Two north Cumbrian men made a video of their sick attempt to kill a badger, a court heard.

Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates Court heard yesterday how Wayne Lawson and Richard Todd, both 39, provided RSPCA investigators with a piece of key evidence as they committed the offence on January 29 last year.

When the charity’s inspectors examined a mobile phone belonging to one of the men, they found that one of them had made a video of the attack.

Lawson and Todd admitted trying to kill the badger while Lawson also pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a black Patterdale terrier called Scooby.

He did this between November 28, 2017, and December 5, 2017.

Lawson failed to get it with veterinary care for injuries to its ear and lower lip, the court heard.

The men were due to stand trial but after charges of interfering with badger setts, and causing an animal fight to take place were dropped, they admitted the attempt to kill.

Steven Marsh, prosecuting, outlined how the video of their attempt to kill the badger at an unidentified location in the Carlisle area was key evidence.

District Judge Gerald Chalk sentenced both men to a 140-day prison term, suspended for a year.

Lawson, of Sheehan Gardens, Raffles, Carlisle, must also complete 160 hours of unpaid work in the community.

The judge banned Lawson from keeping, or having control of dogs, for four years.

He must also pay the RSPCA’s prosecution costs of £1,300, as well as a £115 victim surcharge.

Todd, of Mills Road, Wigton, must complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the community, and pay a £115 victim surcharge, and prosecution costs of £1,000.

Judge Chalk banned him from keeping animals for two years.

Authorities hope the case will serve as a warning that crimes against wildlife are taken seriously and that offenders can expect to be punished when caught.

Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA officer Jason Bowles said: “We received intelligence that Mr Lawson was involved in badger digging and found two dogs at his property with extensive scarring and nasty injuries consistent with fights with badgers.

“We seized a mobile phone which had saved videos showing him and another man digging down to tunnels before placing the dogs underground to find the wild animals.

“This case really shows the suffering caused to the poor badgers who are hunted for fun as well as the dogs used in this barbaric blood sport. They are often left with hideous injuries and disfigurements and rarely receive appropriate veterinary treatment or pain relief.”

A Cumbria Police spokesman added: “This is a great result from our jointly run operation with the RSPCA special ops unit. Badger baiting is an offence which Cumbria Police take very seriously, not only can it cause catastrophic and fatal injuries to the badger, but often the dogs get severely injured too.”