GANGS from Northumberland and Newcastle are still targetting the Borders for the brutal practice of badger baiting.

So says the Scottish SPCA, which has now launched another nationwide appeal for information to help break both badger baiting and dog fighting rings in Scotland.

Scotland’s leading animal welfare charity says it needs information from the public due to the secretive nature of crimes it describes as “barbaric and cruel beyond belief”.

Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “Many people will be shocked that these sickening activities are still going on in Scotland.

“But animals are still being forced to fight, often to the death, and the pain and suffering they endure is horrendous.”

The charity’s special investigations unit gathers intelligence on all forms of animal fighting and over the last 18 months its investigations have led to criminal convictions and prison sentences.

“This sends a strong message that we are determined to pursue those involved in these crimes, which are barbaric, cruel beyond belief and have no place in modern society,” added CS Flynn.

While dog fighting rings tend to operate mostly around the big cities, CS Flynn says badger baiting is still “rife” in the Borders and other rural areas of Scotland.

“People are travelling to the Borders for badger baiting and we would appeal to everyone to keep their eyes open for anything suspicious, such as strangers with dogs or what looks like equipment for digging,” he told TheSouthern.

“It’s not just the badgers who suffer horribly, but the dogs too – I’ve seen terriers with their lower jaw ripped clean off after being in a fight with a badger down a sett.

“In the Borders you get people coming up from Northumberland and Newcastle, and if they are not spotted going onto land, they can be there for hours because it can take a long time to dig a badger sett out.

“And during all that time, a badger and a terrier can be inflicting dreadful injuries on each other in the darkness deep underground.”

Members of the public with information are being urged to call the Scottish SPCA’s animal helpline. CS Flynn says badger baiters are extremely secretive about their activities and don’t tend to take their dogs out in public as people would be alarmed by their injuries and scars.

“Rather than take their dogs to a vet, they will often be treated at home, which can prolong their agony and lead to infections which are sometimes fatal,” he explained.

“What we need now is further information to help us identify the people involved and to save animals from horrific abuse.”

z Anyone with information should call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999. All calls are in strict confidence and can be made anonymously.

Animal fighting is a criminal offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Maximum sentences include up to 12 months in prison, a £20,000 fine or both.

A 48-year-old, who denies being concerned in the supply of drugs, had a further first diet set for Monday (October 29).

David Stephen, of Forest Hill, Galashiels, appeared on indictment and denied being concerned in the supply of cannabis and amphetamine at his home between December 16 and 30 last year. He also denied offering to supply amphetamine.

A man will stand trial by jury on November 5 after he denied assaulting a woman at a Galashiels nightclub to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Forty-four-year-old Robert Walker of Murderdean Road, Newtongrange, appeared on indictment and denied assaulting a woman at Indigo Rooms in Overhaugh Street, Galashiels, on July 23 last year, throwing a glass bottle and its contents at her, which struck her on the head and face to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

After an issue over the fare, Charles Miller “lost his temper” and caused £341 damage to a taxi.

Miller, 20, of Torwoodlee Road, Galashiels, admitted recklessly damaging a taxi at Church Square, Galashiels, on April 28.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the taxi had collected the accused and others.

“There was an issue over the fare and the accused seems to have lost his temper and struck the window of the taxi and also the bonnet, causing knuckle-shaped dents,” he explained.

Defence solicitor Ross Dow said Miller was annoyed when the other two people in the taxi had refused to pay their share.

“The taxi driver was argumentative over the fact that only £5 of the £8 fare had been paid,” said Mr Dow.

“For what it is worth, he says that it wouldn’t have happened if the taxi driver had not shouted at him,” added Mr Dow.

He said Miller, a first offender, had been under the influence of alcohol at the time, and made “a gross error of judgement”.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond told Miller: “This was a man going about his business, not getting paid, and then being subjected to this.”

Miller was fined £100 and ordered to pay £341 compensation for the damage he caused.

Egged on by his friends, a drunken 15-year-old got behind the wheel of a car and drove a short distance before colliding with a lamppost.

Dale Geraghty, now aged 16, of Grovehill, Kelso, was over twice the legal drink/driving limit at the time.

He admitted driving a car at Springwood Rise, Kelso, on June 29 last year, with a blood/alcohol reading of 219mgms – the legal limit being 80 – and also using the vehicle without insurance.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser told how police received a report that a vehicle had crashed, at about 4.45am.

“The car belonged to a friend of the accused,” explained Mr Fraser.

“He was traced and it transpired his alcohol level was just over twice the limit and that he was not insured for the vehicle,” he added.

“These offences were committed when he was just 15,” explained defence solicitor Rory Bannerman.

“He was egged on by friends and he drove the car just a short distance before he banged it into a lamppost.”

Mr Bannerman described the offence as “crass stupidity”.

Sheriff Ian Anderson told Geraghty the offence was serious enough to warrant a Community Payback Order.

Geraghty was placed on a three-month order with a condition he completes 30 hours of unpaid work, and was banned from driving for 20 months.

A drunken man who alarmed a resident by repeatedly striking his house door, was fined £200.

David Webster, 28, of Sandwell Street, Buckhaven, Fife, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Northcote Street, Hawick, on May 19.

“At 10.10pm, a man was at home in his flat, when he heard banging at the door and shouting,” explained procurator fiscal Graham Fraser at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last Friday.

“He was alarmed and phoned the police.”

Officers found Webster on the common stair “drunk and incoherent”.

Defence solicitor Rory Bannerman said his client had been visiting a friend.

“He got sufficiently drunk to become a public nuisance,” said Mr Bannerman.

“He can’t remember why he was doing this, and spent a night in custody as a result of his disgraceful behaviour,” he added.

An illegal overstayer who tried to obtain more than £61,000 by fraud at four local branches of the Royal Bank of Scotland has been jailed for 14 months.

Forty-three-year-old Tadjudeen Abiola, described as a prisoner in Edinburgh, appeared on indictment at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last Friday and admitted four charges of attempting to obtain money by fraud.

On April 10, Abiola, also known as Oloyede Atunwa, pretended to a bank employee at the Galashiels branch in Bank Street that a cheque for £15,900 was authorised to be paid into another account.

He instructed the bank to carry out the transfer and placed a pay-in slip and cheque into the Quick Deposit facility, knowing there were no funds in the account.

Abiola went through a similar process at the St Dunstans branch in Melrose, attempting to obtain £14,800 by fraud.

On April 16, he tried to obtain £15,900 by fraud in a similar way at the Royal Bank of Scotland in High Street, Hawick, and £14,800 at the High Street branch in Jedburgh.

Abiola came to the UK from his native Nigeria in 1998 on a visa which expired in January 1999.

“He is an overstayer,” explained Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser.

“He entered into a procedure where he sought to obtain money from cheques deposited at various branches of the Royal Bank of Scotland in the Borders.”

Mr Fraser said cheques were made payable to HMRC, but it was noted the sort code and account number did not tally.

He said the accused was arrested in Duns after being spotted in the town on CCTV.

During police interview, there was some question over his identity.

“He said he had travelled looking for cars for sale and befriended a Romanian female, and was asked by her to place cheques into an account,” continued Mr Fraser.

“His account became more confabulated and he was kept in custody.”

Mr Fraser described Abiola as “a pawn in a large picture”.

Solicitor Matt Patrick, defending, asked the sheriff to proceed on the basis his client had no previous convictions.

“Under another name it appears he spent 12 months in custody in England for an analogous offence, but he says that when he was arrested by police he had a bank card in his property in the name of Atunwa.

“He hoped to use that ID to get employment, as he knew he was an overstayer,” said Mr Patrick.

“He says he has never met Mr Atunwa, who was the brother of an acquaintance he knew in London, and that he has gone back to Nigeria.”

Sheriff Anderson said he was treating Abiola as a first offender.

“He became aware that he was involved in something highly suspect,” continued Mr Patrick, who told how his client had worked legitimately in London since entering the UK in 1998.

“Someone he used to work with suggested this scheme and he agreed to participate and he travelled to Scotland, with his travel paid for by this individual.

“His reward was the promise of work in Scotland,” he added.

“He needed finances, and ended up like this because he was desperate.

“To a certain extent, he is a victim, as he has been taken advantage of when he was vulnerable and desperate,” said Mr Patrick.

“He is from a respectable background in Nigeria, and has no other matters outstanding.

“He has spent almost six months on remand.”

Mr Patrick described Abiola as “a pawn in a scheme organised higher up the chain.”

Sheriff Ian Anderson told Abiola: “I take into account that you were repeatedly involved in attempting to defraud the bank and you clearly knew that involved a criminal matter.

“The amounts are in the region of £60,000 and a custodial sentence is inevitable,” he added.

The 14-month jail term was backdated to April 18.

A man who denies endangering the life of two children by recklessly supplying drugs, had a further first diet set for Monday (October 29).

Reuben Henry, 42, of Thorpeway, Cambridge, appeared on indictment and denied supplying Dihydrocodeine and Diazepam to two children in the Borders last September. He also denies culpably and recklessly supplying the drugs, whereby one child was admitted to Borders General Hospital in an intoxicated condition and endangering the life and wellbeing of both children.

A Hawick man who denies lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a 13-year-old, had a further first diet set for Monday (October 29).

Andrew Dale, 36, of Dovemount Place, Hawick, appeared on indictment and denied an alleged offence in the Borders between March 2007 and March 2008.

A 22-year-old who denies repeatedly striking a man on the face with a broken bottle to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement, and permanent impairment will stand trial by jury on November 5. Adam Stevenson of James Stuart Court, Kelso, appeared on indictment and denied assaulting a man at Kelso Square on July 24 last year.

A teenager who denies assaulting a man to the danger of his life, will stand trial by jury on November 5.

Nineteen-year-old Jordan Inglis of Market Square, Selkirk, appeared on indictment and denied repeatedly punching a man on the head, struggling with him, tackling him and causing him to fall to the ground, seizing hold of his head and attempting to strike it off stone steps, and kicking him on the head while wearing steel toe-capped boots to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life, at Market Square, Selkirk, on July 15 last year.

A Hawick man who denies assaulting a woman with intent to rape her, had a further first diet set for Monday (October 29).

Graeme Cook, 38, of Allars Bank, appeared on indictment and denied an alleged offence at a house in the Borders on January 6.

A Galashiels man, accused of having unlawful sex with a child, had a further first diet set for Monday (October 29).

James Easton, 25, of Lowood Park, Galashiels, who appeared on indictment, denied having unlawful sex with a child in the Borders last July.

A drunken man who attended at Borders General Hospital with a friend had to be handcuffed and restrained after shouting and swearing and refusing to sit in the waiting room.

Stuart Gallagher, whose mother works at the Melrose hospital, had gone there in the early hours of July 10 to offer moral support to an ill friend.

But he refused to move away from the reception desk, and repeatedly shouted and swore, and struggled with police officers as they tried to deal with him.

Twenty-two-year-old Gallagher of Davidson Place, Newtown St Boswells, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the BGH, pictured right, on July 10.

“He went there in the early hours of a Tuesday morning with a friend, who had been admitted by ambulance,” explained Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser.

“He was there as moral support, and was asked to wait in the waiting area, but refused to do so.

“For no apparent reason, he continually refused to move to the waiting area, or to wait outside,” added Mr Fraser.

“A staff nurse, who knew the accused, said she would speak to him and try to calm the situation, and she also asked him to sit in the waiting area, but he began to shout and swear.

“He adopted an aggressive posture, leaning across the reception desk, and the police were called.”

Gallagher “tensed his body” as police tried to handcuff him and he then tried to lash out at officers, eventually being taken to the ground.

Defence solicitor Matt Patrick said his client had little recollection of the offence.

“He was drunk,” he explained, “and has no explanation for his behaviour other than his intoxication.

“He was only there to accompany a friend,” added Mr Patrick.

“His mother works at the BGH, so his behaviour has caused her deep embarrassment.”

The solicitor said Gallagher had been taking steps to reduce his drinking.

“He says he can become aggressive when he has been drinking, and is making efforts to cut down,” added Mr Patrick.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond deferred sentence until November 19 for reports, warning Gallagher being drunk was no excuse.

“You should know better than anybody that this kind of behaviour at Borders General Hospital is simply not acceptable in the community,” he told Gallagher.

The Sheriff added: “It is no excuse that you were drunk.”

Convinced his former partner was seeing someone else, Greg Scott trashed her home.

He then stole her mobile phone in a bid to confirm his suspicions.

Scott, 21, of Laidlaw Terrace, Hawick, appeared from custody and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Melrose Court, Hawick, on October 20, and stealing a mobile phone.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the accused had been in a relationship with an 18-year-old woman for some two years, but they broke up about a month ago.

“The accused was suspicious that she had started a new relationship and went to a neighbour’s house asking if she knew where the woman was,” he explained.

A short time later, his ex-partner saw the accused, who approached her and warned, ”You’d better not have been with someone else, or I will kill myself.”

Inside the home they previously shared, Scott began knocking things over.

“He knocked a television from its stand and an ashtray was broken,” said Mr Fraser.

The woman began to scream and Scott seized her Blackberry to check who she had been in touch with.

Police found the woman “very distressed”.

“She said her ex-partner had trashed her house and taken her phone,” added Mr Fraser.

Defence solicitor Matt Patrick said when Scott was unable to contact his former partner, he made his way to her address.

“Rumours were flying regarding a new relationship, and he has not handled this as maturely as he should,” explained Mr Patrick.

“She gave him the keys and he let himself in, and then completely lost control and damaged the property inside.

“He took her mobile phone to check it, which unfortunately confirmed his suspicions,” added Mr Patrick.

The solicitor said Scott attended at the police station and made a full admission to police.

“He is not proud of his behaviour, but has not dealt with the break down well,” he concluded.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond told Scott: “This is not the first relationship to break down and it will not be the last.

“Your former partner is perfectly entitled to engage in whatever lifestyle she chooses,” he added.

“You are not a persistent offender, and have spent two nights in custody, but I want to ensure there is no repetition of this.”

Sentence was deferred for nine months, until July 22 next year, for Scott to be of good behaviour.

A Peebles teenager who had indecent photos of children at his home, had sentence deferred until November 19 for reports.

Gordon Cossar, 19, of Connor Street, appeared on indictment and admitted having indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children at Underwood Lane, Paisley and Connor Street, Peebles between October 2009 and October 2011.

A HAWICK man who slashed his friend in the neck tried to blame someone else for the horrific knife attack, a court was told.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Martin Sinclair, 35, of Princes Street, told police he had been out at a chip shop when his friend had been stabbed.

But he later pleaded guilty to assaulting the man after the pair had been drinking together.

The court heard that both men returned to the friend’s flat late on March 7 where Sinclair attacked his friend. This resulted in the man sustaining a serious neck injury running from his left ear down to his chin.

Advocate depute Andrew McMillan, prosecuting, said that Sinclair then went to the chip shop below the flat and asked for help, telling staff the man had been stabbed by someone who had “kicked the door in”.

Mr McMillan said: “Mr Sinclair asked if he could have a cloth as there was ‘blood everywhere’ and requested an ambulance be called.

“When police arrived at the flat Sinclair was using paper towels to put pressure on the wound.”

After the attack, the man would only tell the police “I’m not a grass”. He later told officers at Borders General Hospital that Sinclair had cut his throat with a large, black handled knife.

The victim was taken to the accident and emergency department of the BGH and treated for his injuries but later discharged after he was found to have no lasting neurological injury.

Sinclair, who has a long list of previous convictions and admitted to being alcohol dependent, was originally charged with attempted murder. However, the Crown accepted his plea to a reduced charge of causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Judge Lord Bannatyne deferred the sentence until November at The High Court in Aberdeen for background reports. Solicitor advocate Frank Moore, defending, will give him plea in mitigation then.

POLICE are searching for vandals who trashed eight vehicles in Peebles overnight Tuesday.

The motors were attacked while parked on Young Street, Forest View, Greenside and Venlaw Road.

In Selkirk, a 53-year-old man has been charged with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act after a member of the public was bitten by his pet in the Raeburn Place area of the town on October 5.

In Hawick, a 22-year-old was arrested for fraud after obtaining fuel four times from a filling station in the town using someone else’s bank account.

Meanwhile, a 31-year-old Hawick man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after being stopped and searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act in Bourtree Place on Wednesday.

With the passing of Anne Younger last week – she died peacefully after a long and difficult struggle very bravely borne – the Borders has suffered a great loss.

In Anne’s early days, she trained as a nursery nurse and worked at Simpson’s Pavilion in Edinburgh for two years before accompanying her husband David on his military career through Germany, Singapore and other parts of the world.

On their return to the UK, Anne continued with her active life-long interest in public affairs and community activities.

An accomplished pianist, Anne, pictured below, taught music to the children at Broughton Primary School, was a member of Broughton Choral Society, supported Biggar Music Club and played the organ in Broughton Church.

She was a director of the Rowan Tree Theatre Company and was a member of the Netherurd Girl Guides Advisory Group.

Anne was the first chairman of Upper Tweed Community Council; was chairman of the Scottish Borders Tourist Board; was a member of the Board of Borders Enterprise, and was elected as an independent councillor to Tweeddale District Council in 1992.

In 1995 she was elected to represent Upper Tweed on the newly-formed Scottish Borders Council, a position she held until her retiral in 2003.

But it is not just in these public positions, important though her work there was, that Anne will be best remembered. Rather, she will be remembered for her calm dignity, straightforward manner, and her unceasing selfless concern for others – as she looked you in the eye and said “How are YOU?” (rather than the more commonly-asked “How ARE you”) – and still asking that from her hospital bed, thinking more of her visitors than herself.

Slim, energetic and elegant, Anne had such a deep understanding of the things that really matter in life – duty, personal conduct, relationships with others and a wonderful loving relationship with all of her family.

Of the many good causes to which she devoted herself, none was closer to Anne’s heart than the creation of the Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre in Peebles.

She was the driving force that transformed a run-down Victorian Church into the multi-million-pound state-of-the-art facility enjoyed by so many today. As chair of the Eastgate Board (and latterly honorary president and active volunteer helper), it was Anne’s vision, determination, and drive and many long hours of sheer hard work, unstintingly offered, that made it happen.

And as wife and companion to David, of whom she was so proud, Anne was the perfect complement to him, both at home and on official occasions. Her modest infectious enthusiasm and incisive humour inspired many, and there was always laughter when she was around.

And for those privileged to enjoy it (and there were many who did), who could ever forget the warmth of hospitality whether in the informality of their kitchen table or on more formal occasions.

Her loss will be greatly felt by many people who were touched, in so many different ways, by a gracious Christian lady.

GHTG

THE SCOTTISH Conkers Championships were saved just two days before they went ahead in Peebles on Saturday.

Past champion Maurice Hurrell stepped in to organise the much-loved event last Thursday - and then won the contest he helped save!

Usual organisers Borders Forest Trust admitted defeat last Tuesday before Saturday’s sixth contest after staff and other contacts could not find enough local conkers for competitors because of the bad summer.

But Maurice ‘The Conquerer’ Hurrell and his brother Ady ‘One Shot’ Hurrell, well known faces in the conker world and the holders of 13 championships between them, decided they would see what they could do.

Maurice said last week: “When I heard on the radio that the championships were cancelled owing to a lack of Scottish conkers I was really disappointed. My brother Ady is bringing up conkers from Peterborough and we thought - why not see if we can help organise it? So we spoke with Chris Sawers who co-ordinates Tweed Valley Forest Festival and the outcome is The Unofficial Scottish Conker Championships this year.”

But the hiccups were not yet over for Ady got stuck on a train in the north of England and didn’t get to Peebles in time.

In stepped Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) Selkirk office’s Iain Laidlaw who’d attended a forestry event in Buckinghamshire last Thursday and asked his contacts for conkers and conker hot spots. He returned to Peebles by Friday lunchtime with nearly 400, some from former FCS Peebles man, Mike Bentley, now in Herefordshire and, thanks to threaders invented by Wooplaw’s Bob Fleet and a squad of volunteers, the conkers had strings attached in time for the Saturday lunchtime event on Tweed Green.

Tweed Valley Forest Festival organiser Chris Sawers said: “I’m not sure how many people actually played but it was a really busy session. Everyone had a fantastic time and it was a really good laugh.”

Mr Hurrell won the adult category while nine-year-old Calla Young from Earlston won the junior category and Finlay Durkin, 10, from Peebles took the youth title.

Other events of the festival which started at the weekend included the new Giant Nights Out at Glentress, muddy fun for young children with Wellybooters, and on Tuesday an FCS walk and talk about low impact forest management and new woodland in the Tweed Valley attracted 35 locals, professionals and enthusiasts.

Ms Sawers said: “The festival is going fantastically well so far. I think we had the busiest weekend we’ve ever had and this is our seventh festival. I think it was because of the off, on again of the conker festival and the weather was fabulous.

“The Woodmarket was superb. In addition to our usual stallholders, we had other people with fabulous products and they all had a great time.

“The Giant Night Out at Glentress was a sell out - I was there on Saturday and loved it - and all the feedback I’ve had is ‘wow, we want more of this’.”

Tomorrow and Saturday’s Giant Nights Out at Bowhill will be 40-minute guided walks with a story teller and other performers through the estate’s forest which will be transformed by special lighting and sound effects, to the giant’s head.

The new nights out are the culmination of the Giants in the Forest project, launched earlier in the year by Edinburgh-based puppeteers Vision Mechanics when they built enormous heads out of willow and hessian and installed them in sites round Scotland, including Glentress and Bowhill.

Project partners Eastgate Theatre and Bowhill have staged outdoor events encouraging people to visit the huge heads and now giant flowers, fairy bowers, flags, banners, leaves and a huge foot are alongside them.

Ms Sawers said: “I’m hoping the people who couldn’t get tickets for the Giant Nights Out at Glentress will be able to tickets for Bowhill and that they have as much fun as the people attending the Glentress

The popular one-hour Ghosts of Traquair tours take place tomorrow and on Saturday and the following Friday and Saturday, and there will be Halloween celebrations from 11am on Sunday at Wooplaw Community Woodlands near Stow.

For further information about the festival visit www.forest-festival.com