Animal rights activists jailed over terror campaign

Five animal rights activists who intimidated companies linked to Huntingdon Life Sciences in an attempt to close down the animal testing lab have been sentenced to between six years and 15 months in prison.

Sarah Whitehead, 53, Nicole Vosper, 22, Thomas Harris, 27, Jason Mullan, 32, and Nicola Tapping, 29, were all members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (Shac).

The youngest member of the conspiracy Alfie Fitzpatrick, 21, received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community work.

Winchester Crown Court heard, during the sentencing hearing, that the six waged a wide-ranging international conspiracy of intimidation against a host of supply companies to force the closure of Cambridge-based HLS, using Shac as a front.

Action carried out included realistic hoax bombs posted to the homes of staff and offices, criminal damage, threats of violence and abusive phone calls.

Some company directors had leaflets distributed near their home falsely telling neighbours they were convicted paedophile..

Others had words such as puppy killer, murderer and scum daubed on their houses, cars or on the roads nearby.

The abuse would only stop when the company issued a capitulation statement on the Shac website and cut links with the lab.