SICK gangs involved in illegal badger baiting are being hunted by police following an upsurge of incidents in Glasgow.

City setts targeted as upsurge in sick bloodsport linked to criminal gangs

SICK gangs involved in illegal badger baiting are being hunted by police following an upsurge of incidents in Glasgow.

Specialist officers are tightening surveillance after five setts were targeted in just six weeks in the East End.

Badger baiting is one of the most brutal illegal bloodsports in the UK.

Images of the butchered animals were too graphic to be printed in the Evening Times.

Gangs send terriers to attack badgers in their underground setts, and dig through the tunnel roof to expose the fight.

The fight usually ends with the badger being bludgeoned to death with a spade.

Cruel thugs often place bets on how long it will take the animal to die.

Police have described it as a worsening problem and say intelligence has shown gangs are involved in other serious crime including fire arms possession, house break-ins and poaching.

Anyone caught badger baiting can face up to three years in prison, with a maximum fine of £5000.

This week police carried out a two-day surveillance to monitor setts that have been repeatedly targeted in the Clydeside area of the East End.

Strathclyde Police's Wildlife Crime Officer, PC Craig Borthwick, said: "This is a major urban problem and we have seen an increase in this area with five reports in six weeks.

"We have clear evidence of setts being dug and badgers being forcibly removed.

"The gangs who are involved in this are nothing but violent thugs and they bring with them a whole other criminal element.

"Intelligence tells us that they are involved in other crime including possession of illegal firearms, car thefts and illegal drug use as well as poaching and hare coarsing.

"Badgers suffer a long and agonising death but the dogs also suffer horrific injuries and owners are reluctant to take them to vets.

"Often they will dislocate the jaw of the badger so that it can't latch on when it bites.

"Baiters usually leave the badgers by the roadside to make it look like roadkill."

Badgers in Scotland have more protection than elsewhere in the UK under tough legislation. It is an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act of 1991 to tamper or dig a badger sett.

Baiting was introduced into Ireland and Britain in the 1700s but outlawed in 1835.

The law was changed in 2004 in an attempt to make it easier to prosecute people who interfere with setts, however only a handful of people have faced charges.

Investigators say it is often impossible to gather enough evidence against the gangs who trap and kill the animals, despite one incident being reported every week.

In October 2007 a 22-year-old man became the first person to be convicted of badger baiting in Scotland.

Craig Morrison, 22, from Dalry Ayrshire was fined after admitting allowing his dogs to maul two young badger cubs to death.

Ian Hutchison, species protection officer at conservation charity Scottish Badgers, said: "What is concerning is the increase in the reporting of this type of crime, not just in urban areas but across Scotland.

"Both the badgers and dogs suffer horrific injuries and it's something that we have to put a stop to."

PC Borthwick said police rely on public information to help them catch baiters.

He said: "These are bad people who are having an impact in communities in more ways than badger baiting. We will use every means available using surveillance officers to catch these criminals.

"We have powerful legislation which we can use against them but we rely on the public to help us catch them.

"Anyone who sees groups with dogs and shovels going into woodland areas should contact the police.

"However these are violent individuals and should not approached. We have had instances of people being attacked who have tried to get in their way."

Anyone with information should call the SSCA's special investigation unit on 08702404832 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Natural lifespan reduced by 80%

• Badgers are closely related to otters, stoats, weasels, polecats and pine martens.

• They are largely nocturnal, normally shy, retiring animals that live in social or family groups.

• Badgers generally prefer forest and grassland.

• An adult can grow to up to a metre long and usually weighs from 22 to 27 lbs.

• Their natural lifespan of 10-15 years has been reduced to two or three due to baiting, snaring and land development.

• A badger sett may be hundreds of years old.