Worksop man charged with animal cruelty offences after deer skulls and fox tails found at his home

Acting on intelligence, officers from the Bassetlaw neighbourhood policing team, Newark and Sherwood Operation Reacher and the force’s tactical support group carried out a warrant on Friday 24 February.

Working methodically through the address they found drugs, over 15 deer skulls, 13 fox tails, a quad bike, bags full of wire, a barrel of bleach, a rifle, ammunition, and a knife.

Specially qualified wildlife crime officers have since been working incredibly hard to investigate and have now charged Daniel Taylor, aged 31, of Shrewsbury Road, Worksop.

Taylor has been charged with four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and animal neglect.

He has been bailed with conditions to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on September 19.

Chief Inspector Clive Collings, force lead for rural and wildlife crime, said: “Our dedicated rural crime PCs have spent hours upon hours gathering and combing through all the evidence and intelligence we have in relation to this complex case and working with the national wildlife crime team.

“It’s thanks to their hard work, tenacity, and determination that we’ve now been able to charge a suspect.

“Rural crime remains one of our priorities – and that extends beyond protecting people and rural businesses, to animals and wildlife who are illegally targeted and inhumanely slaughtered purely to satisfy a perverse desire.

“I want this to send a strong message to anyone targeting our rural communities, wildlife, businesses, or homes.

"We will work tirelessly to bring those responsible for rural and wildlife crime to justice and protect the public and animals within our rural communities.”