Image copyright: HUMBERSIDE POLICE Clockwise from centre: Andrew Booth, Kirk McGarry, Richard Willey, George Horner and John Horner

Five men who used two dogs, one of which was heavily pregnant, to attack a badger sett have each been jailed for six months.

Andrew Booth, 44, Kirk McGarry, 50, John Horner, 19, George Horner, 26, and Richard Willey, 46, were caught digging at a sett in East Yorkshire in 2017.

They were each found guilty of wildlife and animal cruelty offences at Beverley Magistrates’ Court last month.

They had denied the charges and claimed the dogs had been catching rats.

Humberside Police said the muzzled dogs suffered serious injuries “caused by a badger defending itself” in Melton on the afternoon of 30 December 2017.

The five men: Andrew Booth, 44, of West Road, Moorends, Doncaster; George Horner, 26, Brett Street, Bridlington; John Horner, 19, Constable Road, Flamborough, East Yorkshire; Kirk McGarry, 50, Southfield Road, Thorne, Doncaster; Richard Willey, 46, Westlands Road, Hull; all pleaded not guilty to wilfully attempting to take a badger, interfering with a badger sett by entering a dog into the sett and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

In addition to the jail time, they were also handed a 10-year animal banning order and told to pay £2,000 costs for dog kennelling and vets’ fees.