A MAN allegedly stole back his pet dog from an RSPCA compound after it was seized by police.

Ian Graves, 45, of Waidshouse Road, Nelson, had his dog impounded at the animal charity's Altham centre after it was taken as part of an investigation into badger baiting involving his son.

He was taken to court over the theft, but denied the charge and had the case against him dropped after the baiting allegations were not proceeded with.

Mr Graves said after the judgement that he had spent 18 months and thousands of pounds in battling with the police and the RSPCA and that he had "had enough".

The lurcher dog was taken after Mr Graves's son Daniel, 21, was arrested last year in connection with the badger baiting investigation.

He and John Greenwood, of Hammond Street, became the first people in Lancashire to be prosecuted under the 2005 Hunting Act and pleaded guilty to hunting rabbits, but were cleared of badger baiting.

Neil White, solicitor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said the prosecution believed Ian Graves had committed a crime by stealing back the dog, even though it was his own.

He said: "Dogs lawfully under the control of the RSPCA can be stolen from them by the original owner and had the other proceedings resulted in convictions and confiscation of the dogs, then it would have been entirely right that the defendant was prosecuted for his removal of the dog from the lawful control of the RSPCA.

"However, since the other proceedings were concluded and the dogs returned, there was no longer any public interest in prosecuting him for his earlier actions."