‘Dr Death’ of vile dog fights
■CONVICTION AFTER COMING TO IRELAND TO OVERSEE SAVAGERY ■ SICK ‘TRAINING’ GEAR AND HORROR VIDEOS FOUND IN HOME RAID
A DOGFIGHTING kingpin known as Dr Death has been convicted in the UK of running brutal canine clashes in which one dog died after an illegal fight in Ireland.
Evil Phillip Harris Ali (67) had a “goldmine” of evidence on his phone of his involvement in dog fights across Europe, which included him travelling to Ireland to oversee fights.
Police said this phone evidence showed Ali was the handler for one female pitbull that was killed after a fight in Ireland in February 2022.
Investigators were able to identify at least four separate organised bouts, including one in Ireland after which a bitch named Olivia died from her injuries.
Scars —
Last night, the Irish Daily
Star was sent disturbing recordings of Ali, obtained from the RSPCA, in which he brags about taking Olivia over here for a fight.
Ali came to the attention of the RSPCA after concerns were raised about the welfare of an animal at his home in Chigwell, England, in 2021 — and investigators soon uncovered evidence that he was involved in organising fights.
Officers saw four dogs — a pet inside the house and three dogs in kennels in the garden, one of which had scars and scratches.
It prompted an investigation by the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit.
When Ali’s home was raided on March 14, 2022, two dogs were seized by the Metropolitan Police and placed into RSPCA care, while dog-fighting paraphernalia, including a slat mill, two treadmills, four break sticks and two flirt poles, were recovered.
A DIY vet kit containing items such as skin staplers, an IV kit, bandages, needles, steroids, antibiotics and painkillers were also found, while a seized mobile phone showed Ali had recorded hours of WhatsApp voice notes describing planning for fights.
Deleted videos on the phone showed graphic dog fights and injuries, while the phone also revealed match reports following fights, information relating to travel plans for fights, as well as messages planning fights, talking about training regimes, and discussing injuries dogs had suffered.
The investigation led to warrants being executed at other addresses, including that of Billy and Amy Leadley, aged 38 and 39, in Bambers Green, Takeley, Essex, and Stephen Brown (56), of Burrow Road, Chigwell, and at a third address in Merseyside.
Sticks
Sixteen dogs were seized from the Leadleys’ address, including bull breeds thought to have been used for fighting, many being kept in poor conditions in a garage, plus two smaller breeds who were removed on welfare ground.
One dog was seized from the property in Merseyside.
A flirt pole, weighted collars and other weight training equipment were seized from the Leadleys’ property, which had a fighting pit.
The three men and one woman were all convicted on Wednesday of a string of offences following a four-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, which began on March 4.
Ali, of Manford Way in Chigwell, was found guilty of 10 offences under the Animal Welfare Act, including four of keeping and/or training a dog for use in a fight, and two of causing a fight.