A marine biologist who snatched a live crayfish from a seafood restaurant in Dorset and threw it into the harbour has spoken out after pleading guilty to criminal damage. Emma Smart, 47, admitted taking the crustacean from its tank at The Catch in Weymouth on 10 April 2025 and hurling it into the sea.
Smart described the act as a 'crustacean jailbreak' and an 'act of kindness', despite evidence that the animal would have died from the sudden temperature change. She called the prosecution a 'witch hunt' and a 'ridiculous, trumped-up' case on social media.
The activist was banned from the restaurant after the incident. In court, she pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Smart said that she was 'navigating a mental health crisis' and at a 'dark low point' on the night of the theft, and claimed she was 'stripped naked' and held in custody for 12 hours.
Restaurant owner Sean Cooper dismissed Smart's actions as 'ignorant' and 'misguided'. He stressed that The Catch is recognised by the Sustainable Restaurant Association as a world leader in sustainable fish and seafood sourcing, and that Weymouth's fishing fleet operates to global standards.
