The Trials

The Trials: Two Juries, Two Acquittals

In December 2022, activists from Animal Rising entered MBR Acres and rescued eighteen beagle puppies. The puppies were subsequently rehomed. Fourteen people were arrested in connection with the incident. The Crown Prosecution Service brought charges of burglary — an offence that requires proof of dishonesty on the part of the defendant.

What followed was a series of criminal trials that became a significant moment in the history of animal rights litigation in England and Wales.

The January 2026 Acquittals: Cambridge Crown Court

In January 2026, four defendants appeared at Cambridge Crown Court. The jury was asked to determine whether the rescue of beagle puppies from a facility with a documented history of welfare concerns constituted “dishonesty” within the meaning of the Theft Acts.

The jury found all four defendants not guilty. They determined that rescuing puppies from documented cruelty was not dishonest. All four were acquitted.

The March 2026 Acquittals: Peterborough Crown Court

On 9 March 2026, five further defendants appeared at Peterborough Crown Court. After nine hours of deliberation, the jury returned verdicts of not guilty for all five defendants. Those acquitted included Rose Patterson, Director of Animal Rising.

Wildlife presenter and broadcaster Chris Packham gave character testimony during the Peterborough trial.

The Crown Prosecution Service had brought these prosecutions despite the January 2026 acquittals at Cambridge. The Peterborough jury’s nine hours of deliberation reflected the seriousness with which they approached the case. Their ultimate verdict was consistent with that of the Cambridge jury.

The Legal Significance

Two separate juries, at two separate courts, reached the same conclusion: that rescuing beagle puppies from MBR Acres is not dishonest within the meaning of the Theft Acts. This is legally significant for several reasons:

• Burglary under the Theft Act 1968 requires proof of dishonesty. Both juries rejected the prosecution’s case that entering MBR Acres to rescue puppies was dishonest.
• The acquittals do not set a legal precedent in the way a Court of Appeal ruling would, but they reflect the assessment of two independent juries of ordinary members of the public.
• The verdicts suggest that juries presented with evidence of conditions at MBR Acres do not regard rescue as a dishonest act.

The Rescued Puppies

The eighteen beagle puppies rescued in December 2022 were rehomed. They are now living as companion animals. They are the only dogs known to have been removed from MBR Acres and given a life outside a laboratory.

What Happens Next

Camp Beagle continues to campaign for the closure of MBR Acres and the safe rehoming of all beagles currently held at the facility. The outcome of the trials — nine defendants, two courts, two acquittals — adds further weight to the campaign’s case that what happens at MBR Acres is not in the public interest and should end.