Shocking Badger Incident Raises Questions Over Police Response.

This week, Harold Hill Deer Aid were called to a deeply concerning incident where badger setts had been disturbed. The incident was reported to police, but the response given was that it was not a matter for them, despite badgers and their homes being legally protected.

This local charity, known for tirelessly rescuing and protecting animals across Havering, is increasingly being called to scenes like this, painting a worrying picture of how our wildlife is being treated.

Disturbing a badger sett is a criminal offence under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Badgers are one of the most legally protected species in the UK, and interfering with their homes can result in prosecution. Yet incidents like this are still happening far too often.

Across the UK, wildlife crime remains a serious and growing issue. Thousands of animals are illegally killed, trapped or disturbed every year, including badgers, birds of prey and other protected species. Yet despite the scale of the problem, enforcement remains incredibly low. Recent figures suggest only around 2 per cent of wildlife crime cases result in a conviction, meaning the vast majority of offenders face no real consequences.

Badger-related crime itself is on the rise. Reports show offences involving badgers have increased in recent years, with sharp rises in activities such as sett interference and badger baiting, one of the most brutal forms of wildlife crime.

In London, wildlife crime is widely believed to be underreported and often hidden within broader crime categories, making the true scale difficult to measure. However, environmental groups and policing bodies have warned that offences such as habitat destruction, illegal hunting and harm to protected species are persistent across the capital.

In boroughs like Havering, where green spaces are under increasing pressure, the risks to wildlife are even greater. While specific figures for Havering remain limited, local rescue groups are reporting more frequent callouts, more injured animals and more evidence of habitats being destroyed.

Perhaps most concerning is the lack of priority given to these crimes. When incidents involving protected species are dismissed or not treated as police matters, it sends a message that wildlife crime is not taken seriously.

There is also a lack of awareness among the public. Many people do not realise that animals like badgers are protected by law, which allows both deliberate and careless damage to continue.

The reality is stark. From disturbed badger setts in Havering, to wider environmental damage across London, wildlife crime is happening more often, yet too often goes unchecked.

Our wildlife is being pushed aside, its homes destroyed and its protection too often ignored.

Tyre marks where a truck has driven repeatedly over badger setts.

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