CONVICTED (2019) | poacher Arron Richard Crighton, born 12 February 1998, of Kismet Street, Sunderland SR5 2LG – made shocking videos of his dogs brutally killing foxes; posted graphic photos and videos online showing horrific injuries suffered by both dogs and foxes
Arron Crighton used his dog Jet to attack and kill foxes then posted graphic photographs and videos of the ‘fights’ on social media
Arron Crighton admitted offences under the 2001 Animal Welfare Act and 2004 Hunting Act after using his black whippet, Jet, to attack and kill foxes.
Police were alerted to a number of videos made by Crighton, which included footage of a dog fighting with a fox and a person appearing to hold the fox down with their foot.
Crighton failed to provide Jet with veterinary treatment for his fighting injuries
A second video showed two dogs with their jaws locked around the fox’s neck and body, while a picture was also taken showing Crighton and others holding a dog which had a bloodied fox in his mouth.
After being made aware of the social media posts, police executed a warrant at an address on Kismet Street, Sunderland, and seized a mobile phone belonging to Crighton.
Arron Crighton
Investigators discovered hundreds of shocking photos and videos showing the attacks and subsequent injuries of the animals saved on the phone.
Jet still bears the facial scares from his time with Aaron Crighton
Asked why he’d initiated the illegal activity in interview, Crighton responded “for sport”. He also claimed that if one dog was injured by the fox, he would “put another dog on”.
PC Peter Baker, of Northumbria Police, said: “The photographs and videos that Arron Crighton made are incredibly distressing and showed a total disregard for the welfare of these animals.
“Crighton took a great deal of satisfaction out of filming this barbaric and criminal activity and then posted the trophy pictures online.
“It is blatantly clear that he cannot be trusted to own an animal and ensure it is adequately protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease. On this occasion, both Crighton’s own dog and the foxes suffered horrific injuries.
“This investigation was launched following information provided to police by a member of the public who saw the videos online and were rightly disgusted by them. I would urge anyone who sees poaching offences and cruelty of this type online to get in touch.
“This case should act as a reminder to all pet owners that anybody who fails to ensure an animal’s welfare is met could face criminal action. We would always ask anybody who witnesses cruelty or an animal in distress to contact the RSPCA direct or call 101.”
Jet– who was frightened but gentle in nature when officers located him– has been rehomed.
Sentencing: Jailed for 18 weeks. Banned from owning any animal for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2018) | Joseph Shaun Whittam, born 07/06/1990, of Langdale Road, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9AU – set his dogs on a pet cat and fox; failed to provide vet treatment for his injured dogs
Joe Whittam was jailed after filming “blood-curdling” videos of his dogs killing a cat and fox
Joseph Whittam, who also uses the surname Riding, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act in relation to encouraging his two dogs to attack a cat and a fox, as well as failing to provide veterinary attention for the dogs themselves.
The RSPCA joined Lancashire Constabulary to execute a warrant at Whittam’s address in August 2017 after intelligence that suggested he was involved in wildlife crimes with his two dogs.
The dogs – a terrier called Rex and a lurcher called Zip – were removed by police and placed into the RSPCA’s care. A mobile phone was also seized and investigators discovered a number of shocking videos saved on the phone.
RSPCA special investigation officer Jason Bowles said: “In one video, the two dogs are going crazy, barking and snapping at the mesh of a trap with a black and white domestic cat inside.
“In a second video, the cat is released along with the dogs and the dogs grab the cat and literally start to rip it apart while the cat screams and cries in pain. It is horrific and absolutely blood-curdling. Many of our staff here at the RSPCA haven’t been able to stomach watching it.
“One of the magistrates had to leave court after watching the sickening footage.
“The cat was killed although we never found the body and never traced the poor cat’s owners.”
He added: “In another video, the dogs can be seen attacking and biting a fox. In all the footage Whittam can clearly be heard encouraging the dogs and egging them on.”
Rex and Zip both had old injuries – thought to be caused by their attacks – which had not been treated. They received veterinary care and remain in the RSPCA’s care. They will be rehomed once the case has concluded.
Further analysis of Whittam’s phone uncovered images of a dog being encouraged to attack a gerbil and still images of the fox attack which show the animal being baited by the dog.
Whittam claimed the fox had been shot and injured before his dogs got hold of it.
Lancashire Constabulary’s Sgt James Pinder said: “This investigation began as a result of community information in relation to animal welfare and poaching offences.
“I hope the investigation clearly demonstrates that we will work with our partner agencies and will deal with offenders in a robust manner.
“The sentence, which marks the end of a 16-month investigation, is welcomed by Lancashire Constabulary and we hope it will send a clear message to those who think it is acceptable to partake in these criminal activities.”
Sentencing Whittam at Preston Magistrates’ Court, the chairman of the bench said the offences were sustained, deliberate and gratuitous
Sentencing: Jailed for 22 weeks; ordered to pay a total of £490. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
In January 2023 Whittam was given a further custodial sentence after being caught breaching his lifetime ban on keeping animals. Whittam, now of Greenset Drive, Lancaster, was caught with ferrets as well as four dogs. A woman at the property (his mother?) claimed that three of the dogs were hers.
The fourth dog – a brown Patterdale named Thugly – had severe facial injuries consistent with animal fighting.
CONVICTED (2017) | hare coursers Joby Ayres, aka Joby Hughes, born c. 1988, of Pines Residential Site, Berkley Lane, Frome BA11 2NJ and Tommy James Sherred, born c. 1996, of the travellers site in Gypsy Lane, Frome BA11 2NA
Joby Ayres (left) and Tommy James Sherred
East Somerset travellers Sherred and Ayres pleaded guilty section 30 of the Game Act 1831 at North West Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court.
On 14 January 2017, a green Ford hatchback was spotted on farmland in Bishops Cannings, near Devizes, and several men were sighted with dogs in the area, believed to be hare coursing.
When they were confronted by the land owner, they began to shout abuse before speeding off towards Horton. Two of the men made off across the farm land towards Bishop Cannings.
Officers from the Rural Crime Team spotted two men in the fields, the men ran away in the opposite direction.
Officers caught up with the pair and they were arrested on suspicion of daylight trespass in search or pursuit of game.
PC Marc Jackson said: “The Rural Crime Team is really pleased with the outcome of this investigation which saw a sizeable fine for the offenders in relation to daylight trespass offences under the Game Act.
“As the Rural Crime Officer, I have been working hard with members of Farmwatch and landowners around the Pewsey Vale area to disrupt and deter the coursing and poaching activity over the last year.
“We will continue to work with members of the Farm Watch community, and will seek to target persistent poachers with the powers given to us to counter anti-social behaviour, such as issuing Community Protection Notices. CPNs are aimed at preventing unreasonable behaviour that is having a negative impact on the local community’s quality of life.
“There is no doubt that damage to farm land, farm property, threats and intimidating behaviour towards farm workers is having a negative impact on the farmers and gamekeepers quality of life within Wiltshire.
“Wiltshire is not a soft touch and we will seek to prosecute individuals who seek to commit poaching related offence’s within the county where evidence exists.”
CONVICTED (2017) | Liam Paul Barker, born 16/08/1994, from Spennymoor, John Thomas Fenwick, born 15/03/1994, from St Helen Auckland, Conor William Goodfellow (aka Conor Hughes), born c. 1995, from West Auckland, and Joshua Adam Lee, born c. 1997, from St Helen Auckland – convicted of poaching offences
These three men plus Liam Paul Barker (photo wanted) were found guilty of poaching in Richmondshire , North Yorkshire
Joshua Adam Lee, Conor William Goodfellow, John Tom Fenwick plus Liam Paul Barker were convicted of poaching offences and ordered to pay more than £700 in total, thanks to vigilance from a member of the public.
Liam Barker
On October 10 2016, a silver Subaru Forester car was spotted around the Richmond area of North Yorkshire and was eventually seen by a witness in Patrick Brompton, near Leyburn. The witness noticed men poaching with dogs on private land.
Officers stopped four men who were all interviewed and reported for summons for daytime poaching offences.
John Thomas Fenwick from St Helen Auckland
On February 3, 2017, the four men all pleaded guilty to daytime poaching at Northallerton Magistrates Court.
Conor Goodfellow (left) from West Auckland and Joshua Lee from St Helen Auckland
Goodfellow was ordered to pay fines, a victim surcharge and costs of £155. Barker, Lee and Fenwick were each ordered to pay fines, a victim surcharge and costs of £198.
Wildlife crime officer PC Mark Wood, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “This was a good result and we are grateful that a witness came forward and reported this to the police.
John Thomas Fenwick (left) and Joshua Lee
“It shows that people do not like the idea of hares being destroyed by dogs in this way, and local farmers don’t appreciate people trespassing over their land to do it. We will continue to deal robustly with crimes of this nature, and I urge anyone to report incidents like this to the police.”
CONVICTED (2017) | vicious poaching gang Mark Amos Mabey, born c. 1964, of Wareham Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole BH16, Lewis Todd Longstaffe, born 26 September 1994, of 128 Sandy Lane, Upton, Poole BH16 5LY, and Edward Turner, born c. 1965, of Lockyers Drive, Ferndown BH22 – found with 100 dead or injured pheasants in their car.
L-R Mark Mabey, Lewis Longstaffe, Edward Turnere
The court heard that at around 12.35am on Wednesday January 6, 2016, a land worker was alerted by an acquaintance to possible poaching activity taking place on the private land he manages to the north of Wimborne and alerted police.
The man located the offenders inside a Mitsubishi 4×4. The Mitsubishi reversed at speed toward the victim’s vehicle and crashed into it. The offenders also fired a steel shot at the man and his car, the court was told.
The man managed to reverse away from the offenders and lost sight of them.
The police helicopter tracked the men to Tarrant Monkton where they were arrested.
The Mitsubishi was recovered and examined. The boot contained more than 100 pheasants that were either dead, or alive but maimed.
Longstaffe, a former gamekeeper who is well-known to hunt saboteurs, has a previous conviction for poaching.
Mark Mabey was found guilty of affray. He also pleaded guilty to night poaching. He was handed a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years, a 20-day rehabilitation order, 80 hours of unpaid work and a one-year exclusion from the estate where he committed the offences.
Lewis Longstaffe, a previous offender, and Edward Turner pleaded guilty night poaching. Longstaffe was fined £337 and ordered to pay £150 costs. Turner received a £202 fine and £150 costs. The pair were also handed a two-year restraining order that prevents them from contacting the victim or entering their land.
On Monday 23 October 2023, Mark Mabey was sentenced to five months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and banned from having anything to do with dogs until October 2030. He was also ordered to carry out unpaid work and subjected to a tagging order.
He was prosecuted alongside various relatives/associates (charges against others possibly dropped) after police seized 11 dogs from his home after they were deemed by a vet to be suffering.
CONVICTED (2016) | prolific animal abuser John Michael Ginty and partner Nicola Bradley of Dalwood Court, Hemlington, Middlesbrough TS8 9JG – convicted of a catalogue of cruelty offences relating to six dogs and a wild sparrowhawk.
John Ginty and Nicola Bradley pictured during their court appearance.
Ginty and Bradley were convicted of seven offences of animal cruelty. The pair were prosecuted after two raids on their home: the first in March 2015 and a second in August 2015.
In the first raid, dogs were found wandering loose, some with injuries.
Some of the dogs cruelly treated by John Ginty and Nicola Bradley.
A number of dogs were in the back yard of the property – three lurchers and a Patterdale dog. There were also two puppies in the house with a nursing bitch.
One lurcher was found with an injury to her leg which Ginty said had been caused when she got caught on a barbed wire fence while they were out “lamping”.
A second lurcher named Spike was found in a closed shed with no water. He had a serious injury to his tail which later had to be amputated due to infection.
Ginty said he did not know how Spike got the cut on his tail but he told the court he cleaned it and put purple spray on it.
He described the dog as his “blue-eyed boy” and said if he thought the cut had been as bad he would have taken it to a vet.
The dogs and bird were kept together in the garden of the property Ginty and Bradley shared.
A shih-tzu at the found at the house had to have its eye removed due to an infection. Ginty said he was unaware of the infected eye due to it being covered by long fur.
The garden was described “disgusting” due to large accumlations of faeces on the ground. A fox tail was seen hanging from a kennel
Further charges were laid following another search in August 2015 when the “agitated” sparrowhawk was found.
Prosecuting, John Ellwood, said: “It was jumping from the perch. It was landing in its own faeces but also in dog dirt.
“The bird had no access to water and was basically exposed to the elements.”
Ginty said he found the sparrowhawk with “kids by a beck” so took it into his care.
Mr Ellwood also told the court that before these offences, Ginty had been given a warning by the RSPCA when he was found digging up a badger sett – but on that occasion he told inspectors he had lost a chihuahua dog down the hole.
Bradley
A probation service spokeswoman told the court that Ginty was on Job Seeker’s Allowance and that there was no evidence he suffered from depression, as he had claimed.
She said he was not likely to be suitable to carry out unpaid work as he had told probation “he could get a sick note like that” – but magistrates still ordered he carry out 180 hours unpaid work.
Ginty, dubbed the “Hemlington Cowboy”, was jailed six weeks for contempt in October 2015 after “riding a horse at speed” through a housing estate.
Bradley
Ginty was stunned when officials of the county court arrived at his home with a warrant for his arrest citing offences involving riding and tethering his pony.
He had been banned from doing so by a court order issued in June 2015.
A neighbour of Ginty’s said at the time: “He rides his pony around bare-back, he’s like a cowboy but he’s not doing any harm.”
Sentencing: Bradley – 12-month community order with a 20-day rehabilitation requirement; £500 costs and charges. Ten-year ban but can appeal after five years. Ginty – 14-week suspended prison sentence; 180 hours of unpaid work. Ten-year ban, but may appeal after five years.
Just 10 days after the conclusion of the above case, Ginty was handed a 10-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months after he admitted hunting with dogs.
Because the latest crimes pre-dated the offences relating to the dogs and the sparrowhawk, Ginty again avoided jail.
Ginty admitted killing the deer and hunting a wild mammal with dogs, while accomplice Batey admitted destroying rabbits.
The court heard how Ginty had admitted hunting a wild animal with dogs and another charge of killing a pregnant deer.
Rob Hutchinson, mitigating, said Ginty now accepted full responsibility.
He said Ginty had been badly affected by press attention after he was given a suspended prison sentence earlier this month.
Mr Hutchinson said: “As a result of that conviction he tells me his life is not the same. The press attention has meant that he is effectively banned from the family home by the council. He has effectively seen his relationship break down. He’s suffered a lot.”
At the latest hearing, the court heard Ginty is now on incapacity benefit of £140 a fortnight for “anxiety and depression”.
He was ordered to pay £80 charges and £400 costs, which will be added to his existing court fines and paid back at £5 a week.
Marcus Batey
A second man, Marcus Owen Batey, admitted trespassing and destroying a rabbit.
Prosecutor Kim Coley said the offences took place in the early hours of March 9, 2015.
Police discovered Batey’s empty Peugeot near the entrance of a private wood on the Neasham estate, near the village of Eryholme, close to Hurworth.
When they returned to the car, police stopped them and found Ginty sitting in the front seat with blood on his hands, clothes and on the handle of a lamp.
Two lurcher dogs were in the back.
When they searched the woods close by, police found a dead roe deer, which was pregnant, bleeding from the neck.
After their arrest, Batey made no comment but Ginty said his dogs had got loose and he was not responsible for the deer’s death.
But forensic analysis of blood stains on Ginty’s jacket proved he had carried a bleeding deer across his right shoulder.
A separate RSPCA investigation recovered a phone from Ginty’s property which had a picture of a lurcher dog next to a deer carcass, but that may have been from a different occasion.
Marcus Batey, born c. 1990, of Cannock Road, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, was fined £160 and ordered to pay £270 costs and charges for trespassing at night and destroying a rabbit.
In June 2017 Teesside Live reported that Ginty was set to go on trial after being accused of breaching his ban. While the trial was due to commence in July 2017, the outcome isn’t known.
CONVICTED (2014) | Todd Jenkinson, born 23/02/1989, formerly of Wesley Street in South Elmsall, and as at September 2019 of Abbott Terrace, Wakefield WF1 5PU, and Luke James Kendall, born c. 1986, formerly of Middlecliff Lane, Little Houghton, and now Wakefield Road, Ackworth, Pontefract WF7 7AH – for poaching offences
Luke Kendall
Todd Jenkinson and accomplice Luke Kendall faced two charges of entering land at Eastoft, Amcotts and Garthorpe with high powered spot lamps for the purpose of taking or destroying game.
Todd Jenkinson is a known associate of Dale Shields and Murphy Thorne, who were convicted of badger baiting in September 2019. An active member of notorious Facebook group ‘Let the dog see the hare’ until its removal in August 2019, Jenkinson made no secret of his lust for killing wild animals with dogs.
Disturbingly, his reaction to an upsetting post showing a deceased and decomposing lurcher-type dog dumped in a ditch was one of amusement. He suggested that the poor animal be revived with “purple spray” ( a hilarious group in-joke) and when challenged over his callous attitude said that everyone should “lighten up” and “dunt tek life t serious” (sic).
CONVICTED (2014) | serial wildlife and pet abusers Joshua Robert Percy Varey, born 26/02/1990, of Duke Street, Colne BB8; Shaun Mullens, born 11/11/1991, of Dean Street, Trawden, Colne BB8 8RN; Paul Ashworth, born 14/10/1967, of Tennyson Road, Colne BB8 9SD – shook a cat out of a tree so their dogs could attack it
Josh Varey and accomplices Shaun Mullens and Paul Ashworth laughed as they set their dogs on other terrified animals so they could make ‘trophy’ videos for a dog-fighting racket.
Varey filmed Mullens and Ashworth climbing up a tree and trying to shake a cat out of its branches so that their dogs could maul it.
Varey and Mullens also filmed a horrifying incident in which they used one of their dogs to attack a badger after digging into its sett.
Vile: Shaun Mullens
Magistrates saw DVD footage in which Varey could be heard laughing as distressed animals yelped in terror. In one attack, caught on film, a voice was heard saying ‘It’s dead’ before a badly injured badger crawled away.
The court had heard that police and RSPCA officers found the DVD during dawn raids at 11 homes across Pendle in summer 2013, in which officers seized three lurchers, two terriers and a lurcher/bull terrier cross, as well as computers, mobile phones, cash and drugs equipment
Josh Varey outside court
The operation followed a 12-month evidence gathering operation into badger digging, deer poaching, hare coursing and offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Paul Ashworth
In October 2013, six cats were killed by lurchers in attacks in Colne over three days. Police said the incidents were known as ‘cat coursing’, where dogs were trained to kill domestic pets before going poaching or badger baiting.
Shaun Mullens
Magistrates heard that Varey, who bought and sold dogs for profit, and bred them to fight other animals, had injured and scarred dogs in cages outside at his home and was proud that his animals were ‘adept at fighting.’
Phones found at Varey’s house contained animal baiting videos, photographs of animals, and messages about ‘doing holes’, ‘going out with the terriers’ and ‘going digging’.
The prosecutor said: ‘ We suggest that this is talking about about putting dogs down holes to get at animals.’
He said there were photographs showing a scarred dog, a dog with blood around its mouth, and a photograph of a fox and fox cub.
When interviewed, Ashworth claimed he was only doing what he was told when he was shaking the tree a cat had run up.
Paul Ashworth
The cat was forced to run quickly up another tree to get away from the dogs, and said the cat would have been terrified.
When Varey was questioned, he didn’t deny any responsibility for the film on his phone but made no comment. Mullens admitted it was his dog in the badger fight video.
Varey finally has his collar felt.
After the case, RSPCA Inspector Ian Briggs said: ‘These men showed absolutely no regard for any of the animals, including their own dogs.
‘This was cruelty in its most abhorrent form.’
Sentencing: Varey and Mullens were jailed for 126 and 114 days respectively and banned from keeping pets for ten years (expires July 2024). Ashworth was jailed for 76 days and banned from keeping animals for 5 years (expires July 2019).
Serial offender Joshua Varey was charged with further animal cruelty offences alongside another man, Howard Bernard Lewin, born 20/12/67, of 6 Dickson Street, Colne.
Another of Josh Varey’s partners in wildlife crime Howard Lewin of 6 Dickson St, Colne. Top-right photo shows one of Lewin’s dogs whose scarred face shows all the hallmarks of her having been forced to fight other animals.
The pair pleaded guilty to being present at an animal fight and causing unnecessary suffering to a ferret and a rat. Varey also faced an additional charge of breaching his disqualification order after two dogs were found at his home.
Speaking about this case RSPCA special investigation officer Jason Bowles said: “We were alerted to a really disturbing video that had been posted on Varey’s Facebook page,”
“In the video, a pet ferret is pitched against a wild rat in a hutch and they are urged to fight. The men are clearly encouraging the animals to fight and are shouting at the ferret, willing it on to attack the rat.
“The rat is frantically trying to escape, climbing the bars of the hutch and looking for a way out.
“The men tip and shake the hutch to try to encourage the animals to fight. There are a few clashes but generally the terrified animals cower in separate corners.
“In the video, one of the men can be heard shouting at the rat: ‘That’s disgusting, I hate them, f***ing rodent b***ards.
“We launched an investigation into the video once it had been brought to our attention but never found the rat or the ferret so, sadly, we don’t know what happened to them.
“However, we will not stand for this sort of disgusting behaviour and cruelty towards animals. We hope this case serves to show that we take online videos showing cruelty to animals very seriously and, where offences have been committed, we will take appropriate action.”
“In 2014, Mr Varey was disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years, having been convicted of animal fighting offences under the Animal Welfare Act,” SOU inspector Chris Heyworth said. “That ban is still in place.
“He came to our attention again after Cumbria Police were called to a field to reports of two men – one of whom was Mr Varey – stuck in the mud in their vehicle. They were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Deer Act 1991 and a mobile phone was seized.
“Material from that phone was passed to Lancashire Police who were investigating wildlife crime offences with RSPCA inspectors. Photos, video and texts on the phone suggested the men were still involved in wildlife crimes and, therefore, a warrant was executed at a property in Colne, Lancashire, on 28 September.
“Despite his ban, we found two dogs – both lurcher types – at the property. One of the dogs belonged to someone else but one was quite clearly his. We also found lots of evidence on a phone that showed he was participating in the keeping of dogs.”
The dog – called Nell – was seized and placed into RSPCA care.
Sgt Damian Pemberton, Lancashire Constabulary’s Rural Policing, Wildlife and Heritage Crime co-ordinator, said: “This sentence is testimony to the hard work of our rural officers who are committed to putting an end to the unnecessary suffering of animals.
“Those who mistreat animals and take part in these types of cruel activities will be tracked down and brought to justice.
“Josh Varey is a well-known animal abuser with previous convictions for animal cruelty.
“His conviction and sentence sends a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and our dedicated rural officers will work hard to bring those responsible to justice.”
Sentencing: Varey was given a 16-week jail term, suspended for two years; ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 in costs. He was also disqualified from keeping all animals for 15 years (expires March 2033).
Lewin was given a 12-month community order with a rehabilitation requirement.
CONVICTED (2014) | serial wildlife persecutors Reece Welsh aka Reece Murphy (20/07/1991) of Romer Road, Liverpool L6 6DH; Ryan Kennedy (born 17/09/1989 but deceased) from Liverpool; John ‘Jay’ Daly aka Jay Jones (17/08/1983) of Breeze Hill, Liverpool L9 1DY and Daniel Ratchford (09/12/1984) of Stratford St, Standish, Wigan WN6 7AH – goaded a dog into brutally mauling a fox to death and interfered with a badgers’ sett
Thugs of the countryside from L-R Reece Welsh, Daniel Ratchford and John Daly (aka Jay Jones).
The gang of four men watched gleefully as the dog carry out a sickening attack on a helpless fox while they claimed they were “rabbiting” in the Cheshire countryside.
The men were jailed for their roles in the incident after each pleaded guilty to animal cruelty offences.
Still image from the harrowing video footage showing the men’s dogs attacking a helpless fox
Prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, Kevin Worthington told the court the footage of the attack – which was obtained by an expert on behalf of the animal charity – “spoke for itself” and was one of the worst videos he had ever seen.
The horrific video captured a fox screaming in pain as a lurcher shakes it around in its mouth, while other terrier-type dogs and the group of men look on.
A fourth member of the gang named Ryan Kennedy (pictured right) met a sticky end in late 2014 when he was deliberately mowed down by a fellow badger baiter named Michael Haigh (left). In April 2015 Haigh was sentenced to 17 years in jail for murder.
He said that none of the defendants had stepped in to stop the fox being attacked, and that mobile phones had also been placed down badger setts.
Locator collars, dog cages and spades had also been found in the van the group had arrived in.
The men were charged with offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and admitted their guilt earlier in 2014.
John Daly
Daly pleaded guilty to two charges of interfering with badger setts, and one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to his female lurcher, Sadie, who was the dog seen attacking the fox in the film.
He was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison for the suffering caused to his dog, plus a further four weeks for each of the charges of interfering with a badger sett.
Welsh pleaded guilty to one charge of interfering with badger setts and one charge of being a “responsible person failing to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal”. He was sentenced to a total of 16 weeks in prison.
Kennedy and Ratchford also pleaded guilty to being a “responsible person” in relation to the lurcher and its suffering and were both sentenced to 12 weeks.
Each of the men was ordered to pay £200 towards the RSPCA’s costs.
They were disqualified from keeping, or being involved in the care and transportation, of dogs for life.
DJ Knight said there was “overwhelming evidence” that badger setts had been interfered with, adding that the six-month maximum prison term for that offence was “perhaps something Parliament should consider looking at again”.
Anthony Joynes, the RSPCA officer who helped bring the four men to justice, added: “There’s no other way to describe these men other than thugs of the countryside – wildlife criminals”.
Reece Welsh, who’s now known as Reece Murphy, is a backyard breeder and also offers a canine fertilisation service to other breeders under the name ‘The Dog Business’, based at Unit 5, Wilson Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 6AF.
He has uploaded several photos publicly to his Facebook profile in which he’s shown digging up fox dens / badger sets while in the company of one of his very young sons.
One recent photo shows a dog with horrific facial scarring consistent with animal fighting. And all of this despite a lifetime ban on having anything to do with dogs.
In May 2021Daniel Ratchfordwas jailed for 12 weeks and made the subject of a court order preventing him from entering large parts of West Lancashire and Sefton districts. His latest sentence came after he was convicted of offences including animal poaching and hunting wild animals with dogs. Five dogs were found at Ratchford’s home, in breach of his lifetime disqualification
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
