By Lucy Caulkett-
A 37-year-old woman from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, has pleaded guilty to charges of publishing obscene articles and intentionally encouraging animal cruelty after uploading disturbing images and videos of monkeys being tortured to online chat groups.
The case, which involved 22 images and 132 videos, was brought to light following an investigation by the BBC into the torture of monkeys overseas.
During a hearing at Worcester Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Angela Hallan emphasized the severity of the case, describing it as falling into the category of “sadism and high harm.” LeGresley’s sentencing hearing is set to consider “all options” due to the nature of the offenses.
A second defendant, Adriana Orme, 55, from Ryall, Worcestershire, also faced similar charges but did not enter a plea during the hearing. Orme is alleged to have uploaded one image and 26 videos of monkey torture to online groups between April and June 2022.
Additionally, she is accused of encouraging or assisting the commission of unnecessary suffering by making a payment to a PayPal account.
While both defendants were identified as participants in online chat groups where the disturbing content was shared, neither carried out the acts of monkey torture themselves, as clarified by Ms. Hallan.
LeGresley admitted to uploading the disturbing content and making a payment to a PayPal account to encourage cruelty. Her actions took place between March and May 2022.
The severity of the charges prompted the decision to transfer Orme’s case to crown court, where she is due to appear on June 5.
As part of their bail conditions, both defendants were ordered not to have unsupervised contact with any animal or child. The case highlights the importance of addressing and penalizing individuals who perpetuate cruelty towards animals, even in the online sphere.