THE TRIAL of six people accused of a raft of offences relating to dog and animal fighting has restarted.
The five men and one woman – Nathan Baker, Craig Ford, Benjamin Luscombe, Craige McCormick, Alex Salt and Kerry Wrightson – have already spent nearly two weeks on trial at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court, where they face a total of 33 counts under the Animal Welfare Act, the Protection of Badgers Act and the Deer Act.
All six deny the charges.
The case was brought following a joint investigation by police and the RSPCA into a group which called themselves "Devon Destroyers", which prosecutors said "appeared to delight in killing any animals they found".
Baker, aged 21, from River Park, Horrabridge faces two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, one of not ensuring the welfare of an animal, one count of killing a deer at night, one count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight, one of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place, one count of wilfully killing a badger and two counts of being present at an animal fight.
Ford, aged 24, of Bampfylde Way, Southway faces one count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight, one count of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place and one of wilfully killing a badger.
Luscombe, aged 25, of Kennel Hill Close, Plymouth, faces one count of not ensuring the welfare of an animal, one count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight, one count of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place, one count of wilfully killing a badger and one of killing a deer at night.
McCormick, age 24, of Summerlands Gardens, Chaddlewood, faces one count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight, two counts of killing a deer at night, three counts of wilfully killing a badger and three counts of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place.
Salt, aged 24, of Coldrennick Street, Barne Barton faces one count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight, one of wilfully killing a badger and one count of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place. Wrightson, 21, from River Park, Horrabridge faces two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and one count of not ensuring the welfare of an animal.
A seventh person, Jack Curnow, aged 23, of no fixed abode, has pleaded guilty to one count of killing a deer at night while another count of keeping/training dogs for use in connection with an animal fight has been dismissed. He will be sentenced at a later date.
During a previous hearing prosecutor for the RSPCA John Wyatt told Plymouth magistrates the joint investigation ran from July 2013 to the beginning of this year. He evidence included mobile phone analysis and DVD footage.
During the opening statement by the RSPCA's lawyer, the court heard how investigators found sets of deer antlers, a decaying deer head and a large meat hook in one property in Plympton. Dogs suffering a number of wounds were also seized and examination of mobile phones seized during the inquiry showed footage of the a number of the defendants setting dogs on deer before its throat was cut, butchered and the meat shared between the dogs.
The phones also revealed messages passed between the defendants – who called themselves the 'Devon Destroyers' – about going into the countryside at night and killing – or 'smashing' – whatever they could find, including deer, badgers and foxes.
The first part of the trial ran from October 12 to 23. The trial restarted on November 4 and is expected to run for the next two to three weeks.
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