House-building director fined for badger sett damage

A director of a house-building firm has been fined more than £9,000 after a European Badger sett was damaged during construction work in Aberdeen.

Bruce Allan, 57, admitted breaching the Protection of Badgers Act in Milltimber in June 2021. He was fined in his capacity as a director of Malcolm Allan Housebuilders after allowing work to dig and level the land in question to proceed.

European Badger, Hawick, Borders (Ron Mccombe).

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard there was no evidence that any badgers died. The offence happened in Contlaw Road in Milltimber.

The court heard that a badger protection plan had been available and a local resident also highlighted the location of the sett, but an access route was constructed. This was when the damage was caused.

Allan, from Kintore, Aberdeenshire, had admitted the charge last week and the case was continued for sentencing. On Tuesday, Sheriff Lesley Johnston described proceeding with the work as "reckless".

Johnston said she had been told Allan regretted his actions, which had caused upset in the local community, and that she took into account his good character and the company's good record. She fined Allan a total of £9,350.