An Angus gamekeeper who trained dogs to fight badgers and foxes exposed a ring of wildlife criminals when he sent “trophy” photographs to be printed.
The person who received Rhys Davies’ request to print 58 pictures of animal cruelty immediately contacted the Scottish SPCA, which raided the gamekeeper’s home in Millden Estate near Glenesk.
They found severely injured dogs.
Police on the raid discovered an unsecured shotgun, two rifles and more than 140 bullets.
Davies, of Llanbedrog in Gwynedd, North Wales, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit keeping and training five Patterdale Terriers to fight animals, as well as to failing to seek veterinary treatment for two which had sustained injuries from fighting.
Trophy pictures
Authorities first became aware of animal fighting on May 30 2019 through the photo developer.
The woman reported “serious concerns” for the welfare of dogs – described as being “severely injured” – in the images Davies wanted printed.
The dogs had facial injuries and a number of men were identifiable, posing and digging into what looked like foxes dens or badger setts.
One image, which showed an injured dog, had a caption below it reading: “Pup bit sore after last night.”
Other images showed dead foxes.
Davies, a gamekeeper at the 20,000-acre Millden Estate – famed for grouse shooting and fishing – had addressed the order to be sent to him at his cottage.
The pictures were sent to SSPCA, which described them as “trophy-type images.”
They were viewed by a vet who explained the injuries were likely to have been caused by the dogs fighting with other animals.
In his opinion, many of the dogs pictured had been used repeatedly for fighting, resulting in serious disfigurement, some from face-to-face combat with badgers and foxes.
Early morning raid
The court heard police executed a search warrant at Turnbrae Cottage at 7.15am on October 8 in 2019.
The property was unsecured so they let themselves in and shouted.
Davies, 28, arrived to find police and SSPCA officers in his hall with his unattended Benelli shotgun.
Police found a Tikka 243 rifle and a CZ rifle in the house, one on the sofa and another propped up against a gun cabinet and bullets throughout the house
Officers also found animal medication, including used syringes and skin staplers.
Davies told police this was for sheep he looked after.
Eleven dogs were found in kennels outside and in an outbuilding.
Some showed signs of both fresh, severe wounds and injuries sustained some previously, which Davies said were from legitimate ratting and foxing.
They were immediately signed over to the SSPCA.
A collar found inside tested positive for badger DNA.
Davies could provide no explanation for the photographs, before telling officers the blood on the dogs was fox blood as he offered carcasses to them as rewards.
Dogs rescued
Five of the dogs – Lola, Pip, Socks, Tuck and Bess – were used as fighting animals.
They were either nursing injuries or showing signs of healing.
Lola was found to have relatively fresh injuries to her face and jaw, later found to have been punctured.
She was disfigured with extensive scarring on her chin and part of her lower lip was torn off by, vets said, fighting with badgers.
Police found scars on Pip’s face, muzzle, neck and chest and scarring elsewhere, not inflicted by badgers.
They also found scars on Socks which were deemed to be older injuries, on the face and neck.
Socks also had hair loss on areas where injuries had healed.
Tuck had a lower part of his face missing and fresh injuries were obvious, with scarring on the top of his head.
Bess also suffered injuries around her nose and muzzle.
Lola and Tuck required immediate veterinary treatment, while the others did not.
Ring exposed
Police analysed Davies’ mobile phone and found more photographs of harrowing animal injuries, as well as GPS locations of where he had been.
Officers also discovered damning conversations with a man named as “T.”
In one, Davies said: “I’ve gone through some dogs but that dog, it’s took a fair f*ckin bit of punishment off that pig on the weekend.
“I might need to cut bits off under its jaw to reseal it, restaple it.”
Pig was revealed to be a codeword for badger.
T was later revealed to be Liam Taylor, who was convicted of animal neglect at Banff Sheriff Court.
Taylor was convicted of ill-treating a lurcher named Brock near Macduff in Aberdeenshire.
Texts showed Taylor said he “hoped this dog makes it as a pig digger” and how Brock took “a fair bit of punishment from that pig at the weekend”.
Taylor’s dog also was injured, suffering from missing teeth, with one nostril partly ripped off and cuts around his muzzle area.
Taylor received 240 hours of unpaid work and a decade-long banning order.
Guilty
Davies admitted he kept and trained five dogs for fighting from April 24 2018 to October 8 2019.
He also pled guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to terriers Lola and Tuck.
Pleas of not guilty to failing to seek veterinary help for Pip and Socks were accepted.
Davies also admitted breaching the conditions of a firearms licence by leaving his weaponry unsecured.
His solicitor said the accommodation was remote, his only neighbour was also a gamekeeper and he had returned from a shoot at 2am and gone straight to bed.
He said his client had trained to be a gamekeeper over three years and spent a year studying at Elmwood College in Cupar, sandwiched between spells in Wales and Thurso.
He had been working as a gamekeeper for four years before the raid and now works as a maintenance worker at a boatyard near his Welsh home.
‘Horrendous’
Sheriff Derek Reekie said: “This is truly disturbing and stressful.
“It seems to me I’ve got to consider a custodial sentence. It’s just horrendous.
“This is clearly an organised activity.
“It’s clear from messages a group of these engaging in organised fighting and killing of animals.
“He said injuries were sustained through some lawful activities.
“He mentioned that the equipment found was for the dogs.
“He talks about self-treating… he was administering, I can’t even use the word inadequate, stitching up.
“Is your client the ringleader in all this or is he part of a group that engages in this?”
Davies solicitor said: “My information is part of the group.
“How he was detected suggests a lack of guile and thought.
“It appears that he didn’t think through the implications of what he was doing.”
Sheriff Reekie replied: “He knows what he’s doing, he’s a trained gamekeeper.”
Sentence deferred
The sheriff ordered a social work report.
Bailed Davies will be sentenced on June 30.
Prosecutor Karon Rollo explained that she would expect a ban on keeping dogs to be part of the punishment.
An SSPCA officer was also present in court.
A Scottish SPCA special investigations unit undercover inspector later said: “We’re pleased Mr Davies has pled guilty after a long and complex investigation. We look forward to his sentencing.”
Estate shocked
A spokesman for Millden Estate said: “The estate does not condone or tolerate any illegal activity relating to the welfare of animals or wildlife.
“We were shocked to learn of all the allegations when they came to light.
“The employee involved was suspended by the estate with immediate effect and resigned a few days later when the police investigation was still at an early stage.
“At no stage was the estate itself the focus of the investigation.”
