Mother-of-two, 39, who helped run global monkey torture network where users shared barbaric footage of animal abuse is jailed

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A mother-of-two who helped run a global monkey torture network has been jailed for more than two years.
Natalie Herron, 39, took part in online chat groups which encouraged the horrific torture of macaque monkeys by people based in Indonesia.
She then became a group administrator for the network and shared hundreds of barbaric images and videos of the abuse.
Barbaric acts of cruelty included crucifixion, machete attacks and one video showed a baby monkey being dipped in boiling oil.
Herron, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, made contact online with Michael Macartney, the US-based ringleader of the network who used the alias 'The Torture King'.
The group paid people in Indonesia to carry out and film the atrocities on baby long-tailed macaques.
Investigators from the National Crime Agency alerted Police Scotland and a raid on Herron's home in 2022 discovered an iPhone with 1,084 images and videos of monkey torture.
Officers also discovered 4,000 messages on a WhatsApp group which had been sent by Herron discussing torture and hatred of the animals.
Sick and twisted messages from a sadistic global monkey torture network asked people to 'be creative' for 'brutal vids' with one saying: 'I wanna see pain, shock, pain, acceptance of fate'. Pictured is some a mock up of some of the messages uncovered by a year-long BBC investigation
A year-long investigation by the BBC found that hundreds had been paying Indonesians to torture and kill infant long-tailed macaques on video
Messages included 'Oh my God the little b*****d is making my ears bleed,' and 'I am shocked how easily the drill went through the skull, it was like butter'.
Another message read: 'Trying to find a video where they will kill the mum and the babies watch.'
A BBC investigation uncovered the warped network that began life on YouTube before it moved to private groups on the messaging app Telegram.
The online group paid for baby long-tailed macaque monkeys to be taken from their mothers in Indonesia and then tortured and killed.
Members, who claimed they were angered at the monkeys destroying land in Indonesia, even voted on proposed methods.
Herron appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court where she was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment.
This is the first time someone has been sentenced in Scotland for cruelty that took place abroad, making it a landmark case.
She had earlier admitted two charges of possessing and distributing obscene material, namely videos depicting animal torture, between October 2021 and September 2022 at her home address.
She admitted a further charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by sending messages to various online and social media groups which described and promoted animal torture.
The court was told she made payments to Macartney but she claimed it was not for the videos but to 'help him'.
Nicky Matteo, defending, said: 'In all the years I have been practising I have not seen a case like this. It has not been a pleasant experience.
'She has had horrific problems in life and she built up a connection with other group members.
'She was trying to ingratiate herself with other members, it was a false sense of escapism.
'She is no longer the person that was responsible for sending those messages. She recognises the severity of it.'
Sentencing Herron, Sheriff Derek Livingston said: 'The fact you not only joined these groups but then helped to facilitate them only helped to increase the animals' suffering.'
Last year Adriana Orme, 56, from Upton-upon-Severn, and Holly Le Gresley, 37, from Kidderminster, were jailed after admitting being part of the global network.
Worcester Crown Court heard graphic details of the suffering experienced by young macaques in Indonesia - with the footage sold to people around the world.
Le Gresley was jailed for two years while Orme was handed a 15-month term.
Macartney, 51, was also jailed last year after pleading guilty in the US state of Virginia to conspiracy to create and distribute animal cruelty videos.
He was given three years and four months behind bars.
Detective Sergeant Karen Murray said: 'This was a long and complex investigation which involved a number of organisations including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and was the first of its kind in the UK.
'Thanks to the work of these organisations Herron will now face the consequences of her actions which contributed to the cruel torture and immense suffering of a number of innocent animals.
'Through dedicated police work, the investigation team was able to show that Herron was watching and distributing this horrific material and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who worked on it.
'This was one of the most disturbing and graphic cases we have worked on and we hope this sentence shows that even though the cruelty took place abroad, that these types of crimes will not be tolerated and we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold people accountable.'
LeGresley was surrounded by protestors as she arrived for her sentencing
Detective Inspector Mark Harrison from the National Wildlife Crime Unit said: 'This investigation is truly shocking and unsettling. The people involved are not just motivated by money, this is also about getting some sort of gratification from watching animals being tortured and then sharing those images with others.
'It has been well documented in the media recently what impacts these sorts of online images can have on people, especially young people and there are proven links between those involved in animal cruelty and violence towards people, so we take it very seriously.
'This investigation is part of a larger transnational investigation that the NWCU has been assisting with and the NWCU would like to thank Police Scotland for their hard work and dedication on this case. It shouldn't be underestimated the impact that working on a case like this can have on those involved.
'Wildlife crime can occur in many forms and the NWCU will continue to work with partners from across the world to ensure that we have the expertise, resources, and skills to fight this type of crime however it may occur.'
Faye Cook, Procurator Fiscal, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said:
'The videos and images that Natalie Herron bought and shared online are horrendous.
'These animals were shown to be suffering extreme pain. This has been a distressing case for the prosecution team and police, but we have held Natalie Herron accountable.
'Individuals involved in the distribution of graphic and obscene online content depicting violent torture should be forewarned that this behaviour is not only repellent, but is against the law and will be prosecuted.'