Three jailed after dead pit bull found

TWO LEADING members of a dogfighting syndicate and a third man said to be on the periphery of the illegal sport were jailed by a magistrate yesterday, writes Will Bennett.

Brian Longshaw and Ronald Killick, part of the College Boys syndicate which took part in organised pit-bull terrier fights, were jailed for two months and banned from keeping or controlling dogs for 10 years.

Andrew Potts, who was with them when police found the mutilated body of a pit-bull terrier in Killick's car boot, was jailed for two weeks and banned from keeping or controlling dogs for two years.

Longshaw, 33, of Leyton, east London, Killick, 37, of Catford, south-east London, and Potts, 25, a roofer, of Tiptree, near Colchester, Essex, had been convicted at an earlier hearing of causing unnecessary suffering and procuring a dogfight. They had pleaded not guilty.

Police had stopped Killick's car after he drove through a red light. They found the dead pit bull, dogfighting equipment and a sophisticated veterinary kit.