland near Boncath.

"On that day we parked next to what we thought was a rabbit bury.

I tried to use the shovel to part the dogs and the badger - I tried to prize the dog's mouth open Simon Evans

"I was not aware at the time it was a badger sett."

Mr Evans told the court that suddenly two lurcher dogs they had with them became involved in a fight with a badger.

"We don't know where the badger came from," he said.

He said he used a shovel they had with them to try separate the animals, which he said explained why it was smeared in blood.

"I did not at any time hit the badger intentionally," he added.

"I tried to use the shovel to part the dogs and the badger - I tried to prize the dog's mouth open.

"The commotion with the lurchers and the badger happened within a minute."

Mr Evans denied prosecution claims the pair had deliberately gone in search of a badger sett.

Asked by prosecutor John Tarrant whether it was the case the pair had watched the dogs fight the badger "as sport" he replied: "No - it's not true".

The prosecution case is that the friends were caught by police in the act of badger baiting on 14 October, 2006.

Mr McGuigan is also due to give evidence and the trial continues.