Badger Digging IOW Huntsmen

Published: 17 May 1991

An aggressive James Butcher (middle) and joint master Susan Payne (front) arriving at court

Stephen Clifton (35), professional Huntsman of the Isle of Wight Foxhounds living at the hunt kennels at Gatcombe, and James Butcher (25), a terrier man with the Essex and Suffolk kennels in Lower Layham, Suffolk, where he lived, both denied digging for a badger and attempting to kill, injure or catch one.

The court rejected their defence that they were digging for foxes at the request of a nearby farmer.

Mr Clifton continued to be welcome at hunt events until he left to take a job as huntsman in Canada.

Update:

Butcher disappeared to Ireland following the case, only to be welcomed back to the hunt and does 'conservation work' and terrier work for them; the hunt own or manage most of the best woodland on the Island. Interestingly in 1991, badger experts found most of the setts appeared to have been dug, and Clifton and Butcher were the main suspects; they found foxes had become resident in the setts!

Now calling himself Jamie, Butcher and IOW Foxhounds Huntsman Stuart Trousdale soon hit the headlines again.