A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for sharing disturbing videos online within a private Facebook group. Peter Stanley received his sentence in Liverpool amidst shocking details of his involvement in a group called “Monkey Sauce” where members posted and viewed sickening videos of baby macaque monkeys being tortured. This case was unprecedented in the north-west region, leading the judge to have no specific sentencing guidelines to refer to.
During the trial, it was revealed that Stanley shared three videos showing the appalling abuse of baby monkeys in several horrifying ways. The videos depicted acts of torture such as nailing monkeys to trees, mutilation, and using instruments like pliers, a hatchet, and a machete. The prosecutor, Christopher Taylor, highlighted the defendant’s disturbing comments on the videos he shared, adding to the gravity of the situation.
The court also heard about a separate case in Worcester where individuals were involved in paying for baby monkeys to be taken from their mothers, tortured, and killed. Stanley’s despicable actions were brought to light thanks to Sarah Kite, from Action for Primates, who reported his behaviour to the authorities. Following a police investigation and subsequent arrest, Stanley admitted to three counts of publishing an obscene article showing animal torture.
During the sentencing, His Honour Judge Ian Harris condemned Stanley’s actions as “utterly repellent” and deemed an immediate custodial sentence unavoidable. The defendant was sentenced to 20 months in prison, with the judge also ordering the destruction of Stanley’s mobile phone. In light of this case, calls were made for social media companies like Meta to take more responsibility in preventing the circulation of such graphic and disturbing content on their platforms.
Speaking after the sentencing, Sarah Kite expressed gratitude towards the authorities for taking action against the distribution of these abhorrent videos. The Crown Prosecution Service emphasized the distressing nature of the material shared by Stanley and highlighted the importance of holding individuals like him accountable for their actions.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the dark side of the internet and the necessity for stringent measures to combat the dissemination of violent and cruel content. The judge’s decisive sentence sends a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated in a civilised society.