CONVICTED (2022) | farmer Jack William Haskell, born 29 May 1998, of Newport Dairy Cottages, Bloxworth, Wareham BH20 7EF – goaded a lurcher dog into attacking and killing a fox and filmed cockerel fights.
Father-of-one Haskell will only be allowed to keep sheep dogs after he filmed two fights between cockerels and also encouraged the dog to attack the fox, saying “get on” and “good boy”.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of being at an animal fight and one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, all at Stokeford Farm in Wareham.
Prosecuting, Jason Spelman told the court the matters came to light when police attended Haskell’s address for a separate matter.
Officers seized Haskell’s phone and found three videos, two clips of cockerels fighting from March 15, 2020 and April 6, 2020, and one of the lurcher dog attacking a fox on April 13, 2020.
Mr Spelman said the fox was “clearly” trying to defend itself with the “fox on its back and the dog in the neck area”.
“You can hear the person saying ‘get on’ and ‘good boy’,” Mr Spelman told the court.
The prosecutor said Haskell failed to prevent the dog, a protected animal, from coming to harm and said the fox was killed.
The video, which was played in court, shows the dog biting the fox’s neck and jumping on top of it.
He added cock fighting had been banned in this country for 185 years and it was “obvious” the birds came to harm.
When interviewed by police, Haskell claimed someone else had used his phone to film the cock fighting videos and the dog which attacked the fox didn’t come to any harm.
He claimed he didn’t encourage the dog to attack the fox, however Mr Spelman said the video was filmed at 4am which was a “odd time” to be there by accident.
Mitigating, Clive Rees told Magistrates Haskell said the fox ran off and the defendant had “matured” since the offending two years ago.
He said Haskell has taken over the hands-on running of the farm from his ill father and needed to own sheep dogs for the business.
Sentencing | criminal behaviour order; ordered to pay a total of £1,338 in fine, costs and charges. Banned from owning dogs, apart from sheep dogs, or any cockerels for ten years.
Another Mentally Disturbed Scum
Bit Of Real Work The Scum Wants.
He wouldn’t have the energy to go out Hunting with A Dog, 4.00 o clock in the morning. Or go out Cock Fighting or whatever else he has been up to, before he was caught.
Social Services need to keep a close eye on that Baby, as he is Unstable.
He won’t have no luck for what he has done.
Social Services Are Coming Round. You Are Unstable. Mentally Disturbed and Not Safe Around That New Born Baby. You Have Brought Shame To Your Family.
I just saw one of your Videos (Click On Dorset Echo Link Above) You Fat Scum.
At least your Face Is Out There and everyone knows who you are. (I Would Watch Your Back Out There On That Farm).
Won’t Be Long Now.