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A man who illegally took a red kite chick from its nest has avoided jail, after he was prosecuted by the RSPCA.

During May 2019, Dewi Price, 40, took the bird from its nest in Gelligaer and kept it. Later analysis of his mobile phone found he had searched the internet for how to train a red kite to hunt.

Video footage from Price’s mobile from May 9, 2019, showed him up a tree at a red kite’s nest where there were three live chicks and a parent red kite nearby.

Another video on May 18, 2019, showed Price disturbing the nest again – attempting to give food to two chicks in the nest.

A further video shows Price giving the chicks food and picking the young birds up. There were three chicks seen in the nest. 

On May19, Price sent a video including footage of what appears to be a man-made nest in a cupboard, while a further video shows the chick being fed by Price in the man-made nest.

Footage from the following day showed the chick being stroked and in the background a radio is being played very loudly.

During a police search at the Gelligaer property, no red kite chicks were found and what happened to the chick is unknown.

Price, who used to live in Gelligaer, was charged with six offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

He was also charged with a further offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 after he killed a badger in Builth Wells in 2018 and bragged about it on social media with a “trophy” picture.

After being tipped-off, the RSPCA, with police, attended a property in Gelligaer with a search warrant in June 2019.

A fox cub was found in a frightened state before being seized by police. The fox had been kept in Price’s bedroom where food, water and faeces were present. Hunting DVDs were found including one called ‘Badger Diggers Dogs’.

Price had previously been convicted at Newport Magistrates Court and was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on February 4.

He was given a six-month prison sentence – suspended for 12 months. He was also banned from keeping dogs for two years and handed a 20-day rehabilitation order.

Price was also ordered to pay £125 costs and a £25 fine for a breach of a suspended sentence order, along with a victim surcharge of £128. The court removed both of Price’s dogs.

Chief inspector Ian Briggs said: “Wildlife crime is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the RSPCA. We’d like to remind people that wild animals such as birds and badgers are protected by law and, working with partner organisations, we’re here to ensure that they are safe in their natural habitats.”