ANTHONY HOLLOWAY: DUMBARTON DOG-FIGHTING KINGPIN AND BADGER BAITER CAUGHT IN SCOTLAND

Anthony Holloway, a man notorious for his involvement in brutal animal cruelty and illegal blood sports, has once again come under scrutiny following his recent conviction in Scotland. Residing at 17 Cumbrae Crescent South in Dumbarton, Holloway, born on October 1, 1992, was found guilty of a series of heinous crimes related to dog fighting and badger baiting, activities that have long been condemned by animal welfare organizations and law enforcement alike.

His arrest in October 2019 marked a significant breakthrough in the fight against organized animal cruelty. Officers from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (SPCA) Special Investigation Unit intercepted Holloway and an accomplice at Cairnryan ferry port. The pair was discovered traveling with three Patterdale terriers named Honey, Dodger, and Floss, along with a Lakeland terrier-type dog called Red. All four animals exhibited scars and fresh wounds consistent with injuries sustained during fighting, leading to their immediate seizure by the Scottish SPCA.

During the investigation, authorities recovered clothing items from the scene, some stained with blood, which were later identified as belonging to Holloway through photographic evidence. Veterinary examinations confirmed that the dogs had injuries typical of repeated use in fighting scenarios, especially against badgers. The examination revealed scars around their faces, heads, and jaws, indicating sustained injuries from violent encounters.

Further evidence was uncovered through digital media, including videos and photographs retrieved from Holloway’s mobile phone. These images depicted him actively digging out badger setts and holding up a dead fox with its jaw ripped off—a gruesome display of his involvement in illegal activities. One particularly disturbing still showed a young boy, wearing glasses, smiling as he posed with a large dead fox, raising questions about the extent of Holloway’s influence and the environment in which these animals were exploited.

Holloway was also accused of fabricating artificial badger setts to train pups in killing animals, a practice that underscores the cruelty and premeditation involved in his activities. The court was presented with evidence suggesting that Holloway had texted an associate about dog fighting, and there was strong suspicion that he had taken his dogs to Ireland to participate in organized fights orchestrated by criminal gangs. A video found on his phone depicted two lurcher dogs chasing and tearing apart a fox, further implicating him in illegal blood sports.

Despite Holloway’s claims that he worked as a pest control operator, the prosecution dismissed this as false. Joe Stewart, the prosecutor, emphasized that killing animals with dogs is illegal in Scotland and that the evidence clearly demonstrated that Holloway’s activities were motivated by blood sport rather than pest control. He pointed out that Holloway’s messages about fighting dogs and the images of animals being killed for entertainment left no doubt about the criminal nature of his actions.

Holloway was convicted of training his dogs for fighting and of supplying videos depicting animal fights. A Scottish SPCA inspector expressed disappointment with the sentence handed down, which included a four-year ban on owning or keeping dogs and a 270-hour community payback order. The inspector highlighted the cruelty inflicted on both wild animals and Holloway’s own dogs, noting that some animals had to be euthanized due to injuries sustained during fights. The inspector also voiced frustration that Holloway was not given a lifetime ban, which they believed would better serve as a deterrent against future cruelty.

During sentencing, Sheriff Gallacher warned Holloway about the barbaric nature of his crimes, describing the acts as a form of sport driven by pleasure in witnessing animals attack each other. Despite this, the sheriff chose not to impose a lifetime ban, citing concerns over Holloway’s income. Holloway appeared to anticipate a jail sentence, arriving at court with a large black bag, but ultimately received a community order and a four-year ban on dog ownership, which will expire in June 2025.

Holloway’s criminal record includes previous convictions, such as 150 hours of community service in 2015 for theft and a jail sentence for assaulting a man with a weapon in the following year. The 2022 investigation by the Daily Record further exposed Holloway’s deep involvement in the illegal dog fighting scene, revealing that he trained his fighting dogs at his “Roc Red” stable to kill, often pitting them against badgers and foxes to prepare for fights in the UK and Ireland. Sources described Holloway as someone who sought to show off his dogs’ brutality through trophy photos and secret fight meets, often on encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Images obtained by the newspaper showed Holloway at his compound in Dumbarton, where dogs are kept in steel cages within a heavily secured facility. One such image depicted his dog, Roc Red’s Gypsy, victorious after a fight against a rival dog named Chloe, with graphic evidence of injuries sustained during the match. The report detailed how Gypsy tore the throat of his opponent and held her in his jaws for several minutes before the fight was stopped. The fate of Chloe remains unknown.

The Scottish SPCA spokesperson reaffirmed Holloway’s status as a significant figure in organized animal fighting and badger baiting networks across Scotland and the UK. They emphasized that Holloway’s activities have caused immense suffering to wildlife and domestic animals alike, and called for any information from the public to help dismantle such criminal enterprises. Despite attempts by the Daily Record to question Holloway at his home, he refused to comment or respond.

Further investigations linked Holloway to a broader network of animal abusers, including Rhys Davies, a former gamekeeper at the Millden Estate in Angus, who was sentenced to eight months in prison and a 15-year ban for his role in badger baiting. Communications between Holloway and Davies revealed detailed exchanges about fighting dogs and baiting badgers, confirming Holloway’s active participation in these illicit activities across the UK. The court proceedings highlighted the disturbing enjoyment some individuals derive from cruelty, with judges condemning the acts as deeply disturbing and morally reprehensible. The ongoing efforts of law enforcement and animal welfare groups continue to target these networks, aiming to eradicate the scourge of illegal blood sports in Scotland and beyond.