International 'barbaric' dog fighting ring smashed

Paul McClean, of Berrywood Drive, Whiston, appeared in court on Monday, June 3, to enter a guilty plea to the offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

McClean admitted to having in his possession or custody a pit bull terrier on or before May 18, 2022.

He was fined £100 and disqualified from keeping dogs for three years.

Meanwhile, three members of the gang were jailed for keeping and training dogs for fighting, and organising and attending fights across Europe.

Dog fighting gang sentenced

Three men and one woman had been convicted by a jury in April of an array of offences following a five-week trial. They all returned to Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced.

Phillip Harris Ali, 67, referred to in the dog fighting world as Dr Death, of Manford Way, Chigwell, Essex, was previously found guilty of 10 offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, including four offences of keeping and/or training a dog for use in a fight, and two of causing a fight.

He was sentenced to five years in prison and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

Members of the gang have been sentenced (Image: RSPCA)

Billy Leadley, 38, who is also known as GSK or Green Street Kennels, of Bambers Green, Takeley, Essex, entered a guilty plea to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to provide veterinary treatment for an injury to the dog’s tail, part-way through the trial.

The jury also found him guilty of a further nine offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006; including keeping a premises for use in fighting, taking part in a fight by refereeing, and keeping and/or training a dog for use in a dog fight. At the end of the trial, Billy Leadley entered guilty pleas to two additional charges, one of failing to meet the needs of nine dogs being kept outside, and owning a prohibited type of dog.

He was sentenced to four years in prison and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

READ > Crews called to fire at town centre building undergoing redevelopment

Billy’s wife, Amy Louise Leadley, 39, also of Bambers Green, Takeley, Essex, was found guilty of three offences, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, including keeping a premises for use in fighting.  At the end of the trial, Amy Leadley entered a guilty plea to one offence of failing to meet the needs of seven dogs in their house.

She was sentenced to an 18-month community order including 200 hours of unpaid work and a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement. She was also disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

Stephen Albert Brown, 57, of Burrow Road, Chigwell, Essex, was found guilty of five offences, including three of keeping and/or training a dog for use in an animal fight.

He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

All were ordered to pay a victim surcharge and the RSPCA’s court costs were all awarded from central funds.

The dog fighting gang members were sentenced in court (Image: RSPCA)

RSPCA investigation busts dog fighting ring

The RSPCA had launched an investigation into dog fighting in the Essex and London areas after one of the charity’s officers visited Ali’s address, in Chigwell, Essex, in August 2021, following information relating to the welfare of a dog at the property.

The officer was concerned after seeing treadmills and scarring on the dogs’ faces and reported his concerns to his colleagues in the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit - a taskforce which investigates serious and organised animal crime, including dog fighting.

The team gathered information and intelligence on Ali, prompting a warrant at his Chigwell address on March 14, 2022 which was executed by the Metropolitan Police. Two dogs - Dotti and Oscar - were seized by police and placed into RSPCA care.

Officers discovered a vet kit, containing steroids, antibiotics, an IV kit for fluids and skin staplers, as well as items used for training fighting dogs, including treadmills, break sticks and flirt poles.

A mobile phone - with a device name of ‘Phillip’s iPhone - was also seized which investigators managed to access. It revealed a wide network of people using WhatsApp and secure messaging apps to plan fights, discuss training, debrief after fights, and share tips on how to treat injuries. Ali had recorded and sent hours worth of WhatsApp voice notes going into detail about his dogs.

The phone and other evidence led to three further warrants which were executed by Essex Police and Merseyside Police on May 18, 2022 - at the Leadleys’ address in Takeley, near Bishops Stortford, in Essex; at Brown’s address in Chigwell, Essex; and at McClean’s address in Whiston.

'A barbaric and horrific blood sport'

RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Briggs heads up the charity’s Special Operations Unit, which led the investigation - called Operation Ghoul - into the gang.

He said: “Dog fighting is a barbaric and horrific blood sport which has been illegal in this country for almost 190 years; yet there is a secretive and clandestine underworld where it continues to happen today.

“It has become a hobby, passion and source of entertainment for the people involved, but the reality is that the dogs involved suffer unimaginable pain, suffering, fear and distress. It’s only right that when we have evidence of the people who breed and train dogs for this life, individuals who own and handle dogs in the fighting ring, and those responsible for organising, hosting and refereeing the fights face justice in the courtroom.

“This gang dedicated their lives to breeding, preparing and training what they believed were champion fighting dogs. They enjoyed the build-up to a fight and the excitement of the bloody brawls, as well as trying to patch their injured and dying dogs back together after the event.

"Sadly, some of the dogs in this case suffered severe injuries and were never found but a mobile phone recovered as part of the investigation included match reports that detailed awful and fatal injuries suffered by some of the dogs involved.”

PC Kerry Rowson of Essex Police said: “The brutal crimes committed by Ali and Brown were cruel, calculated and entirely for their own profit.

“Our officers support the RSPCA across the county in tackling violent animal abuse, and it is right these two men [and others] faced justice for their actions.”

One dog was seized from McClean’s Whiston home, and 16 dogs were seized from the Leadleys’ address in Takeley, including a large number of bullbreeds thought to have been used for fighting. Many of the dogs were being kept in poor conditions in dirty pens in a garage.

In her witness statement, the lead RSPCA investigator - Inspector Kirsty Withnall - described the area as ‘dark, dingy and filthy’ with a strong smell of urine and faeces. 

A slat mill, vet kit and books about dog fighting were all recovered from Brown’s address; while a flirt pole, slat mills, break sticks, weighted collars and other weight training equipment were all seized from the Leadleys’.

At the Leadleys’ property, inspectors also discovered a 12ft x 8ft dog fighting pit in the garage area. In her statement, Inspector Withnall said: “The area had a cream carpet and it looked like there could be blood splatters on the wall, so it was arranged for scenes of crime officers to attend. I recognised this area to match photos I had seen on Ali’s phone (dated 20/10/21 and 21/10/21) of a black bull breed dog and a tan bull breed dog fighting in this pit area.”

Forensic tests on blood were carried out (Image: RSPCA)

Forensic tests were undertaken on 10 samples from the fighting pit area and confirmed that blood came from at least five different dogs.

The information on the phone connected all of the defendants, and held information relating to a number of fights, including four specific fights.

Mobile phone was 'goldmine of information'

Speaking outside court, RSPCA SOU Chief Inspector Ian Muttitt, who gave evidence in court, said: “The mobile phone was a goldmine of information and evidence, including graphics videos and images of brutal dog fights, match reports detailing the results of fights, the gang’s travel plans for specific events, and messages where they discussed preparing for fights, results, and injuries the dogs had suffered.

“The match reports saved on Ali’s phones went into graphic detail about the injuries the dogs were suffering as a result of these fights. In the third fight, Bonnie lost within 25 minutes and suffered two possible broken legs in the bout but continued to fight for her life. We never found her so we have no idea what her fate was.

“We also found messages that show there was a fight planned for 25/26 March 2022 and that Dotti and Oscar - who we removed from Ali - were also due to fight later in the year, for £5,000 and £3,000 prize pots. Thankfully we rescued them before they were forced to fight again.”

But in a message, sent by Ali and recovered from McClean’s phone, Ali said he wanted to reschedule the fight.

Brighter futures for dogs rescued from life ‘not worth living’

A total of 19 dogs were seized by police and taken into the RSPCA’s care as part of Operation Ghoul. Four of the dogs sadly had to be put to sleep, for health and welfare issues or due to their dangerous behaviour, but the others have all been undergoing specialist rehabilitation and training with teams across the country.

RSPCA Behaviour and Welfare Specialist Claire said: “A lot of these dogs were nervous and shut down when they arrived in our care and many had extensive scarring on their muzzles, heads, chests and front legs; something we see in dogs who have been involved in organised fighting.

RSPCA Behaviour and Welfare Specialist Claire (Image: RSPCA)

“The dogs were being kept in poor conditions, with little interaction with the outside world, except for when they were taken to fight another dog in bloody bouts that often ended in serious and fatal injuries. They had never experienced what it’s like to curl up on a sofa and feel safe, or the fun of running through grassy fields or chasing after a football. They didn’t have lives worth living.

“But now they’re getting the love and care that they deserve and have really blossomed and come out of their shells.”

One of the dogs, eight-year-old bull breed Jane - who was removed from one of the pens in the garage at the Leadleys’ home - has been settling into a loving foster home.

Her fosterer Debbie, who now plans to adopt her, said: “Jane is doing brilliantly and has settled in so well. Her behaviour is fantastic and she loves to go out for walks, and have a good sniff. She just wants to enjoy life and is really chilled.

“I’ve known her for over a year as I volunteer at the centre she was at but she still surprises me every day. I’m so glad I’ve ended up with her and we’re a great match. We suit each other well and both enjoy the quiet life.

Jane (Image: RSPCA)

“She’s really chilled out and enjoys snoozing in the sun until she gets too hot, and then she moves into the shade. She can be fussy about eating so I’ve been roasting her chicken and cooking her steak, and she’s slowly building up a good appetite. She’s certainly very spoiled!”

Another of the dogs rescued from Takeley, CJ, is also preparing for life with his new foster family. 

The court deprived the gang of all dogs and their ownership was moved to the RSPCA.