21st September 2026
A group of men have appeared in court in Bradford over dozens of charges relating to cock fighting.
Eight men appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon following an investigation into illegal animal fighting.
The case was brought by the RSPCA, with charges include keeping premises in Bradford that were used for cockfighting, and arranging illegal cock fights.
The eight men packed out the dock during Friday’s hearing, before the case was adjourned to be heard in Bradford Crown Court.
Philip Brown, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said: “The offences arise out of an investigation by Northamptonshire Police in 2024.”
He said police in that force came across an animal fight in May of that year.
The court was told that the upcoming case will include evidence gleaned from a phone seized as part of that investigation.
- Mukhtar Ahmed, 53 from Bradford. He faces three charges of being at an animal fight in Walsall wood, Walsall.
- Daniel Burns, 49 from Bradford, who faces five charges, including keeping premises on Kingfisher Grove to be used for an animal fight and keeping animals to be used in an animal fight.
- Mohammed Hussain, 49 from Bradford. He faces 17 charges, including keeping premises at Royal Gardens to be used in an animal fight, causing an animal fight to take place and keeping/training animals to be used in an animal fight.
- Adnan Khan, 40 from Bradford, who faces three charges, including attempting to make an animal fight take place.
- Khalid Mahmood Khan, 47, of Park View Road, who faces a charge of being present at an animal fight.
- Kabir Zaman, 36, of Girlington Road, who faces nine charges including providing information re an animal fight to another with intent to enable / encourage attendance.
- Muhammed Ihtishaam, 22, of Leylands Lane, who faces three charges, including taking part in an animal fight and causing an animal fight to take place.
- Zafar Ali, 60, of Victoria Street, Burton Upon Trent. He faces four charges, including causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
None of the men gave a plea to the offences.
Defence solicitors for the eight men argued that the case was too serious to be heard at Magistrates Court.
They said a subsequent trial could last as long as six weeks, and the charges could attract prison sentences of around two years.
Magistrates agreed the case was too serious to be heard at the lower courts, and sent the case to Bradford Crown Court. The defendants will appear at that court on October 23.
One defendant Muhammad Ifraz Amin, 38 from Warrington failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
He faces 21 charges, including multiple charges of taking part in an animal fight and causing an animal fight to take place.
The court heard that another defendant, Sadir Hussain, 45 from Accrington, was on a pre booked holiday, and his case will be heard next month once he returns.
He faces two charges, including the possession of cockfighting spurs.
I notice mostly all are foreign what a disgusting lot they are maybe they should be given swords and fight each other, oh no they would be far to cowardly to do that they would rather see an innocent SMALL animal suffer. SCUM THE LOT