After Brandon Robb was last month jailed for preying on two girls and a boy – the youngest just eight years old – he has now been sentenced to another year in prison
A convicted paedophile filmed himself encouraging his dogs to attack other animals, including a pet cat.
Brandon Robb, 28, was sentenced to another year behind bars and and banned from owning animals after admitting a string of wildlife offences at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, with police describing his actions as “despicable”. Robb – already jailed for seven years for a series of vile sex attacks on children as young as eight – filmed his Lurcher dogs as they hunted and preyed upon wild animals including deer, rabbits, hares, a fox cub and a domestic cat. He then uploaded some of the footage to social media.
Prosecutors said there were more than 20 separate incidents in 2022, taking place at night in woods and farmland around Perth and Kinross. Iain Batho, wildlife crime lead at the Crown Office, said: “It is highly important to preserve Scotland’s natural heritage, including the wildlife that forms part of it. As such, wild animals are given strict protection by our law.
“Brandon Robb’s actions had no purpose or motive other than to fulfil his own desire to inflict pain and suffering on innocent animals. The shocking cruelty, quantity and frequency of these incidents will inevitably have had a detrimental effect on the local wildlife population.
“(The Crown Office) takes the prosecution of wildlife crime extremely seriously and prosecutorial action will be taken if there is sufficient evidence, if it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so.”
Some of the phone footage seen by the court showed him instructing his dogs to attack animals. In one scene, he held up the bloodied body of a domestic cat which had been attacked by the dogs. A vet who analysed the video suggested the pet cat may have gone into cardiac arrest or suffered a brain injury. He said the cat’s eyes showed it had suffered a haemorrhage and its breathing was likely the result of “extreme stress”.
Robb’s crimes became known after a member of the public saw him highlighting the footage on social media and it was reported to Police Scotland. Officers arrested Robb and a search of his home uncovered items including a number of mobile phones, two torches, a pair of binoculars and a scope, a spot lamp and a hunting knife. He was also convicted of assaulting one of the officers during his arrest.
Constable Ben Pacholek of Police Scotland said: “Immense suffering was caused by Robb to these animals. During our inquiries, evidence was obtained from his mobile phone showing how he instructed his dogs to chase the animals and then encouraged them to keep attacking, resulting in horrific injuries and death. He also caused suffering to his own dogs.”
He said the investigation was made difficult as the killings were carried out at night, making locations hard to identify. Constable Pacholek added: “Through dedicated police work, the investigation team was able to show that Robb was responsible for his dogs causing unprecedented suffering over several weeks.
“He boasted about the prowess of his dogs and gloried in the suffering of the animals he ordered them to harm. His actions were despicable.” Robb has been banned indefinitely from owning or keeping animals.
Robb was previously found guilty in February this year of non-recent sexual offences against children and domestic offences in Fife. He preyed on two girls and a boy, the youngest just eight years old, in the town of Leslie between 2011 and 2015. The High Court in Edinburgh last month heard that Robb also acted in a threatening and abusive manner to two women.
He was arrested and charged in August 2023, with Detective Sergeant Alasdair Young referring to him as a “violent man and sexual predator who preyed on children and abused them”. Judge Lord Lake jailed the man after a jury found him guilty.
“It is clear that your victims have suffered greatly,” the judge said. “The effects on them have been long lasting and have been experienced over many years.”
Rob was sentenced to seven years in prison, placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, given a 20-year non-harassment order and a further six years on licence when he is released for his sexual offences.