News RSS Feed


Children questioned over slaughter of 100 animals

3:31pm Sunday 6th July 2008

comment Comments (16)   Have your say »


FOUR children have been quizzed by police after the sickening slaughter of more than 100 animals on an allotment.

Officers were called to Springfield allotments where they were met by the carnage of butchered geese, ducks, chickens, ferrets and goats.

It is believed the animals - including some rare breeds - were bludgeoned with blunt instruments.

Blood-soaked weapons, which included a crowbar, claw hammer, a three-pronged hoe - used with such force it had bent out of shape - and a garden rake, were found at the scene covered in feathers.

Allotment owner and animal fanatic Neil Porritt, 46, of Guisborough, said he still could not believe what happened.

He said: "Last Tuesday I got a phone call from a friend asking me to come to the allotment, in Rectory Lane, Guisborough.

"There were dead ducks, fluffy white chicks and goslings lying everywhere.

"There were animals with broken limbs, some limping, some lay dying - it was absolute carnage."

He found a hen with a broken back, some with smashed hips, broken legs and others which had been struck with such force that their wings had been ripped off.

"Everything was slaughtered - whoever did this must have been in a frenzy just attacking any animal they saw.

"There was a baby goat which had a cut on his head. It was found in a greenhouse which had its windows smashed. It has also been pelted with eggs."

The attack has cost £3,000 in vet bills and losses.

A fellow allotment holder, who asked not to be identified, said: "It's a great shame as this allotment included special rare breeds of hens and ducks."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "We can confirm that four children - a 12-year-old girl, two 12-year-old boys and a 13-year-old boy - have been interviewed under police caution."

Print article » Email to a friend »

Your Say YourThe Northern Echo

C Smith, Marske-by-the-Sea says...
3:57pm Sun 6 Jul 08

Words actually fail me at how disgusting this behaviour is. They need to be given the birch.

Report this post »

Marie, Darlo says...
4:21pm Sun 6 Jul 08

Blame the stupid parents. Apparently they've taught these brats nothing. I'm sure they'll get a "severe talking to" and that's all. I hope someone is made to pay the vet's bills but I doubt that will happen either. Next time they kill "something", it'll probably be a person.

Report this post »

nikki, says...
6:04pm Sun 6 Jul 08

i feel so sick at what has happen my husband has an allotment and he has 18 chickens on it i know how i would feel if this had happened to them. i dont know what the children of today are thinking of. they have no respect for themselves,others and animals it makes you wonder what the next genaration is going to be like.

Report this post »

steven, durham says...
6:36pm Sun 6 Jul 08

name and shame them.

Report this post »

victoria, north east says...
6:38pm Sun 6 Jul 08

these children are disgusting, they should be left in a small room with a grizzly bear, a bull and a swarm of angry bees

Report this post »

Jess, Durham says...
6:53pm Sun 6 Jul 08

I could not believe what I was reading here - like something from a horror movie. What kind of emotionless monsters are we breeding??? We see similar reports from time to time (although nothing ever as bad as this before), but although we hear that police are looking into it, not a whole lot seems to be done as far as I can see. Same goes for all the stabbings going on - how much more can we take before someone says "enough"?

Report this post »

Andrea, Durham says...
8:41pm Sun 6 Jul 08

What is going on with the youth of today! They are absolute savages. This is disgusting, the poor animals must have been terrified.

Report this post »

Ken, Chester-le-Street says...
9:35pm Sun 6 Jul 08

I think the parents should be prosecuted as well as the so called children that did this as they really do not care what their children are doing.
I makes me wonder what is happenong to this society these days.

Report this post »

Dan, Gateshead says...
9:51pm Sun 6 Jul 08

Serious to God, what is going on with the parenting skills of todays family's? Im only 24 but at no point in my youth did I decide that maiming and killing innocent animals would be a way to pass the time.

Report this post »

carol, durham says...
5:54am Mon 7 Jul 08

its beyond belief.what on earth is this world coming to.these children will get a telling off wheres the justice in that.make the parents pay they might then have a care of where their kids are and what they getting upto.

Report this post »

Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe says...
9:33am Mon 7 Jul 08

What the hell is happening to this country? what is being taught at school these days? is know one teaching children how to grow up these days

Report this post »

Si, Bishop Auckland says...
9:50am Mon 7 Jul 08

Its hardly fair to blame the teachers. Try looking at the parents!

Report this post »

Ellen, Durham says...
9:58am Mon 7 Jul 08

What is wrong with these kids? Never in my life have I ever hurt, or wanted to hurt, another living creature. Why would they do this to these poor, defenceless animals. Absolutely despicable, the parenst should pay up and as for the kids, well what should happen to them I dare not type.

Report this post »

Lindsay, Barnsley says...
1:56pm Mon 7 Jul 08

What is it with the North East and animal cruelty? Whenever a case of animal cruelty is mentioned in the national press 9/10 it's happened in the North East or South Yorkshire. The coincidence is that both are depressed areas, ex mining areas with high levels of unemployment. This must be a factor in how children are brought/dragged up and educated. Something must be done in the schools to educate children on the welfare of animals as this problem is totally out of hand

Report this post »

pauline routledge, Durham says...
3:37pm Mon 7 Jul 08

what an absolute disgrace. Makes me ashamed to come from north east. I agree with earlier comments-make parents pay the vets bills then they might think/care what their kids are getting up to. What is wrong with young people today-in my youth no-one did horrible senseless acts like this? name and shame the kids who did it.

Report this post »

Sick, says...
11:42am Tue 8 Jul 08

Nothing is ever going to change in this country and punishment just seems to be obsolete. The parents don't give a s**t as long as there sat on there fat arses living of our tax money. Kids aren't scared anymore as they know they cannot be touched and they are 100% right as this country is going down the pan.

Report this post »

Comments are closed on this article.

In this section

Blogs

Sponsored Links






Local Advertisers


Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »