Do you know any of these scum?

The RSPCA are keen to speak to them in connection with ongoing investigations into animal cruelty in North East Lincolnshire, after these photographs were found among thousands used to convict a Grimsby trio.

As reported, Liam Ardito, 33, of Newbury Avenue, Great Coates, Gary Cannon, 27, of Alfred Bannister Mews, Laceby, and Mark Smith, 53 of Broadway, Grimsby, were each jailed for four months for animal cruelty.

District Judge Daniel Curtis, sitting at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court, heard they had admitted to a total of 30 offences, including “torturing” wild animals, by forcing foxes and a badger to fight dogs to the death.

However, the team behind the investigation is now keen to speak to the 10 men pictured today, who despite also being captured on film, have yet to be identified – and they are calling for your help.

RSPCA inspector Cliff Harrison said: “We really want to speak to these individuals and would be very grateful if readers of the Grimsby Telegraph were able to help us.”

He added tip-offs from the public were “vital” in tracking down those behind animal cruelty and urged anyone with concerns about the welfare of animals to call the RSPCA.

Can you help?

If you believe you have information about animal cruelty in the area, or you can identify any of the men pictured here, please call the RSPCA’s hotline number on 0300 1234 999.

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Guilty of cockfighting

RSPCA chiefs fear middle class professionals such as doctors and dentists are betting on illegal cockfights, it emerged today.

They raised concerns about the growing trend after raiding two farms where inspectors found 500 birds including 97 mature fighting cocks.

Mark Giles and his son, also called Mark, have pleaded guilty to animal cruelty at the properties they ran in Billingshurst, west Sussex, and will be sentenced at Brighton magistrates this week.

During the swoops, inspectors reportedly discovered 60 pairs of lethal metal spurs, some an inch-long, which are attached to the birds’ feet and cause terrible injuries.

Vitamin supplements and empty steroid vials used to increase the birds’ strength and stamina were also found along with magazines which featured the elder Giles at competitions in Brazil and the Philippines.

RSPCA inspector Dave Long who led the raids, told the Sunday Times that groups of up to a dozen men would watch four-minute bouts between birds in cockfighting pits stained with blood.

He said: ‘This was a breeding farm specifically for fighting cocks but it was also used for others to come and test their own birds.

‘The people involved come from all walks of life, including people with respectable occupations such as doctors and dentists.’

The paper reported the growing popularity of ‘cockfighting chic’ and the revival of a ‘sport’ which was banned in England and Wales in 1835

Once, small groups of men in Britain and Ireland linked by a highly secretive network, would gather to pit their fighting cocks in a battle to the death, sometimes waging thousands of pounds on the result.

In America cockfighting is illegal, but has many devotees among professionals, including lawyers, police officers and doctors.

A source with links to field sports, told the Sunday Times that ‘five or six people’ he had spoken to in recent months had bought English cocks to fight.

He was quoted as saying: ‘It’s a kind of cockfighting chic. It seems to be a new trend. I haven’t come across it before.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2217517/Middle-class-professionals-betting-cockfights-owning-bird-trendy.html

Family in court for dog fighting

SIX members of the same family appeared in court on Thursday as part of a police investigation into suspected animal cruelty and illegal dog fighting.

Jerimiah Samuel and Cathy Kirkwood, both aged 41 and from Parkgate Crescent, Belfast, face a series of charges following raids on properties in the city.

Their sons Gary Kirkwood, 18, Ryan Kirkwood, 20, Chris Kirkwood, 21, and Wayne Kirkwood, 19, all of Island Street, Belfast, are also accused of involvement in the alleged racket.

Alongside them in the dock at the city’s magistrates court were 18-year-old Jamie Morrow, of McAllister Court, and Daniel Scott, 32, of Tower Court, both in Belfast.

They were arrested in an operation carried out with officers from the USPCA last November.

Several dogs and equipment were taken away from houses in the city.

A range of charges brought against some of the accused include causing unnecessary suffering to animals, keeping or training an animal used in connection with animal fighting, having items used for fights, and photographing and publishing images of an animal fight.

Pitbull and lurcher-type dogs, puppies and badgers were all referred to during the hearing.

A detective constable revealed in court that three of dogs seized have since been destroyed because they were self-harming.

The officer, who said she could connect all of the accused to the charges, said a veterinary expert has been able to identify these animals from video footage of the alleged fights.

During questioning by a defence solicitor, she claimed injuries to the dogs were “consistent with this type of activity”.

All eight accused were released on continuing bail, with conditions imposed to allow police to carry out checks on any other animals being kept.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/family-in-court-for-dog-fighting-1-4123843

Rural gangs linked to drug operations

Poaching and hare coursing gangs often linked with major drugs operations are behind most crimes against wildlife.

In Cumbria last year, 363 wildlife crimes were reported to the police and of those 211 involved poaching, hare coursing and lamping – hunting animals at night with high-powered lights.

In one incident at Sandysyke near Longtown, three people caught for deer poaching were part of an organised gang involved in an armed robbery.

In another incident deer poachers who butchered a number of animals in a garage were found to be part of a major drugs operation.

The shocking scale of wildlife crime in the area was revealed by John Shaw, wildlife officer with Cumbria Police.

He was speaking at a rural crime conference at police headquarters in Penrith organised by the Crimestoppers charity.

He said: “These crimes are of great concern to us and it is an area in which we are putting great efforts.

“These incidents of poaching, hare coursing and lamping are often linked with major crime operations including drugs and armed robberies.”

Also speaking was Cumbria’s Chief Constable Stuart Hyde who has just been made national lead for wildlife and rural crime with the Association for Chief Police Officers (ACPO)

The conference heard that while the number of recorded rural crimes had fallen from 5,766 in 2010 to 5,581 last year, there had been a big rise in thefts of fuel, scrap metal and tools.

Mr Hyde said the police were working with organisations such as Crimestoppers and the National Farmers’ Union to combat rural crime.

“In a county such as Cumbria it is very important that we tackle this issue,” he said.

“The theft of quad bikes, fuel and scrap metal impacts heavily on our farmers and their livelihoods.”

Mr Hyde said one initiative was the issue of red stickers for farmers to put on their quads to remind them to remove the keys when leaving their vehicles.

He added that in his new role as wildlife and rural crime lead with ACPO he was able to use the experience gathered in his policing role in Cumbria. “I think that is why I was asked. There is so much going on here in Cumbria in terms of wildlife and rural crime that we have good expertise in this area,” he said.

Gary Murray, north west regional manager for Crimestoppers, said there was a major link between rural crime and serious, organised offences.

“It is important that we get together as many ideas and initiatives as we can to protect Cumbria from these criminals,” he said.

SCrawford

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/rural-gangs-linked-to-drug-operations-1.937458?referrerPath=/news-round-up-1.50001

 

Dog fight pair from Chesham jailed

TWO Chesham men have been jailed and given a lifetime ban from keeping animals after admitting a series of offences related to illegal dog fighting.

Javed Jahangir and Sajid Mahmood were both caged for 20 weeks at Reading Magistrates’ Court for offences the RSPCA described as “one of the most premeditated and barbaric forms of deliberate animal cruelty”.

A raid on 28-year-old Jahangir’s home in Milton Road led to officers finding a pit bull terrier type dog – a breed banned by the Dangerous Dogs Act – and a computer containing footage showing the two men fighting dogs in fields thought to be close to their homes.

Mahmood, 29, of Batchelors Way, was identified from the footage and this led to the RSPCA searching further properties in Chesham that he had links to.

There, officers found another pit bull terrier type dog, muzzles, leads, computers, phones, cameras and media storage devices – all of which were seized.

Jahangir admitted four offences linked to animal fighting and one of having an illegal dog at an earlier hearing, while Mahmood pleaded guilty to three fighting-related charges and to having an illegal dog.

As well as being jailed, both men were barred from keeping animals for life. Jahangir was ordered to pay £5,000 in prosecution costs and Mahmood £1,500.

The operation to bring the pair to justice was a joint one between the RSPCA and Thames Valley Police.

Chief inspector Mike Butcher, of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “Dog fighting is one of the most premeditated and barbaric forms of deliberate animal cruelty. We are delighted that all of those who have been brought to justice have so far been given bans on keeping animals.

“Hopefully the combination of the bans and the custodial sentences will send a clear message to anyone who is involved in dog fighting, or is thinking about taking part.”

The Chiltern district’s area commander Chief Inspector Ian Hunter said: “This case came about as a result of concerns raised to police by local residents. I hope that today’s result shows that not only have we taken those concerns seriously, but that we and the RSPCA have used all the powers at our disposal to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.

“This type of inhumane offence will not be tolerated by Thames Valley Police. I would urge anyone with information about this type of illegal activity to come forward and speak to police or the RSPCA immediately.

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/9567893.Dog_fight_pair_jailed/

 

Leader of illegal blood-sports ring gets life ban on keeping animals

THE leader of an illegal badger baiting ring has been banned from owning dogs for life after being convicted under new animal cruelty laws.

Andrew Mullen was found to have a haul of photographs showing images of dogs fighting badgers, foxes and deer when his home was raided by police and animal welfare officers following an undercover Scottish SPCA investigation.

The officers taking part in the raid also discovered five seriously injured dogs in the garden of his home in Uddingston in Lanarkshire.

Mullen, 37, who pled guilty to animal cruelty charges when he first appeared in court in January, is the first person in Scotland to be convicted of keeping dogs for baiting wild animals since the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 came into effect.

Yesterday, when he appeared for sentence at Lanark Sheriff Court, Mullen was banned from owning animals for life. Sheriff Nikola Stewart also imposed a six-month curfew order on Mullen and ordered him to perform 200 hours of community service.

The court was told that Mullen, who is unemployed, had organised illegal dog fights against foxes, badgers and deer and kept five dogs for the purposes of animal fighting.

His home in Uddingston was raided in March 2010 and officers discovered a laptop with 340 photographs showing Mullen and his associates goading dogs into fighting and attacking other animals. Mullen was also pictured holding up dead foxes or laying them on the ground, apparently as trophies.

Five dogs, three lurchers, a brown terrier-type puppy and a terrier bitch were found with “terrible” injuries in kennels in Mullen’s back garden. A veterinary examination revealed that three of Mullen’s five dogs had injuries consistent with badger baiting.

Mullen had denied actively using his dogs to fight badgers, but accepted that he allowed others to use them and that he knew the dogs he kept were to be used on badgers.

He admitted breaching the 2006 Animal Health and Welfare Act by keeping five dogs for the purposes of animal fighting between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn welcomed the lifetime ban imposed by Sheriff Stewart.

“We are delighted that Andrew Mullen has been convicted of keeping dogs for the purpose of fighting following our investigation and that a life ban on keeping animals has been imposed,” he said.

“It is very encouraging to see that Scotland’s animal welfare legislation is being used successfully for the protection of both domestic and wild animals. This result sends out an important message that keeping dogs for the purposes of animal fighting is illegal and will not be tolerated.”

He added: “Badger baiting is a heinous crime against badgers. We will continue to actively target badger baiters and we urge anyone with information on those involved in this horrific blood sport to call us, even anonymously, to raise any concerns they might have.”

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/leader_of_illegal_blood_sports_ring_gets_life_ban_on_keeping_animals_1_2149392

 

Dog-fighting father and son given prison sentences

A father and son from Oxfordshire have received prison sentences for owning and training dogs for illegal fighting.

Ian Draper, 47, of Sylvester Close, Burford and Danny Draper, 25, of Witney had admitted several charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

The pair were caught in a covert inquiry by the RSPCA in 2010 when dogs and a video of dog fighting were found.

Ian Draper was given a 20-week prison sentence and Danny Draper a 12-week sentence at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.

Ian Draper was also banned from keeping dogs for life after he admitted breaching his previous 10-year ban he received in 2005. His son was given a 15-year ban.
RSPCA raid

RSPCA officers found five bull terrier-type dogs during a raid at a house in Butterworth Street in Swindon where Ian Draper was living at the time.

The dogs were chained up and being trained on treadmills. Weighted collars, rudimentary veterinary equipment and a video showing two dogs fighting was also found by the RSPCA.

Chief Inspector Mike Butcher of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, tasked with fighting organised animal crime said: “A lot of people describe dog fighting as a sport, but there is nothing sporting in watching two dogs being made to tear each other apart.

“We are obviously pleased to see these men successfully through the court, but Ian and Danny Draper are not the first people to be sentenced for dog fighting, and sadly they won’t be the last.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15385025

Cotswolds villagers ‘organised illegal dogfights

Members of a dog-fighting ring today admitted starving bull terriers to make them more bloodthirsty.

Two women and two men are accused of chaining dogs to treadmills – often in complete darkness – and forcing them to run for hours to lose weight.

The dogs were kept in squalid conditions and were so starved of food that one ate its collar to satisfy the hunger pangs, while another ate its own faeces.

Caged: The dogs were kept in squalid conditions in between fights

Once fighting fit, the dogs were forced into brutal bouts watched by baying punters which could last for up to 40 minutes and often resulted in permanent deformities or death.

Today the four defendants pleaded guilty to a string of animal cruelty and dog fighting charges at Swindon Magistrates Court.

Ian Draper, 47, and his son Danny Draper, 25, admitted keeping six dogs in terrible conditions and using them for fighting.

Katy Davies, 33, admitted aiding and abetting her partner Ian Draper and Danny’s girlfriend Laura Hornsby, 24, admitted causing unnecessary suffering.

Danny Draper

Defendants: Both Danny Draper and his father Ian have pleaded guilty to multiple charges of animal cruelty

All four hail from the Cotswolds, a prosperous and genteel area of the country where David Cameron’s constituency is located.

Iain O’Donnell, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the animals were rescued from their pitiful existence following a tip-off to a vet in Burford.

He said: ‘The nature of the charges against Ian and Danny Draper speak for themselves.

‘They operate in dog fighting. They force dogs to lose weight in the lead up to fights and leave them chained to treadmills out of light in dark sheds.

‘When they fight they are taken to pits, surrounded by people baying them to attack each other, a terrifying experience to be brought into.’

RSPCA officers provided 1,500 pages of evidence on the offences, which date from December 2009 to April 2010.

Treadmill: The dogs were chained to exercise machines and forced to run for hours

The animals were discovered when Ian Draper’s ex-wife Sharon took a painfully thin terrier to the practice to be treated after she had swallowed her own collar in her desperation for food.

Ian Draper

Subsequent searches of the Drapers’ homes unearthed the treadmills, some of which were housed in dark sheds.

Officials also found a break-stick with several teeth marks used to wedge into the jaws of fighting dogs to separate them.

The dogs were often trained to attack previous wounds, or the neck and face, commonly resulting in the animals’ lips being ripped off, the court was told.

Danny Draper pleaded guilty to five charges including possession of items in connection with an animal fight, while his father pleaded guilty to seven charges.

Ian Draper was given a three-month custodial sentence in 2006 for similar offences, and was serving a ten-year ban on keeping animals at the time of the offences.

Davies and Hornsby have also pleaded guilty in relation to the incident.

The two-day sentencing hearing continues tomorrow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2042886/Two-women-villagers-organised-illegal-dogfights-starved-bull-terriers-make-bloodthirsty.html

‘Barbaric’ brothers jailed for dog fighting ring

David and Colin Reid, from Aberdeenshire, were ‘heavily involved’ in the illegal sport.

Two “barbaric” brothers have been jailed for their part in a dog fighting ring after an undercover investigation by an animal welfare charity.

David and Colin Reid admitted taking part in an animal fight and keeping a dog for fighting purposes when they appeared at Banff Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Scottish SPCA inspectors removed six animals from the Reid brothers and discovered graphic video footage of dog fights during raids on their Banff and MacDuff homes.

It is the first conviction for animal fighting under section 23 of the 2006 Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act and only the second ever in Scotland.

David Reid, 22, of Banff, was jailed for six months while 24-year-old Colin Reid, of MacDuff, was jailed for four months. Both men have been banned from keeping dogs for five years.

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said he was disappointed the “cruel” men were not banned from keeping dogs for life.

He said: “Our undercover investigation revealed both David and Colin Reid were heavily involved in dog fighting, a sickening crime which causes dogs horrendous injuries and can often be fatal.

“It is testament to our inspectors involved that these extremely cruel and barbaric men are serving jail sentences.

“During raids on the Reid brothers we discovered video evidence which not only proved their guilt but also clearly demonstrated their fascination in watching the poor dogs involved viciously fight each other.

“We also removed six dogs, including three pit bull terrier type dogs which are illegal having been classified as dangerous, veterinary equipment and various paraphernalia associated with dog fighting.”

Chief Supt Flynn added: “It is pleasing that custodial sentences have been imposed as these were serious offences. We had expected the ban to be for life as these men are evidently unfit to be in possession of a dog.

“We are continually gathering intelligence throughout the country and are particularly concerned about the prevalence of dog fighting in the north-east.

“This case sends a clear message that we will pursue anyone taking part in this abhorrent activity.”

In 2006, David Reid was banned for two years from keeping animals and fined £300 after pleading guilty to cutting off part of both ears of two bull terrier dogs, cruelly ill treating them and causing them unnecessary suffering at Banff Sheriff Court.

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/north/271235-two-barbaric-brothers-jailed-for-dog-fighting/

Please sign this petition

Face Book – Please clean it UP!! No animal abuse allowed on your network

http://www.change.org/petitions/face-book-please-clean-it-up-no-animal-abuse-allowed-on-your-network

There are many groups supporting animal abuse on face book. These groups, mostly dog fighting, have graphic videos, pictures, and are selling and trading pit bulls, and other dogs to fight, some until death. Fighting dogs is illegal in the United States, and in most countries. Face book is based in the United States and should not allow these groups to continue. Just deleting the videos or pictures does not stop the problem. The entire groups need to be deleted off of face book.

There are young adults on face book that do not need to be exposed to such violence.

Also, we are requesting face book to please add a ANIMAL ABUSE button to their report selection. At this time there is no selection to choose to report animal abuse.

Please sign this petition to stop these groups in the act.

http://www.change.org/petitions/face-book-please-clean-it-up-no-animal-abuse-allowed-on-your-network

Thank you