Latest news with #sadism
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Pictured: Mother-of-two who helped run global monkey torture network as more sickening details of her crimes emerge
A sadistic Scottish mother who helped run a barbaric global monkey torture ring can today be unmasked as horrifying new details of her crimes emerge. Natalie Herron, 39, a mother-of-two from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, was jailed this week for more than two years for her role in a twisted network that paid for the grotesque torture and execution of baby monkeys. Herron – described by neighbours as a 'marked woman' – acted as an online administrator for the depraved group, which orchestrated unspeakable cruelty against defenceless macaques and even allowed members to vote on how the creatures should die. She shared hundreds of harrowing videos and images, including scenes where monkeys were crucified, dipped in boiling oil, and attacked with machetes. One sickening clip showed a terrified monkey being bound tightly with cellotape – footage Herron chillingly described as 'awesome'. She was sentenced to 27 months in prison after admitting to hoarding and distributing obscene material showing animals being tortured, and for sending threatening and abusive messages promoting the cruelty online. Airdrie locals have been left horrified by the revelations. One source told The Scottish Sun: 'Natalie can never show her face here again. It won't end well for her if she does. 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 'She has always been one for the watching. But nobody could have imagined she could do anything so twisted. It's all that anyone here is talking about. 'She's a marked woman for what she did to those poor babies.' Herron's crimes came to light after a joint investigation by US law enforcement and the UK's National Crime Agency. The probe focused on American ringleader Michael McCartney, 51, known online as 'The Torture King', who led the secretive network that operated across Telegram and WhatsApp. Members of the group paid men in Indonesia to rip long-tailed macaque infants from their mothers and carry out their slow, torturous deaths on camera. When authorities raided Herron's home in 2022, they discovered 1,084 images and videos of monkey torture on her iPhone. Police also found 4,000 vile messages in a WhatsApp group where Herron gleefully discussed torture methods and expressed hatred for the animals. Some of her revolting comments 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.' In another message, she sought footage where 'they will kill the mum and the babies watch.' Natalie Herron, 39, took part in online chat groups which encouraged the torture of macaque monkeys by people based in Indonesia The network, which first surfaced on YouTube before moving to encrypted messaging platforms, was exposed in a BBC investigation. Group members, many based in the West, claimed the monkeys were pests ruining Indonesian land – a claim that served as a twisted justification for their sadistic desires. Despite claiming the payments she made to McCartney were simply to 'help him', Herron's involvement went far beyond passive support. She acted as a key facilitator, helping to run the online group and spread the sickening content. Prosecutors brought charges against her for possessing and distributing obscene material between October 2021 and September 2022, and for causing fear or alarm through her online activities. At Airdrie Sheriff Court, Herron was handed a landmark sentence – the first in Scotland for animal cruelty committed abroad. A year-long investigation by the BBC found that hundreds had been paying Indonesians to torture and kill infant long-tailed macaques on video Her defence solicitor, Nicky Matteo, told the court: '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.' But Sheriff Derek Livingston made clear the gravity of her crimes, saying: 'The fact you not only joined these groups but then helped to facilitate them only helped to increase the animals' suffering.' Animal rights groups have welcomed the sentence but warned that the rise of encrypted messaging platforms is making it easier for such networks to operate undetected.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
First picture of sicko Scots mum jailed for helping to run horrific global monkey torture network
A SADISTIC Scots mum jailed for helping to run a horrific global monkey torture network can today be unmasked. Natalie Herron, 39, and fellow sickos paid for thugs to inflict agonising deaths on baby macaques. 2 Neighbours told of their revulsion at learning how the mum, 39, shared sickening videos of tiny monkeys being crucified, dipped in boiling oil and hacked with machetes. We told how the monster, who also ran online votes on the animals' agonising death methods, was jailed for 27 months this week after admitting hoarding and sharing the harrowing footage. But a source in her home town of Airdrie told The Scottish Sun: 'Natalie can never show her face here again. It won't end well for her if she does. 'She has always been one for the watching. But nobody could have imagined she could do anything so twisted. It's all that anyone here is talking about. 'She's a marked woman for what she did to those poor babies.' We can also reveal fresh details of the disgusting messages Herron sent online to other sadists. She spoke with undisguised glee about seeing the defenceless creatures having their faces melted with a blowtorch, being chopped up in a food blender and even having their private parts cut off. The brute also said it was 'awesome' to watch a clip of a terrified macaque being wrapped up into a ball with cellotape. Herron was caught after US cops took down the group's ringleader Michael McCartney, 51 — who called himself 'The Torture King'. They paid for henchmen in Indonesia to steal young long-tailed macaques from their mothers then film their barbaric deaths. Inside monkey torture ring where fiends pay for animals to be put in blenders for sexual kicks Scots cops raided Herron's four-in-a-block flat in 2022 and found a phone with 1,084 pics and videos. Officers also found 4,000 warped WhatsApp messages she sent. In one, she moaned the screams of a dying monkey were 'making my ears bleed'. Another said: 'I am shocked how easily the drill went through the skull, it was like butter.' Herron discussed her preferences with other sickos, saying: 'Trying to find a video where they will kill the mum and the babies watch. 'Torch its whole face off until it's just skull and melting skin haha. 'Or watch them be blitzed in blenders and scalped, d**ks cut off, set alight. If only my family and friends knew they'd never look at me the same again lol.' The fiend also organised a poll on what the group wanted to see next. One suggested option was for a baby monkey to be sealed in a jar filled with biting fire ants. Herron later gleefully told the others: 'We finally got our ants in a jar. Phenomenal!'' Neighbours told of their disgust at the fiend, who they used to see walking a pet dog. At Herron's front door is an ornament of a squashed hedgehog with tyre tracks on its back. One local said: 'Natalie was a weirdo. She wouldn't give you the time of day if she saw you outside. Most just thought she was rude. 'But many are now glad they never got to know her. 'The shame should follow her forever. She's a vile pig.' A nearby shopkeeper claimed Herron's family will be distraught over the shocking revelations. He said: 'Her parents are lovely people. Her dad was a nice guy and her mum worked for the NHS. Natalie was always a pain. But I don't understand what she'd get from all this. Her poor parents will be so ashamed.' Our unmasking of Herron was backed by Sarah Kite, co-founder of Action for Primates. She said: 'Her depravity in paying for and watching the sadistic and gratuitous torture and killing of baby monkeys is horrifying. 'It is in the public interest for people to know who she is.'' Nina Jackel, of animal rights group Lady Freethinker, added: 'Those who participate in these crimes must be held accountable to help deter future offenders.' A BBC probe previously revealed the evil network. Last November Holly Le Gresley, 37, was caged for two years and Adriana Orme, 56, for 15 months in Worcester after they admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals. Macartney was jailed for more than three years last October in Virginia, US.
