Pair jailed for 'sickening' violence against animals in New Forest

Todd Cooper (left) and Kristen Cooper held down a deer and struck it down with a blunt object, police said

Two men who filmed themselves torturing animals in a series of "sickening" attacks have been jailed.

Kristen and Todd Cooper admitted undertaking the cruelty in the New Forest, Hampshire, after the footage was found on one of their phones.

An expert described the videos of animal abuse as among the worst cases he had seen in 24 years, police said

Kristen Cooper, 24, was jailed for five years, while 29-year-old Todd Cooper received three years and eight months.

Police said the pair, who were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court, held down a deer and struck it down with a blunt object during one of the incidents.

Dorset Police, with support from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, investigated the men, and carried out a warrant at Kristen Cooper's home in Bransgore in October 2022.

Deer like the ones attacked (not pictured here) are a common sight in the New Forest

Officers seized his phone, which had videos of the men harming animals, mainly in rural areas at night.

Kristen Cooper was seen causing suffering to injured deer and hares and in some cases encouraging dogs to attack them, police said.

Other videos showed mutilated wildlife.

PC Sebastian Haggett, of the rural crime team, said Kristen Cooper had "repeatedly subjected animals to horrific levels of pain and suffering, seemingly for his own and others' amusement".

He added: "These are without doubt some of the most horrifying offences I have ever investigated."

'Deplorable'

Kristen Cooper admitted seven offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Todd Cooper, from Sway, admitted the offence involving the striking of the deer.

Both were also sentenced for assault and weapons offences committed in the New Forest area last March.

David Sidwick, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, called Kristen Cooper a "prolific offender" who had "committed deplorable and sickening acts of cruelty".

Kristen Cooper also admitted handling stolen goods from farms in East Dorset, criminal damage, and for "intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of a criminal offence... where a vehicle was driven deliberately at a police car and a further two cars".

He was handed a ten-year Criminal Behaviour Order preventing him from owning a catapult, and from being on agricultural land between 00:00 and 06:00.

He was also banned from owning a dog for 10 years, and sentenced for using a motor vehicle without third party insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence.