Online Monkey Torture Ring Leader Sentenced to Three Years

Bartosz Poklek, the ringleader of an international online network that distributed graphic videos of monkey torture, has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison. He will be eligible for release after serving approximately one-third of his sentence.

Poklek, 30, led an "online cult" dedicated to torturing and killing monkeys for entertainment, with videos selling for up to $500 each. He wrote scripts for the mutilation and killing of the animals, including instructions for them to be clubbed to death with a hammer.

During the sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court, Judge Christopher Grout remarked that Parliament should reconsider the penalties for animal abuse, which currently carry a maximum of five years. "If ever there was a case that demonstrates that the statutory maximum for animal cruelty is too low, this is it," the judge stated.

Poklek, from Bexley in southeast London, managed chat groups and distributed thousands of videos and images depicting animal abuse. The court heard that some monkeys were dressed as babies during the attacks, raising concerns that they were being used as surrogates for child abuse imagery. The judge described the online community as "vile" and stated he had never encountered such a horrific case of animal abuse.

The abuse, primarily involving macaque monkeys, was carried out in Southeast Asia and distributed globally to an online audience. Individuals were recruited into the network after showing interest in animal abuse content on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, eventually moving to more secure channels such as Discord and Telegram. Some users paid to "adopt" a monkey to dictate the torture methods.

Prosecutor Alex Kettle-Williams told the court that Poklek, operating online as "BP" and leading a chat group titled "BP empire," was a "controlling figure" in the "monkey hate community." Evidence presented included Poklek's requests for specific monkey killings, drafted scripts for abuse videos, and repeated demands for death by hammer. Police discovered thousands of videos during their investigation, including a 39-minute recording of a baby monkey being plied with alcohol, set on fire, and bound, and another nearly 30-minute video of a baby monkey being mutilated with scissors while alive.

Poklek was apprehended after attempting to obtain court documents related to a monkey torture case in the United States. An investigation involving British law enforcement agencies, including the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the Metropolitan Police, alongside U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, led to Poklek admitting to running the "large-scale monkey torture ring" between June 2023 and September 2025. He also pleaded guilty to publishing obscene videos for gain, possession of indecent images of children, and possession of ketamine.

His possession of child abuse material was noted as mirroring that found in other cases against individuals involved in monkey torture worldwide. Evidence also indicated that monkeys were sometimes dressed in bonnets and diapers and fed from baby bottles, fueling concerns about their use as "proxy infants" by individuals interested in violent child abuse.

Alexia Nicol, Poklek's defense, stated he had difficulty explaining his involvement, suggesting he sought "kudos" as an organizer rather than financial gain. She described him as someone who was isolated, using drugs, and gradually slipping into a world with blurred boundaries.

Adeolu Odusote of the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted Poklek as a "key cog in a vile trade" and praised international cooperation in the case. Will Mitchell, Chief of the RSPCA Special Operations Unit, condemned the abuse and noted that over one in five people have witnessed avoidable animal suffering online, urging the public to report such content.

Poklek is one of several individuals sentenced in connection with the network. Peter Stanley received a 20-month sentence in September 2024 for sharing torture videos. Two women, Holly LeGresley and Adriana Orme, were previously jailed for their involvement.