CONVICTED (2024) | Jason Lee Kennedy, born 5 August 1988, of Marble Arch Road, Mullaghbane, Florencecourt, Enniskillen BT92 1BS – forced his dogs to attack cats and wild animals, including badgers, and filmed the carnage.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and two of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight.
The charges arose after the police searched a property at Ross Road in Bellanaleck, Enniskillen.
They found over a dozen dogs which they believed were being kept for fighting.
Kennedy was arrested and his phone seized.
The phone was found to contain a number of videos including one dated 28 June 2022, which showed Kennedy outside a kennel run containing a cat and a dog. Two further film clips from that date showed the cat attempting to escape, but he or she is attacked by four dogs and killed.
A video taken on 4 July 2022 showed Kennedy dragging a badger by a rope.
Three more videos show a badger being attacked by up to nine dogs before it is killed.
The prosecution said it was not possible to tell from the videos if these were different badgers.
The dogs also suffered injuries in the incidents.
Kennedy’s explanation for his actions was “vermin control” but this was dismissed by Judge Fiona Bagnall, who told him that he had a distorted view of what constituted sport.
Judge Bagnall said: “This is a disturbing case of the most cruel type. The violence was gratuitous and the animals clearly suffered prolonged agonising deaths. The outcome was pre-determined and the defendant knew exactly what would happen. These were planned gatherings. I find it impossible to understand how any human being could set up the circumstances for such cruelty on helpless animals.”
She added: “He also videoed the gruesome incidents to show his friends which further demonstrates everything about his behaviour is repugnant. I reject his claim this behaviour was a form of vermin control as he claimed cats kill pheasants and badgers carry TB. It was instead some distorted view of a sadistic and cruel sport. I do not have to set out just how badly those poor animals suffered.”
Defence counsel Ciaran Roddy conceded the case was of high culpability and said that Kennedy no longer keeps any animals, nor would he take issue with any court order banning this.
He said: “I’m not for one second trying to explain the defendant’s conduct away. It was clearly appalling. He has moved away from the offending in which he was embroiled.
“At the time he was marred by drug and alcohol abuse, his personal relationships had broken down as did his mental health. However he remains committed to his children.”
The defence noted the “depravity” of the offending but urged against imprisonment as Kennedy, “does have previous issues and could rekindle his behaviour if jailed”.
However, Judge Bagnall imposed a sentence of two years and three months to be split half and half between jail time and licence.
The PSNI’s Rural and Wildlife Crime lead, Superintendent McDowell outlined how Kennedy was caught.
She said: “On 22nd April 2022, it was reported to police that there were dogs in a distressed state at a property in the Ross Road area of Bellanaleck. Local officers from Erne West Neighbourhood policing team responded to the report, they firstly observed two dogs inside kennels with substantial wounds to their muzzles and face. As part of the investigation a third dog was located nearby with fresh wounds to its face and it was believed at that stage that the dogs had been involved in fighting.
“All three dogs were seized by officers and Mr Kennedy was arrested for causing unnecessary suffering to animals and fighting offences. The dogs were consequently taken into care before being rehomed. Phones were seized and during forensic analyses videos identified included cruelty to cats.”
The three dogs seized by police in April 2022 were taken into care before being rehomed.
Following the sentencing, three animal charities commended the PSNI for bringing the perpetrator to justice.
USPCA chief executive, Nora Smith said: “We were relieved to see this individual arrested by the PSNI last March and hope that more of these individuals are brought before the courts”.
Kate Salmon from Naturewatch said: “Our investigation into Jason Kennedy and suspected badger crime and abused dogs dates back to 2021, when we brought Kennedy to the attention of PSNI.
“We welcome the most recent action taken by PSNI, however we remain disappointed with the delay.
“We believe that the lengthy period between initial awareness of Kennedy’s actions and the eventual enforcement action has sadly resulted in the suffering of many animals.”
Robbie Marsland from League Against Cruel Sports added: “We hope this case will deter others from committing these heinous offences that have no place in the 21st century”.
Sentencing | 27 months with half to be served in custody and half on supervised licence. Banned for owning animals for 10 years (expires June 2034).