Inside the sordid world of monkey torture: How global network of monsters including a Brit bird-lover living with her parents, an Alabama grandmother and the ‘Torture King’ bonded over depraved videos of baby monkeys being horrifically abused

Hundreds of people around the world are fascinated by the sick world of monkey torture, watching videos of helpless animals being sadistically beaten, attacked with drills and even doused with acid.

Last year the sordid global network of animal abusers was exposed after a year-long investigation by the BBC revealed individuals were ordering the depraved videos online.

The ‘monkey-hating community’, as it is known among its members, included a range of people, from a grandmother living in Alabama, United States, to a 35-year-old bird-loving Brit living with her parents in the Midlands.

Those from Britain and America are said to ‘commission’ the videos, asking people in countries such as Thailand or Indonesia, where the monkeys are native, to film the depraved acts.

For years their vile habits went unpunished, but now those caught in the disturbing underground network could face criminal charges – and even jail time.

It has led to the abusers warning their co-conspirators to beware that the authorities are after them.

On one forum where a user asks ‘can someone send me videos of monkey torture or bloodshed’, another advises: ‘I just want to warn you about this. If you are offered videos and asked to pay money, DON’T.’

“It’s not illegal to view them, but if you pay money for them you can get into serious trouble,” the user added in a post published days ago.

The warning comes after two British women were accused of publishing an obscene article and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Holly LeGresley, 37, from Kidderminster, and Adriana Orme, 55, from Upton-upon Severn were just two of hundreds of Indonesians paying to have young long-tailed macaques tortured and killed on video.

Both women were prominent members of the online torture ring. LeGresley was called ‘The Immulator’ online and was said to be a moderator in one of the most prolific groups.

The West Mercia Police charges related to causing, consuming and facilitating the torture of monkeys.

Both women have been released on bail and will appear at Worcester Magistrates Court on May 7.

It comes after Michael McCartney, 50, was charged in Virginia with conspiring to make and distribute images of animal crushes.

McCartney – dubbed the ‘Torture King’ – was one of three main distributors identified in the investigation into the cruel monkey torture gangs.

He had run multiple group chats for monkey torture enthusiasts around the world using the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Monkey haters sent him commissions asking for videos of monkeys being tortured and even set on fire.

The video suggestions were then sent along with payments to people in Indonesia who would carry out the abuse, which sometimes ended with the baby long-tailed monkeys being killed.

McCartney would then spread the gruesome images on his social media network.

The leader is nearly 10,000 miles from where the monkey was tortured and lives in his home reportedly decorated with Nazi symbols and Confederate flags.

Toothless from years of heroin addiction, McCartney – who goes by Mike – previously spent two decades in one of America’s most dangerous motorcycle gangs before going to prison.

It was during the pandemic that he first came across a monkey torture video and was soon invited to the Telegram group called Ape’s Cage, founded by its leader ‘Mr Ape’.

When approached by the BBCMr Ape – whose identity has not been revealed – spoke of his own loneliness, which led him to establish the forum.

He said it was “attractive” to “see something else suffer” and was a way to forget his own pain.

The grim forum was filled with polls asking members what form of torture they wanted to see next, whether it was a hammer or a screwdriver used to beat the monkeys.

However, the ex-con saw it as an opportunity to create monkeys. After gaining trust within the grim community, he was entrusted to trade the diseased statues and sell them to other members. He once bragged, “I’m building an empire.”

Possession of animal torture videos is not illegal in the US, but distributing them can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.

Following the broadcaster’s investigation, Homeland Security agents responded to McCartney’s home. His devices were confiscated and he was interrogated but later released.

Last year he told BBC Eye’s investigative team: ‘I was the man. Do you want to see monkeys getting confused? I could bring it to you.’

In an attempt to gain sympathy, McCartney said he invited animal rights activists into the group to denounce it.

“I tried to do the right thing, but I took advantage of it. It was my fault,” he said.

Since then, McCartney has been accused by prosecutors of raising money from his chat groups and distributing videos depicting the “torture, murder and sexually sadistic mutilation of animals,” particularly young and adult monkeys.

He has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges and faces up to five years in prison.

While McCartney was undoubtedly a key figure in the underground network, it had a wide reach.

Among them was Stacey Storey, a 46-year-old grandmother who worked at a gas station and lived with her son in a trailer in rural Alabama. But her screen name was “Sadistic.”

According to the BBC’s research, she was one of the most prolific users of Ape’s Cage. She charged $200 for torture videos, which included everything from force-feeding to putting monkeys in jars of acid.

Her backer came after she and Mr. Ape came up with the idea to have a video made showing a monkey in a blender.

Eventually, other innocent people stumbled upon the questionable videos before being invited to join the group.

It was infiltrated by innocent bystanders and some animal rights activists who raised the alarm about the senseless animal abuse that was taking place. Among them were activist Nina Jackel and Dave Gooptar in Trinidad.

Mr Ape, who ran the empire he built from his mother’s home in Florida, had asked them both to stop the monkey haters from around the world and called on them to help ‘stop the torture of monkeys’.

It was later published in April 2022 and became extremely popular among the people in the community, with hundreds flocking to the Telegram group.

In addition to McCartney, two others were also charged in the US. They include former US Air Force officer David Christopher Noble, 48, and Nicole Devilbliss, 35. Both face up to five years in prison.

According to the BBC, more charges are expected soon against others who played key roles in the torture ring. After the study, twenty people around the world were examined.

A man in Indonesia named M Ajis Rasjana, who filmed some of the monkey torture videos, was sentenced to eight months in prison following the investigation.