Shocking moment yobs break into zoo and hurl bottle at giraffe's head

2022-12-23

Shocking moment yobs hurl bottle at giraffe’s head after breaking into zoo is revealed as they plead guilty to raid that also distressed cheetahs, tigers and penguins

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
Two yobs left animals feeling ‘very distressed’ after they broke into Marwell Zoo
Nathan Daniels cut the wire fence and Bradley Green carried out the attack
Daniels, 21, pleaded guilty to damaging the penguin’s enclosure
Green, 24, admitted damaging an enclosure containing giraffes

Two yobs left animals at a popular zoo feeling ‘very distressed’ after they broke in during a raid that saw a bottle thrown at a giraffe’s head, a court heard.

Nathan Daniels, 21, cut the barbed wire fence at Marwell Zoo in before he and accomplice Bradley Green carried out the February 2021 attack.

Video footage posted on social media at the time of the break-in appeared to show a bottle being thrown at the head of a giraffe. A tiger was also filmed apparently being encouraged to approach a fence before being kicking out at and scared away.

Daniels pleaded guilty to damaging the penguin’s enclosure while Green, 24, admitted damaging an enclosure containing giraffes.

Nathan Daniels, 21, (left) cut the barbed wire fence at Marwell Zoo in before he and accomplice Bradley Green (right) carried out the February 2021 attack

Video footage posted on social media at the time of the break-in appeared to show a bottle being thrown at the head of a giraffe

Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court heard that, according to keepers at the zoo near Eastleigh, Hampshire, many of the animals were left ‘very distressed’ by the nighttime raid – particularly the giraffes, cheetahs and tigers.

Multiple police units, including armed response officers with night vision goggles, a dog unit and a helicopter were dispatched to catch the intruders following the incident, amid fears endangered animals were at risk.

Previously, the court heard the gang had cut through a ‘double chain link fence’ before the yobs entered.

Prosecuting, David Fosler told magistrates: ‘The zoo’s general maintenance manager found that an internal fence had been cut in a vertical line.

Mr Fosler noted that the barbed wire fence had also been cut and several animal enclosures were interfered with.

‘The zoo’s keepers say the animals were very distressed, particularly the giraffes, cheetahs and tigers,’ he explained.

Video footage posted on social media at the time of the incident at Marwell Zoo near Eastleigh, Hants, appeared to show a bottle being thrown at the head of a giraffe

A tiger was also filmed apparently being encouraged to approach a fence before being kicking out at and scared away

Many of the animals were left ‘very distressed’ by the nighttime raid – particularly the giraffes, cheetahs and tigers

Daniels and Green admitted the charges when they appeared at Winchester Crown Court. Green has also admitted causing animal cruelty.

However, charges of burglary and criminal damage against friends Jason Huggitt, 24, and 23-year-old Coral Lock, were was accused of assisting the offenders, were dropped.

Daniels and Green, both from Fareham, were released on unconditional bail until they appear again at Winchester Crown Court for sentencing in January.

Judge Andrew Barnett warned the pair if they did not attend, they would be committing a further criminal offence.

Marwell Zoo opened in 1972 and has proved a popular family destination since. It has been home to giraffes and tigers since then and currently homes four giraffes and two tigers.

Their colony of Humboldt penguins recently lost ‘several’ birds after a breakout of avian flu but visitors can still enjoy seeing other endangered species like Southern White Rhinoceros, Amur Leopards, Giant Anteaters and Pygmy hippos.

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