Watch shocking moment man chases and batters ducks with stick in South Yorkshire forest
“This is one of the worst deliberate acts of cruelty on innocent, defenceless animals I have seen in 27 years of working for the RSPCA”
Disturbing footage shows a man chasing ducks before battering them with branches and repeatedly stamping on them, which an RSPCA inspector has described as “one of the worst deliberate acts of cruelty” he’d ever seen.
The sickening attack was filmed at Cawthorne Woods in Barnsley and posted on Snapchat.
Owen Raynor, of Greenside Avenue, Staincross, Barnsley, has now been handed a suspended jail sentence after admitting intentionally killing or injuring three ducks or ducklings.
The clips show Raynor chasing a flock of ducks around the lakeside before striking three of the birds with large branches. He then returns to the animals and repeatedly stamps on them.
It is not known whether the three ducks survived the attack.
Raynor, whose date of birth is February 2, 2006, pleaded guilty to one offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, at Barnsley Magistrates' Court on September 7.
RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben received the footage from police and investigated the attack for the animal welfare charity.
Describing the videos to the court, he said: "I viewed the three video clips in which I viewed three older teenage men abuse several Mallard ducks at a lakeside by chasing, hitting with a stick, stamping on at least three ducks.
"It's unclear whether these ducks were killed."
Magistrates said the footage was so horrific that one member of the bench felt physically sick watching it.
They said: "As a bench we have never seen anything this bad.
"This was appalling behaviour which was seriously aggravated by the fact it was posted on social media.
"One of my colleagues felt physically sick as he watched that video footage and heard the case outlined to us."
Raynor was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £400 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
His age at the time the footage was recorded and the potential impact of a conviction on his life opportunities and employment prospects were cited in mitigation.
Speaking after sentencing, Inspector Hogben said: "This is one of the worst deliberate acts of cruelty on innocent, defenceless animals I have seen in 27 years of working for the RSPCA.
"The fact those involved were laughing as they carried out this cowardly act shows how little respect they have for animals.
"Animals feel pain, fear and distress, just like we do, and always deserve to be shown kindness, compassion and respect."
The RSPCA is now trying to trace three other people in connection with the incident, including a female who filmed the attack.
The charity has released an image of a man it believes could help with its ongoing enquiries.
Those with information should call the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018, quoting incident 01571049.