School worker and boyfriend encouraged 2-year-old to kill badgers and foxes on day out
Date of alert:
Thursday, 10 February 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Cheshire Constabulary
A primary school worker and her boyfriend have been found guilty of wildlife offences after shocking videos revealed they encouraged a two-year-old to kill badgers and foxes during a disturbing family day out.
A court heard that teaching assistant Paris Jade Carding, 28, of Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester appeared in 32 clips of “shocking and horrendous” incidents of animal cruelty.
In one video, her boyfriend Grant Leigh Jnr, 30 can be seen showing the toddler how to hit a badger with a spade while in another clip, Carding, who was a teaching assistant for six years until 2021, urged the toddler to get a lurcher dog to attack a badger den saying “her face is going to be smashed. Good boy, get him out. Look at them fighting.”
The joint investigation by Cheshire Police and the RSPCA found Carding guilty on five animal cruelty charges at Tameside Magistrates’ Court.
Leigh Jr admitted to seven animal cruelty offences including hunting with dogs and keeping dogs in poor conditions, after changing his plea to guilty at the start of the trial.