CONVICTED (2024) | wildlife persecutor Lewis James Palmer, born 24 June 2000, of 1 Houses, Green Lane, Wibtoft, Lutterworth LE17 5BB- threw a live domestic rabbit to his dogs and filmed the carnage.
The RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) launched an investigation after the Naturewatch Foundation passed on some intelligence it had on illegal hunting and wildlife persecution which officers looked into. As a result, a warrant was carried out by Leicestershire Police in December 2023.
Two Patterdale terriers – Rusty and Gem – were found at Palmer’s address in Wibtoft, Lutterworth. Palmer surrendered his phone and gave officers his password, and a video was recovered showing him throwing a live domestic rabbit to his two dogs.
In his witness statement, the SOU officer who led the investigation, said: “The 38-second video is of a live rabbit being dropped into a dog run containing two terriers. The two terriers are the ones I saw at [Palmer’s address]… Encouragement to the dog Gem can be heard being given, and general encouragement to both dogs can be heard.
“The run containing the terriers is the one that I saw them in on 1 December 2023. This video was created on [the phone] on 2 November 2023.”
Palmer, owner of groundworks/landscaping business L Palmer Contractors and with links to the Hinckley and Fleckney areas of Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to one offence, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, of causing unnecessary suffering to a rabbit by giving the rabbit to two dogs.
During interview, Palmer claimed the rabbit was wild and was suffering from myxomatosis and he was trying to end its suffering.
In mitigation, the court was told Palmer regretted his actions but Judge Potter said it was a barbaric act that he got a ‘sadistic kick out of’.
Sentencing | 14 months in prison, suspended for two years’ 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days; 175 hours of unpaid work; £800 in costs plus £100 victim surcharge. Disqualified from owning all animals for six years (expires August 2030).