A Derrylin man has been jailed for over two years and banned from keeping aniumals for 10 years aftyer he was found guilty of badger baiting and associated charges. Jason Lee Kennedy from Marble Arch Road previously denied causing suffering to badgers and cats through baiting and fighting which he recorded and supplied to others. One lawyer decsribed Kennedy's cruelty to animals as "depraved".
Zoe Tunney reports: "Kennedy later changed his plea and appeared in the dock for sentencing having admitted three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, two involving a cat and the other a badger, as well as three counts of causing animal fights to take place. Police at the time 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 KC set out the shocking incidents which were captured on 12 videos while Judge Fiona Bagnall, shook her head in disgust. Much of the details are too severe to report however in basic terms a number of cats were mauled to death after being put into pens with groups of dogs. In another a badger was "dragged by a rope" into a pen where nine dogs set about a vicious attack. The badger is heard squealing in pain and distress "Yet," the court heard, "no-one sought to intervene at any time." All animals used in baiting were either mauled to death or severely injured, and some of the dogs also had extensive wounds sustained through fighting.
Defence counsel Ciaran Roddy conceded the case of high culpability and noted the "depravity" of the offending but urged against imprisonment as Kennedy, "Does have previous issues and could rekindle his behaviour if jailed." Describing it as a "disturbing case" Judge Fiona Bagnall remarked: "The violence was gratuitous and the animals clearly suffered prolonged agonising deaths. The defendant knew exactly what would happen. These were planned gatherings." Judge Bagnall imposed a sentence of two years and three months and banned Kennedy from owning any animal for 10 years.
