Ryan Cringean, 25, has pleaded guilty at Dumfries Sheriff Court to 11 animal fighting and animal welfare charges after admitting he made his dogs fight wild animals, causing serious injuries. The offences took place between June 2024 and February 2025.
Court appearance and charges
Cringean, who was pictured grinning outside court, filmed his dogs snapping, biting and tearing apart badgers, foxes and squirrels in what has been described as "one of the worst cases" of its kind in Scotland. The defendant's dogs suffered traumatic injuries during the horrific ordeals, the Daily Record reports.
His offences were uncovered when officers from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Special Investigations Unit received a tip-off that Cringean kept dogs to fight animals. A warrant was issued to search his property.
Remand and sentencing
Cringean was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced in November. The Sheriff said: "This is serious behaviour over an eight-month period of time, where a young child was present in the background. It is difficult to comprehend the mindset for the behaviour, and therefore I have no other option but to remand you in custody."
A Scottish SPCA inspector said the videos show deliberate and horrific cruelty to dogs and wildlife. They added: "The animals attacked endured a long and torturous death. Today's outcome reflects the seriousness of the offences. We look forward to the sentencing."
Wildlife crime levels
The latest report from Wildlife and Countryside Link shows that across the UK, wildlife crime remains at "disturbingly" high levels. In its tenth annual Wildlife Crime Report, the coalition of voluntary groups and charities recorded 2,149 reports of suspected wildlife crimes in 2025, but only 41 convictions for the types of crime considered in the study.
The organisation has reported that the figures only give a partial picture, with many such crimes going undetected. Disturbing findings in the report include 625 suspected incidents involving badgers; damage or destruction of bat roosts; wild bird beatings rising from 58 to 93, and illegal trapping rising from 188 to 415 year on year.
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said previously: "Fewer than two in every 100 reported wildlife crimes covered by our figures have ended in a conviction. When people can persecute wildlife with so little prospect of punishment, the law is failing the animals it is supposed to protect, which sends a dangerous signal that wildlife crime can be committed with impunity."
