A MAN has changed his plea ahead of trial for badger baiting and associated charges which were uncovered during following a PSNI swoop into animal cruelty
Jason Lee Kennedy (35) from Marble Arch Road, Enniskillen previously denied causing suffering to badgers and cats through baiting and fighting which he recorded and supplied to others.
He appeared in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court earlier this year pleading not guilty to 18 charges in total involving six counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, causing or attempting to cause an animal fight and being present at an animal fight.
However, ahead of a trial date being fixed Kennedy was back in the dock where his barrister requested the charges were put to him again.
He pleaded guilty to six counts which the prosecution confirmed satisfied the extent of offending which took place between June 28 and July 4 2022.
The accepted three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, two involving a cat and the other a badger, as well as three counts of causing an animal fight to take place.
The remaining matters are to be left on the court books.
While further details of the case have not yet been disclosed, police at the time of confirmed Kennedy was arrested in the Derrylin area of Fermanagh in March 2023 when a number of dogs were also seized as part of the investigation.
Prosecution counsel Simon Reid previously informed the court video footage of the alleged cruelty is “understood to be quite distressing” and a statement is to be compiled setting out the content.
Following the change in position Judge Fiona Bagnall said pre-sentence reports were required given the gravity and nature of offending.
She remanded Kennedy on continuing bail which includes a ban on possessing any animal, electronic tagging and a curfew to return for sentencing in June.
Earlier this month Kennedy was caught in breach of his bail after police received a report in the early hours of 7 April that he was “Seen in a bar and making comments about killing a cat.”
Officers attended his home and while there a taxi pulled up at 2am from which Kennedy got out and was arrested.
The defence barrister said “There’s no real excuse. It was clearly a lapse of judgement. He’d clearly become frustrated with the bail conditions being in place for such a long period of time.”
A police officer said, “I appreciate this is quite and egregious matter with serious underlying offences however bail is not opposed as this was the first breach.”
The judge agreed but warned Kennedy a different view would be taken if any further breaches occurred.
At the time of arrest a PSNI spokesperson said Kennedy was charged: “With offences including ‘killing, injuring or taking a wild animal’, ‘causing or attempting to cause an animal fight’, ‘being present at an animal fight’ and ‘causing unnecessary suffering to animals.”
Badger baiting is the digging out and killing of badgers, which are a protected species in Northern Ireland.
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