A 49 year old Co Kilkenny electrician was fined yesterday for offences connected with badger baiting. Michael O'Hanlon, from Rahora, was fined a total of £250 and ordered to pay £116 expenses when he was convicted in New Ross, Co Wexford, of five offences.
He had pleaded not guilty to hunting badgers at Ballylogue, Co Kilkenny, on November 7th last and not guilty to wilfully interfering with or destroying the breeding place of a badger. He admitted hunting on lands without permission, to entering lands without permission and to carrying on to land devices capable of being used to hunt wild animals.
Judge Donncha O Buachalla, who found the five charges proved, fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.
Mr Willie Delaney, a member of Badger Watch, gave evidence of seeing two cages in a van parked near a field in which three men, one of whom he knew, were gathered around a dig out on November 7th last. He accused them of badger baiting, but they said they were after foxes. Eight holes had been dug.
The defendant, in evidence, said he was hunting on his own at Ballylogue when two men who were shooting offered him assistance in digging out one of his four terriers, which had gone underground. He told the court that he knew he was at a badger set, but had been hunting foxes.