CONVICTED (2018) | Bill Ripley, born c. 1972, and Moses Brinkley, born 25/09/1956, both of the travellers site in Claywood Lane, Bean, Dartford DA2 8BU – forced cockerels to fight to the death
Ripley, who is known in cockfighting circles as Shamo Bill or Shamo King Bill, and accomplice Moses Brinkley were investigated by the RSPCA and police after graphic videos were posted on Facebook.
The charity said the cockfighting was both “high level and organised” and one of the biggest cases it had seen.
RSPCA inspector Carroll Lamport said: “We joined police officers as they executed warrants at three plots on a travellers’ site in Bean, Kent, where we were able to identify some of the ‘venues’ shown online in the fighting videos.
A total of 242 birds were found at the site, as well as fighting “paraphernalia” such as spurs and muffs, and books on the blood sport. A makeshift pit had been built next to a caravan for the birds to fight.
Officers downloaded videos of cockfights from social media accounts and mobile phones.
One video showed a fight during which cocks pulled out mouthfuls of feathers and pecked each other in the eyes with their sharp beaks. The fight continue for 10 minutes until one bird was drenched in blood and the other collapsed, struggling to breathe.
Prosecutor Andrew Wiles told magistrates cockfighting was outlawed in Britain in 1835, but remains prevalent in the UK and throughout the world.
These defendants deliberately fought birds, the result of which is to cause them suffering,’ he said.
‘The Facebook material, which is extensive, suggests Mr Ripley, has been breeding, keeping, selling and fighting cockerels for a considerable time. It shows an interest dating back to 1990,’ said Mr Wiles.
‘There were in fact a total of 45,000 images downloaded.’
The court heard Brinkley told the probation service ‘it is the culture of the travelling community’ and he and his friend ‘did it for fun’.
Speaking outside court, Inspector Lamport said: ‘For that level of organised fighting I would have expected a prison sentence.’
‘I’m somewhat disappointed because I think cockfighting is a very, very cruel activity and the level of what these guys were doing is at the very top.
‘This is organised and prolific cockfighting, causing immense suffering to the cockerels involved.
‘I think the disqualification was very light and I would have hoped they would have been banned for life.
‘These guys were doing organised and regular cockfights and promoting what they were doing, with people coming from all over the country and abroad.
‘It is a barbaric sport that was made illegal for all the right reasons.’
He added: ‘On a cruelty ranking, this is right at the top level where animals are forced to fight.
‘The wounds they get are horrendous and the suffering is caused over a long period of time.
‘This is an abhorrent act. Most people would be horrified to see the results of cockfighting and to think it goes on in this country is appalling.’
However, Brinkley’s daughter Violet Smith said the men, who lived on a travellers’ site, had been treated unfairly.
She said: “That is a travellers’ community thing to keep animals. We aren’t cruel to animals. We’re the type of people who put food out for animals. I don’t think it’s fair.”
Ripley and Brinkley each pleaded guilty to three charges of being present at an animal fight, one offence of keeping a premises for use in an animal fight and one offence of keeping animals for use in fighting.
The charges include five fights between July 2016 and March 2017, during which two birds were killed.
Sentencing: Ripley was given a 14-week sentence, suspended for a year, and Brinkley a 10-week term, suspended for a year.
The men were ordered to undertake rehabilitation, pay £865 in costs, and were disqualified for two years from keeping game fowl.
Ripley was also given a two-month curfew.
A Bit Of Work They Want.
They Wouldn’t Have The Time, Or The Energy To Go Fighting Birds. They Are Nothing But: Lazy Mentally Disturbed Scum.