A Fife man who used his dogs to abuse animals, including the attack of a pet cat, has been jailed for 12 months.
Brandon Robb, 28, pleaded guilty to 20 charges linked to the abuse of animals, mostly involving wildlife such as hares, dear, and even a fox cub.
Appearing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Friday, Robb, who is already serving seven years in prison for a series of sex attacks on children in Fife when he was a teenager, was told his punishment for these offences would have been harsher had he not already been behind bars.
Police uncovered a number of videos of Robb ordering his Lurcher dogs to attack the animals, believed to have taken place in woodland near his home in Leslie, Fife.
Officers were first alerted by a member of the public to a video posted to TikTok in October 2022.
It showed two dogs in a dark field attacking a hare while the man filming commentates over it, praising the dogs.
Crown OfficePolice recognised the voice to be that of Brandon Robb, who had a long history of offending in Fife, leading to them obtaining a warrant to search his property.
There they found his mobile phone which contained footage of a number of incidents involving animals.
One of the most graphic videos showed a dog attacking a pet cat, while being urged on by Robb. A vet told the court the footage suggested the animal had suffered either a cardiac arrest or brain injury.
Experts told the court that the video showed evidence of both the cat and the dog making noises suggesting they were both in distress.
Robb’s phone also contained incriminating text messages.
Sheriff John MacRitchie descried Robb’s behaviour as “appalling offending” and told him: “It is disturbing that you filmed your offending on your mobile phone.”
The Sheriff handed down a prison sentence of a year.
He said a sentence “far in excess” of this would have been given had Robb not already begun serving a lengthy sentence.
Robb will first serve his seven year sentence for preying on two girls and a boy between 2011 and 2015, followed by the 12 months.
He then faces six years under supervision for the sex crimes.
Sheriff MacRitchie also imposed an indefinite disqualification on Robb owning or working with animals.
He said it was clear Robb could be considered a “considerable danger” to animals.
Ben Pacholek, Wildlife crime liaison officer with Police Scotland in Fife told STV News: “I’ve been in the role for over five years now and reported a variety of wildlife crime offences.
“Certainly the seriousness and level of offending that was demonstrated by Brandon Robb was unprecedented.
“The levels of depravity were extreme to say the least.”
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