A man has been jailed and banned from keeping dogs for a decade after he illegally baited wild boar.

Luke Rix, 32, used his dogs to hunt the wild animals, one on occasion filming his dogs attacking a boar before he inhumanely slaughtered it in the woods.

Last year, Gloucestershire Constabulary’s rural crime team, alongside the RSPCA, conducted a warrant at an address in Broadwell, Moreton, where a number of items were seized.

Inside Rix’s home on Broadwell Hill police found electronic devices with evidence on, protective Kevlar dogs vests which were used as body armour, and special dog collars used to protect the dogs from injury when attacking animals.

A banned breed of dog was also seized from the address.

A spokesperson for the rural crime team said: "These acts of cruelty to animals are horrendous, and we will not tolerate this in our beautiful countryside - they cause a huge disturbance to our rural communities and create fear.

"The Rural Crime Team will continue to work with partner agencies to bring criminals to justice and help protect the county's wildlife and its rural residents."

Officers had been investigating reports that Rix, now of Gilks Lane in Oxhill, was using his dogs for baiting wild boar and illegally hunting other wild animals in the Forest of Dean.

From the seized devices, previously deleted videos from his social media accounts were forensically retrieved and they revealed numerous crimes under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Rix was charged with three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

 He admitted the offences and was sentenced at the same hearing on Monday, October 17.

He appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison and a 10-year ban on keeping dogs.

Rix was also ordered to pay £500 in costs.

One of Rix's dogs has already been rehomed, and the other is in the process of being rehomed.