A man dubbed ‘Doctor Death’ ran a deadly dog fighting ring in the garage of a couple’s home.
Phillip Ali, 68, who led the international organised fighting gang, has been convicted alongside Billy, 38, and Amy Leadley, 39, the couple who provided their home as a venue for the shocking spectacles.
Ali’s accomplice, 56-year-old Stephen Brown, was also found guilty of a series of crimes relating to the dog fights. All four were convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday.
The group ran a barbaric contest ring where dogs pumped with steroids fought in bloodthirsty battles, with witnesses being able to win thousands of pounds in bets on the canines, The Mirror has reported.
A gang in Essex and London ran a deadly dog fighting ring
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The brutal death fights were hosted in the garage of the Leadley’s Essex home. The couple claimed they had a birthing pit in the room.
However, blood splatters discovered on the walls proved they were using the space as a venue for the shocking event.
An investigation into the sick events first began in August 2021, after an officer visited Ali’s property in Chigwell where he discovered four dogs.
A warrant was soon issued allowing officers to search his home, where dog fighting paraphernalia was recovered.
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Phillip Harris Ali (left) and Stephen Brown (right) were members of the brutal dog fighting gang
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A phone containing hours of WhatsApp voice notes describing the fights was also taken. Video footage of the fighting was also recovered from the phone, which was described as a “goldmine of information and evidence” by RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Muttit.
He added: “It contained graphic videos and images of brutal dog fights, match reports following organised fights, information relating to some of the men’s travel plans and accommodation for specific fights, as well as messages between a number of the defendants planning fights, talking about training regimes, and discussing the injuries dogs had suffered.”
Following the search of Ali’s home, a warrant for the Leadley’s property was also approved. Searching the house, RSPCA officers discovered a “filthy” set-up with blood splatters from five different dogs on the walls.
They discovered dogs covered in scars from where their flesh had been torn. Sixteen dogs were seized from the property.
Other dogs, whose bodies were never recovered, are understood to have been left with broken legs.
The pit where the dogs would fight to the death in
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Prosecuting barrister Hazel Stevens told the court: “Samples were taken and found to have come from at least five different dogs. The middle section of the garage contained a pit, 12ft x 8ft, carpeted with painted sides.”
Inspector Withnall’s statement said: “There are numerous messages between Brown and Ali regarding training and conditioning dogs for dog fights, logistics of attending dog fights and treating injured dogs after they have fought … It can be seen from the voice notes on Ali’s phone that Brown looks after the dogs before Ali starts more of their fitness work.”
Ali was found guilty of 10 offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, including four of keeping and/or training a dog for use in a fight, and two of causing a fight.
Billy Leadley entered a guilty plea part-way through the trial to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to provide veterinary treatment for an injury. His wife was found guilty of three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, including keeping a premises for use in fighting.
The jury also found Bill guilty of a further nine offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, including keeping a premises for use in fighting, taking part in a fight by refereeing, and keeping and/or training a dog for use in a fight.
Brown was found guilty of five offences, including three of keeping and/or training a dog for use in a fight.