MARK BOND'S SHOCKING WILDLIFE CRIMES IN MAIDSTONE AND LOOSE REVEALED

Mark Joseph Bond, a man born on 26 February 1983, and residing at 63 Mayfair Avenue in Maidstone, has been convicted of serious wildlife offences and animal cruelty. His criminal activities, which include hunting and causing suffering to animals, have garnered significant attention from authorities and the public alike.

Bond, a married man and father of two young children, was found guilty in a court of law of killing a fallow deer and inflicting unnecessary pain on his dog, Vegas, which he used for hunting purposes. The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about his activities, which took place in and around Maidstone and the nearby area of Loose.

During the trial, evidence was presented that showed Bond had a blatant disregard for animal welfare. Magistrates were told that he had sent messages to a friend indicating that his dog Vegas had sustained two holes in her jaw after being sent underground to hunt. Bond claimed he had been treating her himself by cleaning the wounds and administering anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, rather than taking her to a veterinarian. This revelation underscored his neglect and the cruelty involved in his hunting practices.

Bond, who is also a director of his family’s business, JRB Fabrications Ltd, and involved in roofing through JRB Roofing Ltd, admitted to previous hunting activities such as ratting and rabbiting. However, he denied killing the fallow deer, despite evidence to the contrary. His lawyer, Amy Hazlewood, stated that Bond now accepted his guilt and expressed remorse, describing his actions as a hobby that had spiraled out of control. She emphasized that he had ceased such activities since the incident.

Nevertheless, magistrates condemned Bond for hunting for his own gratification, with the court stating, “It is clear from the evidence who and what you are.” The court also highlighted the disturbing nature of the evidence, which included videos depicting dogs attacking and stabbing animals such as badgers, boars, and deer. One such video showed a boar squealing as it was stabbed, while another depicted dogs attacking a badger and a deer. A photograph was also shown of Bond posing with a dead boar, which the prosecution described as a trophy, claiming that Bond had set dogs on the animal and then stabbed it.

Bond denied the allegations of stabbing the boar, asserting that the animal was shot legally on land with the owner’s permission and was different from the one shown being stabbed in the video. The court also examined the findings of RSPCA Chief Inspector William Mitchell, who visited Bond’s former home in Mayfair Avenue, Loose, in October 2019. During that visit, five dogs were found in kennels, and a fridge was discovered filled with meat and five skulls believed to belong to deer. Additionally, a hunting knife and other hunting tools were found in Bond’s van.

In his testimony, Bond described injuries sustained by his dog Vegas, as well as sharing WhatsApp messages in which he boasted about killing a deer. He claimed that his other dog, Vinnie, had killed a deer, but later dismissed these messages as “banter” and “jokes” meant to mock Vinnie’s hunting skills. One message read, “I’m out lamping now, Vinnie just got a fallow,” and another mentioned that he would be “eating venison for a week.”

Despite some charges being dropped, Bond was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to his dog Vegas and killing the fallow deer. His sentencing in May 2022 included a 90-day suspended prison sentence, with 60 days for the deer killing and the remaining for animal cruelty. He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, attend 10 rehabilitation sessions, pay £1,422 in costs and charges, and was banned from keeping dogs for ten years. Furthermore, a deprivation order was issued for Vegas and three other dogs involved in the case.

Throughout the trial, Bond’s wife, Gemma Bond, was present in court, standing by her husband. The case has sparked outrage among animal welfare advocates and highlights the ongoing issues of illegal hunting and animal cruelty in the Maidstone and Loose areas.