Women who shared over 100 videos of monkeys being tortured jailed

Two women have been jailed after uploading hundreds of images and videos of monkeys being tortured to online group chats.
Holly LeGresley, of Baldwin Road, Kidderminster and a second defendant, Adriana Orme, 55, of The Beeches, Ryall, near Upton-upon-Severn were both found to have encouraged and assisted others in torturing monkeys online.
Passing sentence, Judge James Burbidge KC said Dutch-born Orme and LeGresley, had joined online chat groups which encouraged torture of monkeys by offenders based in Indonesia.
The judge, who said he had been left “almost in disbelief” by the evidence in the case, told the defendants: “Quite what led you two women of good character and, I am satisfied, some intelligence, to engage in such a forum is beyond comprehension by any right-thinking member of society.”
The court had heard both women shared footage of the animals being tortured. It has been clarified that the women did not carry out monkey torture themselves.
LeGresley has been jailed for two years and Orme has been sentenced to 15 months.
Messages sent from Holly’s pseudonym online indicated she was aware of the risk.
She had even created rules, demanding new members had to upload a ‘rat torture video’ to be accepted into the online group.
LeGresley admitted to uploading images of monkey torture between March 25 and May 8 2022, and made a £17.24 payment to a PayPal account to encourage cruelty on April 25 of the same year.
West Mercia Police charged LeGresley after being informed by the national wildlife crime unit, the court heard.
“The suffering the animals endured is sickening”
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Arrowsmith, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said: “This is without doubt one of the most disturbing cases that my team and I have ever worked on.
“The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible.
“The suffering the animals endured is sickening and sadistic; it’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could find it enjoyable to watch and be part of.
“This is the first time in British legal history that charges relating to animal cruelty have been brought under the Serious Crime Act 2007 for cruelty that took place abroad, but where the offenders are in the UK, making this a landmark case.
“I’m pleased that Le Gresley and Orme will now face justice for their part in this abhorrent and vile cruelty.
Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, Head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, added: “Today we have taken another step forward in a large scale and ongoing transnational investigation into the worst cruelty I have ever seen.
“LeGresley and Orme acted as more than mere participants in this complex web of unjustifiable torture. They hid behind a veil of secrecy on the internet, assuming that their participation in crimes overseas would not bring the police to their doors in the UK.
“Most investigations where a wild animal has been taken for human use revolve around money. However, this investigation has identified the group were not motivated by finances, instead they were motivated by inflicting as much suffering as possible to these defenceless animals.
“Let this serve as a reminder that wildlife crime exists today in many forms. The NWCU has the expertise, resources, and co-ordination skills to work with UK and international enforcers to bring cases like this to justice.”
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