Shame of animal rights crusader

April 11, 2006

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GUILTY: Ablewhite.

AN ANIMAL rights campaigner from Manchester has admitted a six-year terror campaign against the owners of a guinea pig farm which culminated in the theft of a pensioner's body from her grave.

John Ablewhite, 36, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to blackmail David Hall and Partners and others connected to Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire. Two other protesters - Kerry Whitburn, 36, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, and John Smith, 39, of Wolverhampton - also pleaded guilty.

The campaign of intimidation and harassment against the Hall family and their employees at Darley Oaks began in 1999 as they faced demands to close the site where guinea pigs were bred for medical research.

The remains of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond - the mother-in-law of one of the brothers who owns the farm - were then dug up and removed at night from the graveyard of a church in Yoxall, Staffordshire, in October 2004.

The family was told that Mrs Hammond's remains would be returned if its guinea pig operation ceased.

Farming

Darley Oaks reverted to traditional farming in January, but there has been no sign of the pensioner's body.

The trio had previously denied the offences between September 1, 1999, and September 27 last year, and were due to stand trial later this month.

Whitburn, Smith, and Ablewhite were all remanded in custody following their appearance before Judge Michael Pert QC at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

They will return to the same court for a full hearing on May 10 and 11.

Josephine Mayo, 38, of Spring Bank Road, Edgbaston, who denied the same offence at an earlier hearing, is to appear at Nottingham Crown Court.

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Chris, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 11:36)

Animal rights terrorists such as these mentioned in the article really get on my nerves - good to see them getting the punishment they deserve! Hopefully the first of many prosecutions for these dangerous misguided fools.

Anne, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 12:30)

It's groups like these that turn me off from listening to any animal rights groups. These individuals are terrorists, plain an simple, who use 'justice for animals' as an excuse to be yobs. It's pathetic.

mark, chesterfield (11/04/2006 at 12:37)

Although you can't condone this type of behaviour, there is still a huge amount of unnecessary abuse being handed out to animals. Why is the sentence so harsh, when a dog or cat has been starved or viciously beaten to death.

Dave, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 12:41)

If he feels so strongly about animal testing why doesn't the judge sentence him to be tested on to save the lives of those poor animals

john, tameside (11/04/2006 at 13:37)

Animals don't have a voice. Someone has to speak up for and defend them.

Rob, Bolton (11/04/2006 at 13:46)

Sick, sick people. To steal the body of someones mother is the sickest thing I have ever heard. However much you disagree with what someone does, surely that response is overstepping the mark.
Terrorist activities like this shuold result in terrorist punishments. Lets hope they spend a long time in a cage.

Peter, Stockport (11/04/2006 at 14:03)

John From Tameside, you're right animals don't have a voice and that's a good thing because if they did we'd be living in a Johhny Morris film!

These people are filth, I hope they rot in prison. What ever your feelings about animal testing may be, to steal the corpse of an innocent old lady is vile and disgusting. They have set back the cause of anti-vivisection campaigners by their revolting actions.

Gordon Duff, Grasscroft (11/04/2006 at 14:12)

As part of his punishment he should be made to work in a slaughterhouse, perhaps not he'd most likely poison the meat.
He, and those like him, should be locked up and the key thrown away.

Sam, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 14:13)

Speaking for animals and robbing graves are two different things John from Tameside.

These 'activists' are nothing but glorified thugs for what they have done to this family. Speaking of the family, aren't they breeding guinea pigs for necessary research for ALL our futures? Where would be now without such research?

Rachel, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 14:45)

There are pros and cons for all arguments in the case of animal testing, but I don't think that's the issue here. No matter what you think about animal testing - do you think it's acceptable to exhume the remains of someone's family member and then threaten and blackmail the family? If this wasn't linked to animal testing there would be more of a public outcry. That's the issue that the judge and jury will have to address - and I sincerely hope that these criminals are given custodial sentences that reflect the terror they inflicted on that poor family.

Sharon, Ashton (11/04/2006 at 15:42)

Get your facts right everyone, these people were NOT convicted of digging any grave. Yes they were convicted of blackmail but that was unrelated to the grave digging. But of course the fact that the womans body was allegedly taken makes a better story and helps to demonise animal rights campaigners.

Tom, Salford (11/04/2006 at 15:50)

John (Tameside) - it's fine for people to stand up and defend animals, but not to take things this far. This guy should be given two choices: - whole of life imprisonment or the death penalty. As we all know though, he'll get off with a slap on the wrist (5 years max I predict!)

Kirsty, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 15:52)

I'm all for animal rights but people like this don't seem to realise that they are not going to rally any support for animal rights by robbing graves, how stupid are these people to think that this tactic would make anyone listen to their campaign. They are complete scum - animal rights? what about Human rights?

mark, chesterfiels (11/04/2006 at 16:11)

Sam, Manchester. You say where would we be without animal testing. A couple of weeks ago, a drug test on humans went horribly wrong, the same drug that was also tested on animals. Animal tests don't work. Just an excuse for torture and suffering.

markyboy, manchester (11/04/2006 at 16:19)

since these so-called animal activists like exhuming human bodies from graves, i have the perfect sentence for them - 12 months as a mortuary assistant, where they are made to assist in the post mortem process.
they may think twice before doing anyhting to desecrate another grave.

Dave, Salford (11/04/2006 at 16:27)

Sorry people I must say that if the only way of protected humans from potential damaged from drugs ( not perfumes or makeup ) is to test on animals then carry on. I have a 5 year old who suffers from Asthma and if such tests allowed a cure or better control to be safely discovered I would inject them myself without any concern

Jonno, Gorton (11/04/2006 at 16:34)

Hopefully the scumbags will get a lengthy period in jail. They have put back animal rights by a generation.

Anthony, Accrington,Lancashire (11/04/2006 at 16:36)

This person and ALL animals rights protesters are nutters using firebombings etc to get their point across and they're ALL animals who should be locked up and starved to death because to desecrate someone's relatives' graves means these people have very thick minds and are sick indeed. It's alright saying the animals haven't got a voice so someone's got to speak up for them but it SHOULDN'T result in this sort of thing whatsoever. There are ways of protesting without violence or damage or physical assault.

Kerry, London (11/04/2006 at 17:06)

Stick to the facts guys, no-one has said that they dug up the grave - they have in fact stressed that they did not and there is no proof that they did. Reading your aggressive and unnecessary comments, many of you sound no better than whoever did desecrate the grave!

Nick, Manchester (11/04/2006 at 19:13)

This skunk and his kind sicken me to the core - don't give me all this about 'animal rights'. It's all about jumping on the bandwagon and taking it to the extremes.

I'd bulldoze the lot of the useless bone idle trash into the sea.

Ex Mancunian, Sydney Australia (11/04/2006 at 19:21)

These people are very, very dangerous indeed.
What further terrorist acts are they capable of. Had they planned something even more horrific?
They are a danger to everyone & should be put away for along time.
How could they?

Ken Neck, Droylsden (11/04/2006 at 22:29)

How would he feel if I went round to his house, stole the body of a recently deceased pet and did a bunk with it? Perhaps I should do, just to show him what it feels like!

Anon, Anon (12/04/2006 at 12:32)

He should never be allowed to teach children again.

Thinking, Manchester (12/04/2006 at 17:00)

To call these acts terrorism is an insult to those who have suffered death and injury in genuine terrorist incidents. It is also naive to suggest that people should restrict themselves to government approved protesting. It this method were effective, it would have been outlawed. Remember that both Nelson Mandella and the Suffragettes were considered terrorists at one time.

Abdul Mcguiness, Glasgow (14/04/2006 at 17:19)

Who nicked the remains?
Has anyone pleaded guilty to stealing the remains?
Are the people that are detained being made a scapegoat?
Why are brain dead morons so quick to ridicule when they aren't aware of the facts?
Questions? Questions? Questions?

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