Man jailed after filming rabbit being chased by dog and posting footage on Facebook
A man from Poole who filmed himself kicking a rabbit before setting a dog on it has been jailed
A man who filmed himself subjecting a live rabbit to unnecessary suffering before uploading the footage to social media has been jailed for six months.
Billy Banks, 33, from Poole, posted the video to an open hare coursing group on Facebook on October 3rd, 2025.
The footage showed Banks removing a live rabbit from a bag at Broadstone recreation ground before setting a young lurcher-type dog on the animal.
Banks was then seen kicking the rabbit several times, apparently forcing it to run so the dog could continue its pursuit.
The footage helped police identify Banks, who was arrested in November 2025. He later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Poole Magistrates’ Court on May 28th, 2026.
At Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, Banks was sentenced to six months in prison for the animal welfare offence. He was also prohibited from owning or keeping dogs, rabbits or hares for 10 years.
The sentence was imposed alongside penalties for unrelated offences involving the supply of class A drugs and acquiring, using or possessing criminal property.
Those offences related to a police investigation into activity in Poole between August and November 2023. In total, Banks was sentenced to six years and one month in prison.
Police Constable Chandler Organ, of the Rural Crime Team, said Banks had posted the footage himself which prompted public backlash and allowed officers to act.
“This type of activity is unacceptable,” PC Organ said, adding that police would continue investigating reports of animal cruelty and holding offenders to account.