A man described as the ringleader of a global network of “zoo sadists” who tortured and killed monkeys for entertainment has been jailed for more than three years. Bartosz Poklek, 30, from Bexley in south-east London, circulated “horrific” cruelty videos that fetched up to 500 dollars each, penned scripts detailing how the animals should be mutilated, dismembered and tortured, and orchestrated killings, including monkeys being bludgeoned to death with a hammer.
Leading figure in the 'monkey hate community'
Woolwich Crown Court was told Poklek held a leading position within the “monkey hate” online community, operating chat groups and sharing thousands of “abuse on demand” videos and images. Some of the monkeys were additionally dressed up as babies while being violently attacked, raising fears that the creatures are being exploited as “proxies” by individuals seeking to watch sadistic abuse of children.
On Friday, Poklek received a three-year and three-month prison sentence from Judge Christopher Grout. The judge outlined the nature of the “despicable” online community, stating: “It is no exaggeration to say that as a lawyer or as a judge I have never encountered such a horrific case of animal abuse in my life. The facts of the offending are truly appalling, likely to cause distress to anyone listening to or reading about them. There is a vile underground community who have a hatred of monkeys, particularly baby monkeys, and take pleasure in seeing such monkeys being tortured and killed.”
Judge urges tougher penalties
The judge confirmed Poklek would walk free after completing roughly a third of his sentence, while urging Parliament to review and strengthen penalties for animal cruelty, which currently carry a maximum of five years. “If ever there was a case that demonstrates that the statutory maximum for animal cruelty is too low, this is it,” he said.
The court was told the cruelty unfolds in south-east Asia, where macaque monkeys endure prolonged on-camera torture for a global online audience. According to the judge, “zoo sadists” are drawn into the network after expressing interest in animal abuse content shared on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, then lured onto more secure platforms such as Discord and Telegram. Certain users paid to “adopt” a monkey, enabling them to dictate the nature of the torture, while network members could submit suggestions for the sadistic acts.
Evidence of abuse and sentencing
Prosecutor Alex Kettle-Williams informed the court that Poklek operated under the alias “BP” online, managed a chat group called “BP empire”, and was “a controlling figure in what is known as the ‘monkey hate community’”. Ms Kettle-Williams revealed police discovered evidence that Poklek had requested the killing of a stump-tailed monkey, written scripts detailing how the footage should be produced, and repeatedly called for death by hammer. She said: “There are requests and conversations about how the death should be carried out after significant torture.”
Prosecutors revealed that officers had uncovered thousands of videos during their investigation into Poklek. As examples of the abuse, the prosecutor directed the judge to a 39-minute recording of a baby monkey being tortured, plied with alcohol, set alight and bound with zip ties. A second video, lasting nearly half an hour, showed another baby monkey being mutilated with scissors while clearly still alive.
Poklek was caught after attempting to obtain court documents relating to a monkey torture criminal case in the United States. Following an investigation involving the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the Metropolitan Police, West Mercia Police, as well as US Homeland Security Investigations and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Poklek admitted to running a “large-scale monkey torture ring” between June 2023 and September 2025. He also pleaded guilty to publishing obscene videos for gain, along with possession of indecent images of children and possession of ketamine.
Ms Kettle-Williams noted that Poklek’s possession of child abuse material had been echoed in cases brought against others implicated in monkey torture across the globe. She added that officers had gathered evidence suggesting monkeys are sometimes dressed in bonnets and nappies and fed with a babies’ milk bottle, raising serious concerns that monkeys are being used as “proxy infants” by those with a disturbing interest in violent child abuse.
Alexia Nicol, representing Poklek, told the court he “finds it difficult to explain how he became involved in this”. She stated that he was chasing “kudos” as a network organiser rather than financial gain, adding: “He is someone who was in isolation, sitting on the internet, using drugs, and in effect slipped further into a world where the boundaries became less and less clear.”
Adeolu Odusote, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Bartosz Poklek was a key cog in a vile trade that oversaw and encouraged the sickening torture of monkeys. Treating vulnerable animals in this way is a horrifying practice that must be rooted out wherever it’s found. We’re grateful for the extensive efforts of both our domestic and international partners in helping us build the strongest possible prosecution against him. This resulted in Poklek pleading guilty to the crimes for which he has now been sentenced.”
