Eight men charged in cockfighting investigation

Eight men have been charged by police investigating illegal cockfighting.

The case was brought by the RSPCA, with charges include keeping premises in Bradford that were used for cockfighting and arranging illegal cock fights.

Philip Brown, prosecuting on behalf of the charity, said the charges came after Northamptonshire Police came across an animal fight in May 2024 and a phone was seized.

The men appeared at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday. The hearing was adjourned and the men are next due to appear at Bradford Crown Court on 23 October.

Appearing in court were:

Mukhtar Ahmed, 53, of Brantwood Road, Bradford. He faces three charges of being at an animal fight in Walsall wood, Walsall.

Daniel Burns, 49, of Kingfisher Grove Bradford, who faces five charges, including keeping premises on Kingfisher Grove to be used for an animal fight and keeping animals to be used in an animal fight.

Mohammed Hussain, 49, of Royal Gardens, Bradford. He faces 17 charges, including keeping premises at Royal Gardens to be used in an animal fight, causing an animal fight to take place and keeping/training animals to be used in an animal fight.

Adnan Khan, 40, of Leylands Lane, Bradford, who faces three charges, including attempting to make an animal fight take place.

Khalid Mahmood Khan, 47, of Park View Road, who faces a charge of being present at an animal fight.

Kabir Zaman, 36, of Girlington Road, who faces nine charges including providing information re an animal fight to another with intent to enable / encourage attendance.

Muhammed Ihtishaam, 22, of Leylands Lane, who faces three charges, including taking part in an animal fight and causing an animal fight to take place.

Zafar Ali, 60, of Victoria Street, Burton Upon Trent. He faces four charges, including causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

No pleas were entered, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A ninth man, Muhammad Ifraz Amin, 38, of Hood Lane North, Great Sankey, Warrington failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He faces 21 charges, including multiple charges of taking part in an animal fight and causing an animal fight to take place.

The court heard that another defendant, Sadir Hussain, 45, of Empress Road, Accrington, was on a pre-booked holiday, and his case will be heard next month once he returns.

He faces two charges, including the possession of cockfighting spurs.

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