SEAHAM ANIMAL ABUSE: FRANKIE HUDSON, MARTIN BELL, DOMINIC BAKER AND JORDAN STEEL CRUSHED AND TORTURED RABBIT

Four young men from Seaham, County Durham, were involved in a brutal and disturbing case of animal cruelty that shocked the local community and drew widespread condemnation. Frankie Hudson, born on April 10, 1995; Martin John Bell, born on August 4, 1994; Dominic David Baker, born on September 27, 1996; and Jordan Steel, born on July 20, 1997, all hail from Seaham and were found guilty of heinous acts committed against a defenseless female rabbit named Percy.

According to court reports, Percy was stolen from her hutch in Seaham and taken to a house party, where she was subjected to a series of cruel and inhumane treatments. The incident was so severe that a photograph capturing part of the abuse was later posted on social media platform Instagram, sparking outrage among animal rights activists and the general public alike.

The group involved in the abuse included Martin Bell, who resided on Parkside Crescent in Seaham; Frankie Hudson from Langhurst, Sunderland; Dominic Baker, whose family home was located on Station Road in Seaham; and Jordan Steel, then living on Stavordale Street in Seaham. The addresses listed are accurate as of July 2018.

During the incident, the four individuals subjected Percy to a torturous ordeal. Court testimony revealed that Hudson, Bell, and Baker were already undressed and in a bath at the party when Steel, who had taken the rabbit from Embleton Mews in Dawdon, threw her into the water with them. The cruelty continued as Percy was washed and her fur was attempted to be shaved, an act that further traumatized the animal.

At one point, Bell threw Percy out of a window, causing her significant injuries. The attack was recorded on a mobile phone and the footage was later circulated online, adding to the distress and outrage surrounding the case. The injuries inflicted on Percy were severe; she suffered a ruptured liver, broken ribs, and internal injuries, with the most devastating damage being a dislocated head. Witnesses described her as being hurt and unable to stand after the attack.

Tragically, Percy was found on the ground after the assault, and one of the youths involved wrung her neck in a final act of cruelty. Her lifeless body was then placed into a bin liner and discarded, a heartbreaking end to her brief life. Percy was a white, lion-headed rabbit who had recently given birth to a litter of five kits. Sadly, her babies died shortly after birth because they could not survive without their mother.

All four men admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal during the court proceedings. The sentencing reflected the severity of their actions. Martin Bell and Frankie Hudson received 18-month community orders, which included supervision, 200 hours of unpaid work, and orders to pay £85 in costs and £50 in compensation to the rabbit’s owners. Additionally, they were banned from keeping animals for five years.

Meanwhile, Dominic Baker and Jordan Steel were given 12-month referral orders, along with similar financial penalties—£85 in costs, a £15 victim surcharge, and £50 compensation. They too faced a five-year ban on keeping animals, which expired in 2019. The case drew significant media attention and served as a stark reminder of the importance of animal welfare and the consequences of cruelty.