TWO women have been jailed for publishing monkey torture videos as police admit it is 'the most disturbing case they have ever worked on".
Adriana Orme, of The Beeches, near Upton, and Holly LeGresley, of Baldwin Road, Kidderminster, were described as “depraved, sickening and wicked” by the judge as he sentenced them today at Worcester Crown Court.
Mother-of-three, Orme, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to publishing an obscene article by uploading one image and 26 videos of monkey torture.
Her co-defendant LeGresley, aged 37, was jailed for two years after admitting she uploaded 22 images and 132 videos of monkeys being tortured to online chat groups and made a PayPal account to encourage cruelty.
Judge James Burbidge KC said he had been left “almost in disbelief” by the evidence in the case.
He added: “Quite what led you two women of good character and, I am satisfied, some intelligence, to engage in such a forum is beyond comprehension by any right-thinking member of society.”
The two had entered The Monkey Hate community - an online group of people who enjoy watching and paying for videos of monkeys being abused, tortured and killed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Their interest and involvement escalated until they were arrested by West Mercia Police in September and October 2022 as part of a joint operation with the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Arrowsmith, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said: “This is without doubt one of the most disturbing cases that my team and I have ever worked on.
“The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible.
" The suffering the animals endured is sickening and sadistic; it’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could find it enjoyable to watch and be part of.
“This is the first time in British legal history that charges relating to animal cruelty have been brought under the Serious Crime Act 2007 for cruelty that took place abroad, but where the offenders are in the UK, making this a landmark case. "
LeGresley and Orme’s interest in the subject was initially through YouTube but it escalated to groups on private messaging platforms such as Telegram and Discord.
Through these groups, both women developed links to one of the main organisers - a man from the USA called Michael Macartney, known online as ‘The Torture King’.
Macartney was jailed for three years and four months earlier this month for his part in the ring.
LeGresley took on the role of ‘admin’ in a group on Telegram and welcomed new members by helping them access videos and photographs.
She would direct people on how to make payment for the production of the video, with her and Orme contributing financially.
Sarah Kite, co-founder of Action for Primates, who was pivotal in providing evidence in this case, said: "The complete lack of empathy both women showed for the terror and suffering of the monkeys, some just a few days old, is so disturbing."
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