Cock fighting farmer arrested

A FARMER WHO held illegal cock fighting events on his farm was fined and jailed by Mid Sussex magistrates‘ court on Tue (Apr 12).

Police and RSPCA officials stormed a corrugated steel building on a West Sussex farm belonging to Joseph Keet, a duck breeder, in April last year.

Mr Keet and nine other men were arrested.

Mr Keet was jailed for 90 days and ordered to pay costs of £5000.  He was also banned for life from keeping cockerels, The  Independent reports.

According to the RSPCA similar events are held throughout the country at fortnightly intervals by organised groups totalling about 400 men.

The magistrate described the event as “utterly barbaric” and “torture” the RSPCA added that the event was “highly organised”.

Inside the barn the RSPCA also found 15 other birds, one cockerel was dead and one severely injured.

It is a rare occurrence for a successful prosecution to be brought against those involved in the barbaric sport, but police were helped by an amateur video made by one of the perpetrators.

Cock fighting has been banned in the UK since 1835.