Takeley man jailed for involvement in dog fighting ring

The ring were keeping and training dogs for fighting, as well as organising and attending dog fights across Europe.

Billy Leadley, 38, of Bambers Green, Takeley, who operates under the name GSK or Green Street Kennels, pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to provide veterinary treatment for an injury to the dog’s tail.

The dogs were kept in kennels and used for fighting (Image: RSPCA)

The jury also found him guilty of nine further 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, Leadley pleaded guilty to two additional charges - one of failing to meet the needs of nine dogs being kept outside, and owning a prohibited type of dog.

Leadley appeared alongside his co-defendants at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday (June 3) and was sentenced to four years in prison and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.

An image taken from Ali's phone of dogs fighting in the pit in Takeley (Image: RSPCA)

His wife Amy Louise Leadley, 39, also of Bambers Green, was found guilty of three offences, including keeping a premises for use in fighting.

At the end of the trial, she pleaded guilty 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.

Philip Harris Ali, 67, of Manfred Way, Chigwell - who is known in the dog-fighting world as 'Dr Death' - was previously found guilty of 10 offences, 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.

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.

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A fifth man, Paul McClean, 43, of Berrywood Drive, Merseyside, also appeared at court on Monday and entered a guilty plea to one offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

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

The investigation - called Operation Ghoul was led by the RSPCA's Special Operations Unit.

RSPCA chief inspector Ian Briggs said: "Dog fighting is a barbaric and horrific bloodsport 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.

"The dogs involved suffer unimaginable pain, suffering, fear and distress."