Unmasking Sab Violence, Criminality and Corruption

For decades hunt saboteur and monitoring groups have harassed, intimidated, and attacked legal trail hunts without fear of responsibility or consequence. While many of the individuals involved are harmless pests, some are opportunistic thugs who routinely intimidate bystanders, damage property, and cause harm to the very animals they claim to protect.

Sab groups are highly organised, with sophisticated funding models, active social media accounts and connections to influential celebrities and journalists. They are also totally anonymous to most of the country: operating behind balaclavas and in remote corners of the countryside far away from the eyes of the law.

Jay Tiernan, believed to be behind the sab website Hunting Leaks, received a six month suspended sentence in 2015 for breaching a court injunction.

These two attributes have been the key to the saboteurs' success, allowing them to simultaneously broadcast their message to thousands of followers while at the same time concealing the worst aspects of their behaviour from the public and over-stretched rural police forces.

Behind The Masks seeks to even these odds. We exist to expose criminal, violent, or otherwise unsavoury behaviour by sabs and ensure they can no longer hide behind their masks of anonymity. We will do this in three main ways:

1. Publishing profiles on prominent saboteur ring leaders, as well as upstanding members of local communities who associate with these thuggish organisations. You can find these on our Sabs Unmasked page.

2. Sharing video and photographic evidence of sabs behaving badly – to show the world that these are not the cuddly animal lovers they claim to be. Check out our YouTube channel.

3. Investigating sab networks and funding streams: exposing just how far the network goes and who is really involved.

Paul Allman, a member of the Stockport Monitors, has received multiple convictions for assault, including against a 15-year-old girl in Oakham, Leicestershire. He was released from HMP Altcourse on 19th October 2023.

To achieve this, we need your help. If you have a tip about local sab groups or evidence of bad behaviour, please email us at info@behindthemasks.co.uk or WhatsApp us on +44 7985 517 452.

No tip is too small or offense too minor. Sabs swearing at you on a hunt? Leaving gates open in fields with livestock? Parking on private land? We want to know about it. Send us your videos, along with a location and any suspected names. We’ll do the rest.