EXCLUSIVE: Latest Brit-based monkey torture ring sicko Bartosz Poklek facing jail over twisted videos

A UK-based warehouse worker has admitted to sharing sickening videos of monkeys being tortured and killed with sadistic members of a twisted global ring.

Bartosz Poklek, 30, is the latest person in the country to be prosecuted in connection with the group that police have described as 'one of the most disturbing' they have ever investigated.

Poklek pleaded guilty to the publication of obscene articles for gain, which were a number of videos showing the torture and killing of Macaque Monkeys, between June 11 2023 and 16 September 2025.

Poklek, of Lewisham, South East London, admitted the offence on July 24 this year.

The Pole, formerly of Kalisz, Poland, was also accused of 'running a large scale Monkey Torture Ring capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of causing unnecessary suffering to the endangered animals, contrary to sections 44 and 58 of the Serious Crime Act' between the same dates.

He denied this but admitted the separate offence of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence contrary to section 44 of the Serious Crime Act.

Poklek also denied one count of causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals by torturing and killing them and a further count of possessing class B amphetamines with the intent to supply.

It is understood the offences he denied will be withdrawn by the prosecution when he is sentenced on next month.

During the probe investigators also found indecent images of children on the sicko's devices.

Poklek admitted two charges that on November 16 2025 he made indecent photographs of children of both categories B and C.

A UK law enforcement source said: 'These videos were horrific and it is unimaginable why anyone would want to see these animals suffering for lengthy periods in such a way.'

Poklek is being held on remand in Belmarsh Prison.

He is due to be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on October 9.

There have been a series of charges following an international probe into a monkey torture ring that spanned the US, UK and Indonesia, where many of the animals were sourced.

On 25 September 2024, Peter Stanley (above) from Knotty Ash, was the first Brit-based offender to be sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to publishing an obscene article showing animal torture.

His arrest and charging followed the broadcast of a BBC documentary, called The Monkey Haters, which uncovered the existence of the horrific streaming videos.

Videos, primarily filmed in South-East Asia, and posted online showed the 'disciplining' and tormenting of captive infant monkeys and the deliberate infliction of pain and fear, causing physical harm as well as emotional distress.

Stanley, 44, pleaded guilty to three counts of publishing an Obscene Article and was sentenced to 20 months in prison when he appeared at Liverpool Crown court.

Then on November 13 2024 two women were jailed at Worcester Crown Court for their part in the ring.

Holly LeGresley, 39, (above) of Kidderminster was sentenced to two years and Adriana Orme, 57, (below) of Upton-upon Severn to one year and three months in prison. Both had previously pleaded guilty at separate hearings to publishing an obscene article and causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

Both discovered the online monkey hate community during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Their interest and involvement escalated and following intelligence from the National Crime Agency they were arrested by West Mercia Police in September and October 2022 as part of a joint operation with the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).

LeGresley and Orme’s interest in the subject was initially through YouTube, but quickly escalated to groups on private messaging platforms such as Telegram and Discord. 

Through these groups both women developed links with US-based Michael Macartney, known as 'Torture King', the ring's former leader.

He was their direct line of contact to the people in Indonesia who carried out and filmed the torture. Earlier in November 2024 McCartney, 52, was jailed for three years and four months in the US state of Virginia for his part in the ring.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Arrowsmith, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said at the time of the women's prosecution: 'This is without doubt one of the most disturbing cases that my team and I have ever worked on.

'The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible. The suffering the animals endured is sickening and sadistic; it’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could find it enjoyable to watch and be part of.'

On June 10 last year Natalie Herron, 40, (above) was sentenced to two years and three months at Airdrie Sheriff Court in Scotland.

She previously pleaded guilty on Tuesday, 13 May, 2025 to charges of distributing and possessing obscene publications between December 2021 and September 2022.

She was arrested on Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 following intelligence from the National Crime Agency.

Herron told fellow sadists how she binged on horrendous online clips of humans being decapitated, boasting: “It goes beyond a hobby. It’s almost a way of life.”