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A man from County Fermanagh has been jailed for animal cruelty offences after he filmed a cat and badger being mauled to death by dogs on his phone.

Jason Lee Kennedy, 35, from Marble Arch Road in Florencecourt pleaded guilty to three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and two of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight.

The judge at Dungannon Crown Court said it was a disturbing case.

“I find it impossible to understand how any human being could deliberately set up the circumstances for such cruelty to another animal,” she said.

'Sadistic and cruel'

His explanation that what he did was vermin control was dismissed by the judge.

“In my opinion what the defendant did was for some distorted view of sport and is sadistic and cruel.

“As can be imagined the suffering of the cats and badgers who were attacked by several frenzied dogs is immense,” the judge added.

She sentenced Kennedy to 27 months, half to be served in custody and half on supervised licence.

The charges arose after the police searched a property at Ross Road in Bellanaleck.

They found over a dozen dogs which they believed were being kept for fighting.

The defendant was arrested and his phone seized which was found to contain a number of videos.

A video dated 28 June 2022 showed Kennedy outside a kennel run containing a cat and a dog.

Two further film clips from that date showed the cat attempting to escape, but it is attacked by four dogs and killed.

A video taken on 4 July 2022 showed Kennedy dragging a badger by a rope.

Three more videos show the badger, which is a protected species, being attacked by up to nine dogs before it is killed.

The prosecution said it was not possible to tell from the videos if these were different badgers.

The dogs also suffered injuries in the incidents.

As well as a prison sentence, Kennedy was banned for owning animals for 10 years.

'Brutality inflicted on animals'

In a statement, the lead officer from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) rural and wildlife crime unit welcomed the conviction.

Supt McDowell commended the work of local officers from the Erne West local policing team in bringing Kennedy to justice.

“We very much welcome the court’s decision today to convict Mr Kennedy for the brutality inflicted on these animals,” Supt McDowell said.

“This case not only demonstrates the commitment we, as a police service, have in tackling wildlife crime, but also the fighting offences committed, which police take very seriously."

He said police "have a responsibility to protect animals from any unnecessary suffering, whilst investigating all reports of organised criminality and abuse”.

Supt McDowell said the three dogs seized by police in April 2022 were taken into care before being rehomed.