Two women jailed over monkey torture ring - investigator describes historic case as one of the 'most disturbing'

Holly LeGresley, aged 37, of Kidderminster was sentenced to two years at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday, while Adriana Orme, aged 55, of Upton-upon Severn was sentenced to one year and three months in prison.

The case is the first time in British legal history that charges relating to animal cruelty have been brought under the Serious Crime Act 2007 for cruelty that took place abroad, but where the offenders are in the UK.   

Both LeGresley and Orme had previously pleaded guilty at separate hearings to "publishing an obscene article and causing unnecessary suffering to animals". 

The pair discovered the online monkey hate community during the Covid-19 pandemic. West Mercia Police said their interest and involvement escalated, and following intelligence from the National Crime Agency the pair were arrested by police in September and October 2022 as part of a joint operation with the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).  

The monkey hate community featured members from across the world who enjoyed watching, and in some cases paid for, videos of monkeys being abused, tortured and killed.

Detective Chief Inspector, Ben Arrowsmith who led the investigation for West Mercia Police described the suffering that the animals endured as "sickening and sadistic".

Police said that LeGresley and Orme’s interest in the subject was "initially through YouTube", but quickly escalated to groups on private messaging platforms such as Telegram and Discord.  

Through the groups, both women developed links with one of the main organisers of the global ring, Michael Macartney from the USA - known online as ‘The Torture King’. 

The pair utilised the 50-year-old - who was jailed earlier this month for three years and four months for his part in the ring for in the US state of Virginia - as their direct line of contact to the people in Indonesia who carried out and filmed the torture. 

Furthermore, police revealed that LeGresley took on the role of ‘admin’ in a group on Telegram that meant she welcomed new members and helped them to access videos and photographs of monkeys being tortured.  

The 37-year-old took her involvement a step further by "taking on responsibility for archiving all the content in the Telegram group as well as other groups, leading to a library of thousands of images and videos all showing monkey abuse, torture and killing". 

Both women are said to have watched the content themselves, and police said they also regularly shared content and "as evidenced by comments within the Telegram group expressed their delight at the images and videos they were viewing".  

LeGresley went as far as to set up a poll for members of the group to vote on the specific type of torture they would like to see inflicted on the monkeys.  

West Mercia Police said she also then directed people on how to make payment for the production of the video, with her and Orme both contributing financially.

Detective Chief Inspector, Ben Arrowsmith said: “This is without doubt one of the most disturbing cases that my team and I have ever worked on. 

“The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible. The suffering the animals endured is sickening and sadistic; it’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could find it enjoyable to watch and be part of. 

“This is the first time in British legal history that charges relating to animal cruelty have been brought under the Serious Crime Act 2007 for cruelty that took place abroad, but where the offenders are in the UK, making this a landmark case.   

“I’m pleased that Le Gresley and Orme will now face justice for their part in this abhorrent and vile cruelty. 

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the NWCU for their involvement; this has very much been a joint investigation and today’s convictions would not have been possible without their assistance.” 

Head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly added: “Today we have taken another step forward in a large-scale and ongoing transnational investigation into the worst cruelty I have ever seen. 

“The NWCU would like to thank West Mercia Police for their hard work and dedication on this case.  

“LeGresley and Orme acted as more than mere participants in this complex web of unjustifiable torture. They hid behind a veil of secrecy on the internet, assuming that their participation in crimes overseas would not bring the police to their doors in the UK. 

“Most investigations where a wild animal has been taken for human use revolve around money. However, this investigation has identified the group were not motivated by finances, instead they were motivated by inflicting as much suffering as possible to these defenceless animals. 

“Let this serve as a reminder that wildlife crime exists today in many forms. The NWCU has the expertise, resources, and co-ordination skills to work with UK and international enforcers to bring cases like this to justice.” 

Sarah Kite, co-founder of Action for Primates, who was pivotal in providing evidence in this case, said: "I am extremely grateful to West Mercia Police, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Crime Agency for taking action against Orme and LeGresley for their roles in facilitating the torture and killing of baby monkeys. 

“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, and to pay for someone to inflict such violence is beyond comprehension. The depravity displayed by members of these online monkey torture groups is utterly horrifying. 

“I hope today’s sentence shows those who engage in this behaviour that not only is it abhorrent, it is also a crime, and that the arrests and punishments taking place here in the UK and worldwide will deter others from becoming involved in these perverted and sadistic activities.''