CONVICTED (2016) | dog-fighting trainer Julie Wright, born c. 1973, of Hoylake Close, Slough SL1 5UR kept scarred dogs and dog-fighting training equipment at her home

During a raid of Wright’s property in Cippenham, Slough, police and RSPCA officials uncovered a barbaric dog-fighting training camp. They found all the match practice equipment needed to turn dogs into ferocious fighting machines.

Two dogs kept in caged kennels in Wright’s back garden were seized.

Wright pleaded guilty to having dog fighting equipment, training a dog and having two banned dogs.

Police and the RSPCA homed in on her address after coming across evidence linking her to dog fighting circles in 2014.

When they investigated, they discovered she had dog-fighting paraphernalia including treadmills, break sticks, a specially adapted ball and spring and A frame – all described as tools used to train fighting dogs.

There was also evidence of Wright trading dogs with convicted dog-fighting exponents in other parts of the country.

After Wright was sentenced, Mike Butcher, RSPCA chief inspector of the special operations unit, said: “This is another sad case where the dogs end up being the unfortunate victims of the dark and cruel world of dog fighting.

“This barbaric ‘sport’ really has no place in a modern society and the RSPCA is working hard through investigations and more to put an end to this brutal enterprise where suffering is inflicted on animals who are there to do their owners cruel bidding.

“We hope this prosecution goes some way to showing others out there involved in this bloody ‘sport’ that organised cruelty and abuse of this nature is not only against the law but it will never be tolerated.”

Wright, who was represented in court by Clive Rees, appealed against her conviction but the outcome isn’t known.

Sentencing | 18-week suspended prison sentence; £1,000 costs; banned for owning dogs for 10 years (expires February 2026).

Express