A man who abused an animal and tried to arrange the abuse of children has been jailed following an operation by the Metropolitan Police’s Online Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Command.
Manchester-based 34-year-old Douglas Moore was jailed for five years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court - having been convicted of a total of 24 counts including the following offences:
- Intercourse with an animal
- Causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal
- Possession of an extreme pornographic image / images portraying an act of intercourse / oral sex with a dead / alive animal
- Intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence of intercourse with an animal
- Making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child
- Attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence
- Publishing an obscene online article
- Possession of a controlled drug of Class B - Cannabis / Cannabis resin
Douglas Moore
Douglas Moore
He will be on the sex offenders register for life upon his release. He is also banned from owning animals.
Met officers were investigating a separate matter when they discovered a video of a dog being subjected to physical and sexual abuse. Enquiries identified the person in the video as Moore.
The content of the video was so distressing that senior officers in the Met were contacted and a warrant was sought to rescue the animal and arrest Moore.
On 8 November 2021, police attended his home address in Stockport and arrested him on suspicion of bestiality, possession of extreme pornography and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
The dog was found and was removed from the address. A quantity of cannabis was also found.
Moore was taken into custody and a number of devices, including his mobile phone and computer, were seized for specialist examination.
Evidence found on the devices proved Moore had been abusing the dog over an extended period of time and had been using the dark web to view further extreme content of animals and humans.
Officers discovered he had sought out opportunities to swap and share material with others and had discussed meeting others to abuse dogs and children. No evidence was found that these attempted meetings had come to fruition.
Officers found Moore had gone to great lengths to clear chat logs and website histories in an attempt to hide his offending.
PC Pete Howes, from the Online Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Command, said: “Upon discovery of the original video we took immediate and decisive action to identify Moore and save the dog. I am happy to say the dog is now safe and well and being cared for.
“The scale of evidence compiled meant Moore was left with no option but to plead guilty. I'm pleased he is now in jail where he belongs. It is no exaggeration to say that this investigation may well have spared more animals, and humans, from coming to incredibly serious harm.”
This work can impact on those officers and staff who have to view and process the most appalling material. The Met takes the welfare of these officers seriously and provides regular counselling and support to investigators.