Kent father and son banned from keeping animals after court hearing
A father and son have been banned from keeping animals for life following their involvement in the brutal hunting of wildlife, an investigation led by the RSPCA has revealed.
Last updated 7th Oct 2026
David Stanbury, of Denstead Lane, Chartham Hatch, and his son, Jack Stanbury, from Vale View Road, Aylesham, were sentenced in court for offences related to using dogs to hunt badgers, deer, and foxes.
Judge Fowler decided against playing videos depicting the offences due to their upsetting nature and instead considered descriptions of the crimes when announcing the sentences on 25th September.
David Stanbury, who pleaded guilty to nine offences, received a three-year suspended prison term and is required to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, and a nine-month curfew. He was also ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.
Jack Stanbury admitted to seven offences and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, alongside a £1,000 costs order. He will complete 100 hours of unpaid work and adhere to a curfew for six months.
The investigation began after David was arrested in Gloucestershire during a wild boar hunt on New Year's Eve in 2024, with seized phone content revealing extensive involvement in wildlife persecution.
The Judge said evidence demonstrated ‘deliberate and prolonged disregard for domestic animals and wild animals’.
RSPCA investigator Michelle Hare said after the hearing:
“The RSPCA launched an investigation after David Stanbury was arrested by Gloucestershire Police at a wild boar hunt in the Forest of Dean on New Year’s Eve in 2024.
“His phone was seized and unlocked a mass of content showing he was prevalent in the persecution and hunting of wildlife with his dogs, as well as implicating his son, Jack, in the crimes.
“We found a large number of shocking videos showing wildlife being brutally killed, heartbreaking trophy images, and messages relating to hunting deer, foxes and badgers with his dogs, uncovering extreme levels of suffering for both the wild animals as well as the dogs used in the crimes.”
Kent Police and the RSPCA executed warrants in October 2025, seizing one of the dogs seen in videos named Bear, who has since been rehomed via the RSPCA.
Police Sergeant Ross Haybourne, from Kent Police’s Rural Task Force, said:
“Our close working relationship with the RSPCA supports the prosecution of those who commit the most abhorrent crimes against wildlife and domestic animals.
“This was the case in our arrests of David and Jack Stanbury, during which we recovered vital evidence for RSPCA investigators. We also ensured a vulnerable dog was seized and taken to safety for ongoing care.
“We are determined to bring those responsible for rural crime to justice and our collaboration with partner organisations is a crucial part of this work.”