Scotland's “worst ever” badger baiter has been caged for six months - but animal cruelty investigators claim he should have been given up to five years in jail.
Callum Muir, 25 used three dogs to fight animals like badgers and foxes, which usually ended in the wild animals dying in agony after desperately battling for their lives.
Videos showed Muir laughing as animals were slaughtered and as an accomplice jumped on the head of one fox.
His own dogs - terrier Pip, lurcher Bella and bull lurcher Mig - also suffered terrible injuries and he failed to get any vet help for them.
At Ayr Sheriff Court, Muir was given just six months but Sheriff Siobhan Connelly said that his crimes were at the most serious end of the spectrum. She admitted he could have faced a far longer sentence if the Crown had decided to take the case to a higher court.
Slapping the urban hunter with a lifetime ban for keeping animals, the sheriff said: “The evidence of veterinary surgeons was that the dogs had injuries consistent with animal fights and they would have suffered considerably as a result.
“The other animals would have suffered violent and traumatic deaths.
“You must have known the harm and pain and suffering being caused to these animals. "
The maximum sentence at summary level is 12 months.
The sheriff said she would have given him nine months, taking into account his age, if he had not tendered a guilty plea.
Evidence showed of at least none incidents of animals being forced to fight over six months.
An inspector from SSPCA’s Special Investigations Unit said the hoped for a far more severe sentence.
It is understood that investigators were dismayed that the case was only taken forward at summary level - indicating that the Crown did not reckon it was serious enough to go higher.
He said: “Given the sheer level of suffering endured by Muir’s dogs, countless wild animals and the depravity of the videos and images he owned, we are disappointed he has not received a longer jail sentence.
“New legislation has now come into effect which means offenders can receive up to five year sentences for animal welfare crimes. We’ve been involved in thousands of criminal cases and this ranks up there as one of the worst.”
The inspector, who has worked on hundreds of cases, said Muir’s catalogue of “trophy” videos and photographs was the worst he’d encountered.
The inspector said: “The evidence we found at Mr. Muir’s home address was consistent with what you’d typically find when someone is heavily involved in animal fighting.
All three of his dogs had significant injuries across their faces. Pip and Bella, the two older dogs, had injuries across their neck and legs.
Both dogs had several missing teeth as a result of the fights they’d been in, and the lack of appropriate veterinary treatment would have made the suffering even worse.
“Mig had some scarring to her muzzle and legs but as she was a much larger, stronger and younger dog it’s likely she’d been able to avoid serious injury up to this point.”
The SIU recovered a number of video and images in Muir’s possession showing dogs, including his own pets, fighting wild animals.
The inspector earlier said: “In my line of work you see a lot of stomach churning examples of animal cruelty, but the videos and images relating to this case are among the worst I’ve ever seen.
“The complete disregard for the wellbeing of the dogs and wild animals in the videos is appalling. In many of them, Mr. Muir can be heard encouraging his dogs to attack wild animals as they scream in pain.
“In one clip, he laughs as a fox’s skin is torn away and they are ripped in half by dogs. In another, two of his dogs attack a fox whilst a man stamps on its head as Muir laughs.”
All three dogs were signed over in to the care of the Scottish SPCA and have since found new homes.
In April 2021 the Scottish SPCA received intel that Muir was using dogs in animal fights.
On 4 May, the Scottish SPCA special investigations unit (SIU) executed a warrant at his home address and seized three dogs with injuries which suggested they had been involved in multiple fights.
At the property, there was evidence that he was self-treating his dog’s injuries, which most individuals who are involved in animal fighting will do to avoid the authorities being alerted.
The SIU found several items associated with animal fighting, including locator collars which are used to track dogs when they are underground in badger setts.
Officers also discovered nets for catching wild animals when they bolt from their den. This evidence was analysed at Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) and fox and badger DNA was found.
The charity worked closely with Dr Lucy Webster from the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), and the League Against Cruel Sports throughout the investigation.
Robbie Marsland, Director of the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland said: “The League is pleased to have played a part in bringing Callum Muir, a horrific animal abuser to justice, and we commend the Scottish SPCA for such a comprehensive investigation which was absolutely critical in bringing about today’s result.”
If anyone is concerned about an animal, they can contact the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
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