Date: 1 August 2008
Animal rights extremist receives community order
An animal rights extremist was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to 80 hours community service today.
Phillip Simpson Malkin, 34, of Chatsworth Mews, Morley, Leeds pleaded guilty at Aldershot Magistrates Court on 8 July 2008 to two offences under Section 145 of the Serious and Organised Crime Act. Malkin admitted to sending two emails to KD Systems in December 2006. The emails contained reference to Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), and demanded by way of threats and intimidation that the company cease trading with Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS). The charges were brought against him as part of last year's nation wide police investigation called Operation Achilles, which targeted the criminal activity associated with animal rights extremism.
Sentencing Malkin, His Honour Judge Barnett said: "This sort of conduct is not to be tolerated. You have come pretty close to a suspended sentence. You have had the good sense to plead guilty to a potentially very serious offence and have been sucked into a campaign being waged by others with no idea as to how serious the campaign can be. If it was not for your previous good character you could be facing a suspended sentence."
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Patricia Geary of Kent Police said: "We are extremely pleased with the result of this trial and subsequent sentence, which continues to demonstrate the determination and improved responses of UK police forces, the criminal justice system and the government to defeat the criminal actions of animal rights extremists. The sending of threatening and malicious e-mails in order to create a climate of fear and intimidation designed to pressurise companies and individuals to cease lawful trade and association with others cannot be condoned in any circumstance."
A further Crown Court trial is listed to take place in September this year for other animal rights activists who were arrested and charged as a result of the Operation Achilles investigations.
