A primary school worker and her boyfriend have been found guilty of wildlife offences after shocking videos revealed they encouraged a two-year-old to kill badgers and foxes during a disturbing family day out.
A court heard that teaching assistant Paris Jade Carding, 28, of Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester appeared in 32 clips of “shocking and horrendous” incidents of animal cruelty.
In one video, her boyfriend Grant Leigh Jnr, 30 can be seen showing the toddler how to hit a badger with a spade while in another clip, Carding, who was a teaching assistant for six years until 2021, urged the toddler to get a lurcher dog to attack a badger den saying “her face is going to be smashed. Good boy, get him out. Look at them fighting.”
The joint investigation by Cheshire Police and the RSPCA found Carding guilty on five animal cruelty charges at Tameside Magistrates’ Court.
Leigh Jr admitted to seven animal cruelty offences including hunting with dogs and keeping dogs in poor conditions, after changing his plea to guilty at the start of the trial.
Grant Leigh Snr, 52, who boasted about taking his son Leigh Jr out badger baiting to celebrate his release from prison was also found guilty of two offences under the Animal Welfare Act and faces more prison time.
He was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a terrier, alongside failing to properly look after six other dogs.
The maximum penalty for offences under the Animal Welfare Act is now up to five years in prison but at the time the offences were committed, it was six months.
They were arrested after a police rural crime officer was contacted about photos that had been posted in private Facebook group, The Real Terrier Men and Lurcher Men, where Leigh Snr operated as the admin.
Photos and videos of illegal fox hunting and badger baiting were shown in the group.
The posts, by Leigh Snr, suggested he was looking to take his son out badger baiting to celebrate his release from prison.
Another picture he posted showed his partner with a fox and another of a black and white dog with blood on its face.
Officers traced the three suspects and seized seven dogs including two Lurchers and two Patterdale terriers - many of which had telltale injuries consistent with “hunting activities.”
Six of the injured hounds were rescued from dirty and squalid kennels at the rear of Grant Sr's home in Hyde. The seventh was found at Carding's home.
During the arrests, mobile phones were also seized where inspectors found videos and photos of dogs engaged in hunting and fighting with wild animals such as badgers and foxes.
RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall, a case officer for the charity's Special Operation Unit, told the court: “Upon interrogating the phones, it was discovered that recordings had been made of extensive and graphic badger and fox persecution.
“It also became apparent that Leigh Jnr's partner, Paris Carding, was present during these recordings.
“She was responsible for taking the footage, was heard encouraging both Leigh Jnr and the dogs during the attacks and was completely complicit.”
At one property officers found a kennel block in the back garden containing six dogs. Two black Patterdale Terriers had scarring on their faces and one was underweight.
They were seen on the videos from the phones being used to hunt and fight wildlife just two days before they were seized. Three bull lurcher types also had facial injuries; and a white and black terrier had fresh wounds and a swollen face and muzzle.
PC Jim Clark from Cheshire Constabulary said after the conviction: “This investigation uncovered a horrific catalogue of abuses and neglect of animals and cruelty to wildlife.
“This result reinforces our determination to work with our colleagues at the RSPCA to deter this type of behaviour as part of our commitment to protecting our rural communities.”
All three will be sentenced on 9 March.
