BBC reporter wore secret cameras to film 'badger baiting'

An undercover BBC researcher has told a court he wore secret cameras in a bid to catch alleged badger baiters.

Four men - Christian Latcham, Thomas Young Cyle Jones and Jamie Rush - are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Giving evidence anonymously, the television researcher said he arranged to go out looking for badgers with the accused men.

They deny attempting to kill, injure or take a badger in Llanddewi Velfrey, Pembrokeshire, on 24 March 2018.

The defendants, Mr Latcham, 32, from Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Mr Young, 26, from Newbridge, Caerphilly, Mr Jones, 31, and Jamie Rush, 27, both from Brecon, Powys, were arrested following a TV probe.

The court heard an RSPCA inquiry was launched after an undercover investigation by BBC Wales Investigates was broadcast in May 2018.

The researcher said he went with the defendants to a place "where they had been before".

"They were known in that area and they knew some of the farmers," he added.

"We were going to a location where badgers had been before - a badgers' sett."

He said he had worn pinhole cameras in a shirt and jacket to film evidence of them "digging for badgers".

He told the court he and the men were digging for a number of hours and saw a badger come out of a sett.

But barrister Nigel Weller told the trial the researcher's account was "absolute rubbish".

He said there was not "a single jot" of video evidence the men had encountered a badger, with the filming failing to record any incidents.

When asked why he had been "selective" when he recorded, the researcher explained he wanted to preserve the battery life of the cameras.

It was put to him that he had been "tasked" by the BBC and "wanted some sensational footage".

The researcher denied that was the case.

The trial continues.