DOG FIGHTING RINGLEADER JOHN KNIBBS AND ASSOCIATES CONVICTED IN LINCOLNSHIRE AND IRELAND

In a high-profile case brought by the RSPCA, a notorious dog fighting gang involved in breeding and training fighting dogs has been convicted in court. The investigation uncovered shocking cruelty and illegal activities, with some members failing to appear for their hearings and being convicted in absentia.

The authorities conducted a raid on a property in Sleaford, where they found eight dogs, including an American bulldog, a Bully Kutta cross Presa Canario, and a pitbull terrier. Many of these animals bore scars from fighting, injuries, and poor health. A photo found on the phone of John Herbert Knibbs showed ‘Baddy’ the Bull Terrier suffering from severe injuries; tragically, Baddy’s body was never recovered.

The search also revealed various tools associated with dog fighting, such as a ‘flirt pole’—a long pole with a rope—and a ‘break stick,’ used to pry dogs apart during fights. Knibbs, who also uses the surname Donaghy, was identified as the ringleader. He has a well-documented history of cruelty, having been banned for life from keeping animals and previously convicted for dog fighting activities.

Knibbs, born on February 4, 1964, and residing on Polyanthus Drive in Sleaford, was convicted in absentia on charges including the possession and training of dogs for fighting, ear cropping, and causing unnecessary suffering to dogs named Baddy and Panther. Evidence against him included distressing footage of dogs fighting for up to 45 minutes, some of which was captured on his mobile device. One clip showed a dog tied to a treadmill, being forced to run as part of training—an abuse method aimed at preparing dogs for fighting.

Text messages exchanged among gang members detailed brutal fights, with one lasting 45 minutes before ending when a terrified Presa Canario escaped out of a window to evade Baddy, who was attacking another dog. Another message noted that a dog could crush another’s bones with a single bite. Knibbs was previously prosecuted by the RSPCA in 2009 and disqualified for life from keeping animals. He also breached his ban in 2016, prior to the September 2017 raid.

Although Knibbs’s current whereabouts are unconfirmed, rumors suggest he may have fled to Southern Ireland. His partner, Kimberleigh Joanne Steele—also known as Kim Donaghy—was convicted in her absence in April 2019 for aiding and abetting his evasion. Evidence obtained from Knibbs’s phone led investigators to his addresses in Bloxholm, Lincolnshire, and a luxury property in Anglesey, Wales, where Adam Scott resides.

Scott, born on April 29, 1984, on Anglesey, is accused of possessing two pitbull-type dogs contrary to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and aiding in Knibbs’s disqualification. At Scott’s address, investigators found a severely scarred dog named Panther. Scott makes a substantial income from breeding dogs linked to illegal practices.

Inspector Kirsty Withnall from the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit stated, “Some of these dogs had been trained to fight and were suffering from terrible injuries. Although Baddy's body was never recovered, photos and texts from the scene revealed severe wounds and a brutal, prolonged fight involving Baddy and a larger Presa Canario. The evidence shows the cruelty involved.”

The inspector added that “the organisation was involved in breeding large dogs for fighting, with the aim of creating an ‘ultimate dog’ as they called it.” A warrant was issued for Stephen Gardner of Willows End, Bloxholm, who failed to attend court.

Adam Scott was ordered to pay costs of £3,000, a victim surcharge of £80, and complete 100 hours of community service. The case was reported by LincolnshireLive, Daily Post, The Independent, and BBC News.

Update (February 2024): John Knibbs, also known as John Donaghy, received an eight-year prison sentence in Ireland after being caught with €1.9 million worth of cocaine. He admitted to possessing 27 kilos of the drug found in his Ford Mondeo outside his home in Co Kildare in July 2023. Court documents revealed that Knibbs, aged 59 and father of six, had been living in Ireland for over six years, involved in dog breeding despite a lifetime ban in the UK.

He was also found to have €110,000 cash in a supermarket shopping bag, which he claimed was to pay off a drug debt linked to his €500–€600 weekly cocaine habit. The Gardaí executed a search at his residence in Ballynamullagh, Carbury, where he has resided with his wife Kimberleigh Steele and their four children under six for the past three years. Despite living in Ireland, he had not been previously known to Irish police for criminal activity.

During the investigation, it emerged that Knibbs, who changed his name to John Donaghy, still had unresolved court matters in the UK related to his dog fighting convictions. His previous UK convictions date back to 2009 and 2016, stemming from activities and breaches of his disqualification order. These relate to Operation Camelot, a joint effort by the RSPCA and police forces targeting organized dog fighting networks.

Knibbs’s comparisons of cruelty and illegal activities showcase his persistent involvement in animal abuse and serious drug crimes, illustrating a life marked by repeated offences and evasion.