Man is jailed and banned from owning dogs after he illegally baited wild boar

A man has been jailed and banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after he illegally baited wild boar.

Luke Rix, 32, of Gilks Lane, Oxhill, Warwickshire used his dogs to hunt the wild animals. On one occasion, which was captured on video, his dogs attacked a boar causing suffering to the animal, before he inhumanely slaughtered it in the woods.

He had been travelling to the Forest of Dean to commit the crimes, and last year (2021) Gloucestershire Constabulary's Rural Crime Team, alongside the RSPCA, conducted a warrant at an address in Broadwell, Moreton-In-Marsh 

Inside Rix's home on Broadwell Hill there were a number of items which were seized.

Police found electronic devices with evidence on, protective Kevlar dog vests which act as body armour, and also special dog collars that were used to protect the dogs from injury when attacking animals. A banned breed of dog was also seized from the address.

Officers had been investigating reports that Rix was using his dogs for baiting wild boar and illegally hunting other wild animals.

From the seized devices, previously deleted videos from his social media accounts were forensically retrieved and they revealed numerous crimes under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Rix was charged with three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. He admitted the offences and was sentenced at the same hearing on 17 October.

He appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison and a 10-year ban on keeping dogs. Rix was also ordered to pay £500 in costs.

One of Rix's dogs has already been rehomed, and the other is in the process of being rehomed.

A spokesperson for the Rural Crime Team said: "These acts of cruelty to animals are horrendous, and we will not tolerate this in our beautiful countryside - they cause a huge disturbance to our rural communities and create fear. 

"The Rural Crime Team will continue to work with partner agencies to bring criminals to justice and help protect the counties wildlife and it's rural residents."