Women imprisoned for role in monkey torture video network

Adriana Orme, 56, of Upton-upon-Severn, and Holly Le Gresley, 37, of Kidderminster, have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a monkey torture operation. Their actions were characterized by the judge as “depraved, sickening and wicked.” Both individuals had previously pleaded guilty to participating in the international network. At Worcester Crown Court, explicit accounts were presented regarding the suffering inflicted upon young macaques in Indonesia. Videos of this abuse were then sold globally. Le Gresley, identified by the judge as having a “leading role,” received a two-year prison sentence, while Orme was given a 15-month sentence. Le Gresley uploaded over 130 videos and 22 images. The court was informed that she acted as an archivist, categorizing and disseminating some of this material. Additionally, she made a payment to a PayPal account, which served to promote cruelty. Orme, for her part, admitted guilt to publishing an obscene article by uploading one image and 26 videos depicting monkey torture. She also pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting in the infliction of unnecessary suffering through a £10 payment to a PayPal account. A BBC investigation uncovered the women’s involvement in the network, which originated on YouTube before transitioning to private groups on the Telegram messaging app. The online collective arranged and paid for baby long-tailed macaque monkeys to be removed from their mothers, subsequently subjected to torture, and killed. Members of the group even participated in voting on suggested methods of abuse. Prior to the hearing, a protest occurred outside the court, and animal rights campaigners were granted access to the gallery. During the sentencing of the women, Judge James Burbidge KC characterized their conduct as “deplorable, abhorrent and sadistic.” He stated that their offenses defied any notion of compassion and were “beyond comprehension for most of society.” He remarked, “You promoted the physical torture of monkeys by others, you shared videos and images of such torture and abuse, retained images and videos for what appeared to be your own pleasure and amusement.” He informed Le Gresley that she had “caused significant pain, torture and death to the monkeys in Indonesia.” Overall, police retrieved thousands of files from 20 devices belonging to the women during a year-long investigation. The court was informed that the defendants were members of a private chat group managed by a US-based administrator known as the “Torture King.” The judge stated: “These offences represent a course of conduct by you both that can only be described as depraved, sickening and wicked.” He continued, “Using the comfort of your own homes you engaged in chat rooms through the internet.“Perhaps in that environment you took leave of your senses and any real recognition of reality – as sadly some people appear to do when engaging with others on the internet.” He further added: “Why there even exists such a forum is beyond comprehension and a sad indictment to humanity. You promoted the physical torture of monkeys by others and you disseminated videos of such torture and abuse.” Following the sentencing, West Mercia Police characterized the case as a landmark event. Detective Chief Inspector Ben Arrowsmith noted that this marked the first instance in British legal history where “charges relating to animal cruelty have been brought for offences that took place abroad, where the offenders are in the UK.” He commented, “The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible.” He added, “The suffering the animals endured is sickening and sadistic; it’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could find it enjoyable.” The police force reported that both women had viewed the videos, conveyed pleasure at the images, and frequently shared the content. Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, who heads the national wildlife crime unit, stated that it represented the most severe cruelty he had ever witnessed. He indicated that, despite this being the most recent in a series of prominent criminal cases, the “transnational investigation” into the global network remained active. In mitigation, Tom Walkling, representing Le Gresley, stated that she had been living with the awareness of her conduct, possessed a long history of depression and anxiety, and was “likely to be diagnosed with autism disorder.” The court was also informed that Le Gresley now believed she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the videos. Curtis Myrie, representing Orme, mentioned that she suffered from several physical illnesses and characterized her as “a loving mother and grandmother.” Furthermore, the court heard that pre-sentence reports acknowledged her excellent care for her rescue dog, Diesel. Nevertheless, the judge contested several assertions made by the defense teams and denied their requests for suspended sentences. He also referred to Le Gresley’s awareness of the potential jail sentence she could incur if apprehended, citing comments discovered by police in a chat. Following the hearing, Sarah Kite of Action for Primates, who supplied evidence, commented: “The complete lack of empathy both women showed for the terror and suffering of the monkeys, some just a few days old, is so disturbing.” She added, “To pay for someone to inflict such violence is beyond comprehension.” The US-based animal rights organization Lady Freethinker, which also assisted in tracking the global network, stated that the “horrors being inflicted on innocent, baby monkeys for online videos are sickening.”