Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 A man who was caught on CCTV watching a cock-fight in Bristol has been sent to prison for 18 weeks.

George Loveridge, 38, from Bristol, admitted his role in the cock-fight at Patchway at an earlier court hearing.

North Avon magistrates gave two other men involved in the event suspended sentences.

Michael Purcell, 26, from Frampton Cottrell, was given a 12-week suspended term. Benjamin Jones, 27, from Bristol, received an eight-week suspended term.

Purcell was also ordered to complete 250 hours of community work.

Purcell had been found guilty of two charges under the Animal Welfare Act. Loveridge and Jones admitted their roles in the event.

‘No harm’

The event, which took place at a travellers’ site at Highwood Lane, was captured by CCTV cameras at the shopping mall at Cribbs Causeway on 4 October 2007.

Police were alerted after Loveridge was seen shooting one of the birds at the end of the fight.

Purcell had tried to wring the shot bird’s neck before throwing it over a hedge. He told police he did this as a “humane act”.

Speaking to the police during an interview, Purcell said: “I never done no harm to no-one. It was only a bird at the end of the day.

“I don’t live there – I just went to visit the kids. I didn’t think it was nice for them all to be there.”

Brenda Armstrong, chair of the bench that convicted Purcell, said: “He chose to stay and watch.”

Loveridge, of Mancroft Avenue, Lawrence Weston, Bristol, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a cockerel and causing an animal fight to take place.

Jones, who lives at the Highwood Lane site, admitted taking part in an animal fight. He was ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.

Purcell, of Park Lane, Frampton Cotterell, near Bristol, denied being present at the fight and taking part in it, but was convicted on both counts. He was ordered to pay £4,000 costs.

Cock-fighting was outlawed in England in 1835, at the same time as bear-baiting.

Outside North Avon Magistrates’ Court, RSPCA Inspector for Bristol Chris James said it was usually very difficult to prosecute cock-fighting cases.

“Cock-fighting is an underground activity and it is very difficult to get the evidence to bring a prosecution which is why the CCTV footage is priceless,” he said.

“The birds were repeatedly put together even when they broke from each other because they had had enough.

“It is deliberate cruelty and has been illegal for 150 years.”  

Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional |