WARNING - THIS VIDEO IS DISTURBING. Horrific footage released of acts of cruelty to dogs in Lincolnshire

John Herbert Knibbs (55) of Polyanthus Drive, Sleaford, was convicted at at Lincoln Magistrates’ court yesterday (Tuesday) in absence for a number of allegations including keeping and training dogs for fighting, ear cropping, and causing unnecessary suffering to a bull terrier called Baddy (pictured) and another called Panther by failing to provide veterinary care for their injuries.

Kimberleigh Joanne Steele (30) of Polyanthus Drive, Sleaford, was also convicted in absence for aiding and abetting Mr Knibbs who was already in breach of a disqualification ban.

Mr Knibbs was first prosecuted for dog fighting by the RSPCA in 2009 where he was disqualified from keeping animals for life. He was convicted of breaching his ban in 2016. On investigation of a second breach of ban, police and the RSPCA obtained a warrant on September 2017 to search a premises in Sleaford.

It was here that they found eight dogs including an American Bulldog, a Bully Kutta cross Presa Canario, and a Pitbull terrier.

The investigation uncovered paraphernalia commonly used by people involved in dog fighting, including a ‘flirt pole’, a long pole with a rope attached and a ‘break stick’, a tool commonly used to break up a dog fight. There were also messages and photos on Mr Knibbs’ mobile phone which led to two other addresses - and the people connected with these became the subject of two further warrants on November 2, 2017.

One led to an address in Willows End, Bloxholm, and one in Anglesey, Wales, where Panther, who was scarred from fighting, was found.

Adam Scott, of Aber Eilian Bach, LLaneilian, Amlwch, Anglesey, was convicted for having in his possession or custody two Pitbull terrier type dogs, contrary to Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, as well as aiding and abetting a disqualification order for Mr Knibbs.

A warrant is out for the arrest of Stephen John Gardner (58) of Willows End, Bloxholm, who failed to attend court.

RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall, from the charity’s Special Operations Unit who investigated, said: “Some of these dogs had been trained to fight and some of them had been left suffering with horrible injuries from fighting. Although we never found the body of Baddy, the pictures and subsequent text messages about the fight revealed that there were severe puncture wounds to his head and the enforced fight between Baddy and a much larger Presa Canario was gruelling, lasting a total of 45 minutes. The videos also showed further evidence of this cruel and barbaric practice and the suffering of these dogs would have been horrendous.”

Videos taken on Knibbs’ mobile phone showed dogs being forced to fight, and another running on a treadmill - a common training technique used to build up strength for fighting dogs. Text messages referred to the ‘45 minute’ fight revealing that “Baddy went in to kill him and the Presa jumped out of window to get away.” Another text revealed that one of the dogs could ‘crush all his bones with one bite.’

Insp Withnall added: “This was an organisation involved in keeping and breeding of dogs for fighting, owned and run by Mr Knibbs, a convicted dog fighter who had changed his name to John Donaghy to try and remain undetected.

“The court heard that this group were set on breeding a very large dog, possibly for fighting which they referred to as the ‘ultimate dog’.”

Mr Scott was sentenced and ordered to pay £3,000 in costs, £80 victim surcharge, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work.

* Anyone who knows of any acts of cruelty like this happening in Lincolnshire should call police on 101.