Sunderland poacher made 'barbaric' fox attack films

Arron Crighton said he filmed dogs attacking foxes "for sport"

A poacher who made videos of his whippet killing wild foxes has been jailed for 18 weeks.

Arron Crighton, 21, shared graphic films on social media showing his dog Jet attacking foxes "for sport".

Jet, who was injured but did not receive treatment, has been re-homed. Crighton admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and hunting a wild mammal with a dog.

South Tyneside magistrates banned him from keeping animals for 10 years.

Jet the whippet has been re-homed

PC Peter Baker, of Northumbria Police, said: "The photographs and videos that Arron Crighton made were incredibly distressing and graphic.

"It is clear that he not only showed a total disregard for the welfare of these animals, but took satisfaction from filming this barbaric and criminal activity."

He said Crighton was caught after a concerned member of public saw the videos and contacted police.

One film included footage of a dog fighting with a fox and a person appearing to hold the fox down with their foot.

Jet suffered a number of injuries which were left untreated by Crighton

A second video showed two dogs with their jaws locked around the fox's neck and body, while a picture was also taken showing Crighton and others holding a dog which had a bloodied fox in its mouth.

In a raid on his home on Kismet Street, Sunderland, officers found his phone contained hundreds of photos and videos showing the attacks and subsequent injuries.

When asked why he had done it, Crighton responded "for sport", a police spokesman said.