A top wildlife cop has praised the public for their part in foiling a suspected badger baiting plot in Staffordshire woodland.
Following a tip-off, officers swooped on the coppice near Stone at dusk last Sunday and arrested two men in a pick-up.
The 46-year-old from West Yorkshire and 51-year-old from Derbyshire, suspected of offences under the Protection of Badgers Act, are currently on police bail while inquiries continue.
Superintendent Dave Holdway, Staffordshire Force lead for wildlife crime, said: “This is down to a report from members of the public that led to a swift response.”
Supt Holdway spoke of the difficulty in unearthing the gamut of countryside crime – from badger baiting and hare coursing to poaching – and the vital part the public can play.
Government plans for a pilot badger cull, in an attempt to stem the spread of bovine TB, have added to rural policing pressures.
“We do have people saying ‘Why are you trying to protect them? They’ll be shot soon anyway’,” explained the police chief.
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