EXCLUSIVE: A notorious animal rights activist has been convicted of hurling abuse and threats through a megaphone at staff and punters at Hove dog track.
Sarah Whitehead, also known as Mumsy, was jailed for six years in 2010 for masterminding a terrorist-style campaign against Huntingdon Life Sciences.
This week, the 63-year-old was back in court for her part in the weekly protests against the Nevill Road dog track.
Horsham Magistrates Court heard that she had repeatedly shouted abuse through a megaphone at people arriving at the stadium, calling them paedophiles, wankers and retards.
She also yelled threats and insults at the stadium’s then manager, Brian Murphy, including warning him his days are numbered and shouting: “Blow it up!”
And the abuse even continued after she was given a community protection notice in February, preventing her from swearing or saying the words “filthy scum”.
Prosecuting at Wednesday’s hearing, Daniel Sawyer said: “Just because you wear a yellow jacket and stand behind a white placard, that does not give you the right to shout whatever you like.
“It does not give you the right to shout general abuse or indeed threats of bombs.”
Whitehead, of New Town, Uckfield, had been charged with harassing Mr Murphy on 21 December, but this charge was dropped as the trial began because the former manager had said he wasn’t intending on giving evidence.
But the Crown proceeded with the other three charges – two public order offences on 21 December and 18 January and breaching a community protection notice in March by shouting filthy scum through the stadium railings.
The court was played three clips, one from each incident. Even in the recordings, the sound from the chanting was so loud it could be heard in a neighbouring courtroom and had to be turned down.
PC Dave Glenister, who has attended about 30 of the protests in recent months and had heard Whitehead shouting at most if not all of them, identified her as being the woman heard in the December clip shouting abuse at Brian Murphy, during which she shouted “filthy scum” about 30 times.
In the clip, filmed by the dog track’s security, she shouted: “Your days are numbered, Murphy, I’d keep looking over my shoulder I were you.”
She also yelled “Teletubbie, your trousers are falling down.”
In the January clip, filmed by PC Glenister’s body worn camera, he is heard warning Whitehead that she will face a summons if she continues to shout filthy scum.
A few minutes later, when a member of the public approaches the protest to say they are upsetting his daughter, she shouts through a megaphone: “Animals are dying, who gives a shit about your family?”
She works at st philips primary school her details are on the school website, how did she pass a cro check ?
Why do they shout at the shoppers? I thought Waitrose was a more ethical food business than some of its rivals?
I’m so glad that this individual has been taken to court for her unacceptable behaviour. I agree wholeheartedly with what was said in court, “just because you wear a yellow jacket and stand behind a white placard, it doesn’t give you the right to say what you like” Absolutely spot on with that! I hope that any future protests are monitored carefully by the police and any of the foul behaviour is stamped out before it gets to the same stage as the huntingdon situation did.
Ooh look, lots of made up names and comments above. Well done everyone.
To be fair, why would anyone commenting want to let Ms Whitehead know their name? She’s a criminal, with an unhealthy interest in bombs, threatening people, intimidating people, sending used sanitary product to people’s homes telling them that the blood on them is Aids infected. Shall I go on, or do you get the general gist of what I’m saying?