Disgusting pictures put mum in jail

An Airdrie mum who shared horrific images of monkeys being tortured and killed has been jailed for two years and three months.

- COURT REPORTER

Natalie Herron was snared after an investigation involving the FBI, the UK National Crime Agency and Police Scotland.

Airdrie Sheriff Court heard that more than 1,000 photos and videos of primates being tortured, mutilated and killed were found on her phone.

The gruesome material showed baby monkeys being drowned, stabbed, suffocated, set on fire and even crucified.

Herron, 39, of Hyslop Street, Airdrie, admitted distributing the graphic material and sending messages that described and promoted animal torture between October 2021 and September the following year.

Flora McCamley, prosecuting, said she was the administrator of a WhatsApp group that obtained images from suppliers including a self-styled Torture King.

Ms McCamley told the court: "Videos showing monkeys being tortured and killed for human entertainment had circulated on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

"These were filmed primarily in South East Asia, particularly Indonesia.

"They showed monkeys being severely abused.