A fifty year old male has been ordered to attend ‘thinking skills’ course after being found guilty of setting up barbed wire booby trap across cycle path.

>>> Murderous trail sabotage in Delamere Forest

After pleading guilty of attempting to assault someone causing actual bodily harm, David Roberts was also fined £170, placed under a twelve month community order as well as a 7pm-7am curfew.

Llandudno magistrates were told of how ten feet of rusty barbed wire had been left at chest height after being wrapped around tree branches at either side of cycle trail in Clocaenog forest near Denbigh.

Somewhat surprisingly, Mr Roberts had not made the trap due to an issue with mountain bikers. It was after an incident with a motorcyclist that the saboteur strung the wire up.

Apparently the unknown motorcyclist was riding at “high speed” along the path, had “nearly hit” Mr Roberts and duly had an altercation with him during which the motorcyclist kicked Mr Roberts’ dog. Mr Roberts returned to the site some twenty days later to string the wire trap across.

The barbed wire was discovered by a mountain biker, who was (thankfully) steadily climbing up the track. He didn’t see the wire until he was approximately three feet from it. Prosecutors claimed that if the cyclist had be coming the other way “he would have impacted with the wire”.

Prosecutor James Neary said: ““He claimed it was his intention not to hurt. He wanted to slow the motorcyclist. He was livid about the altercation.”

Mr Roberts was found partly due to Natural Resources Wales having footage from covert wildlife cameras and a vehicle was recorded in the area.

Mr Roberts, an unemployed handyman is now under the care of the mental health team. “He’s extremely sorry. It was an extremely foolish thing to do. It’s an unusual case” said solicitor Dafydd Roberts.