Marwell Zoo: Trial date set for four people charged with offences after break-in

Today the four appeared at Winchester Crown Court, and were told they would face a trial starting on March 14, 2023 over the incident, which happened in February last year.

Last month Bradley Green, 23, admitted causing animal cruelty after a gang broke into a zoo and allegedly began abusing animals and damaging their enclosures.

At Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court in September he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal as he appeared in court alongside three friends also charged in connection with the raid.

Video footage posted on social media at the time of the incident at Marwell Zoo near Bishop’s Waltham 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.

Green and two other men are accused of causing between £1,500 and £2,000 worth of damage to the zoo's fences and enclosures and causing several of the animals to be 'distressed,' before phoning a female friend to pick them up.

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

Nathan Daniels, 21, of Alexander Grove, Fareham, and Green, of Salterns estate, Fareham, and Jason Huggitt, 23, of Brockhurst Road, Gosport, have all entered not guilty pleas to a charge of burglary with intent to commit criminal damage.

Daniels and Huggitt have pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, while Green has pleaded guilty.

Coral Lock, 23, of Southway, Gosport, is charged with assisting an offender.

All four are now due to stand trial at crown court.