A man has been fined after being found guilty of disturbing a badger sett in North Yorkshire.
Matthew Sharp, 49, was convicted following a trial at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Monday.
He was ordered to pay a £600 fine, £620 prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Sharp was charged with interfering with a badger sett by disturbing a badger when it was occupying it, in woods near Greenmires Lane, Stainburn, Otley on 10 July 2017 – an offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
Following a report from a member of the public, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce attended and found Sharp carrying out forestry work. He was advised that there was believed to be an active badger sett there and he stopped work. Officers identified a sett with evidence of activity in the woods.
