The Open Rescue Trials
In January and March 2026, two separate juries acquitted people who rescued beagle puppies from MBR Acres. The January verdict was the first not guilty verdict for an open rescue of laboratory animals in UK history. A second jury confirmed it weeks later.
Open RescueWhat Happened on 20 December 2022
- 05:30Twelve supporters of Animal Rising entered the MBR Acres facility at Wyton, Huntingdon.
- RescueThey removed 18 beagle puppies in what became the UK's largest open rescue from an animal testing facility.
- InterceptedTwo puppies, named Love and Libby, were intercepted by police as they were leaving the site.
- 23 DecDespite a public petition, Love and Libby were returned to MBR Acres on 23 December 2022.
- PriorA prior rescue in June 2022 had removed five beagles from the same facility. The CPS initially dropped all charges.
- RehomedAll 23 rescued dogs were rehomed with families across the country.
Love & LibbyLove and Libby. Intercepted by police and returned to MBR Acres on 23 December 2022.
The beds that Love and Libby never got to sleep inThese beds were prepared by a foster family ready to give Love and Libby a home. They never arrived. When the puppies were returned to MBR Acres, they were almost certainly destroyed. Animals returned to a licensed facility after external contact are considered “contaminated” under the facility’s protocols and cannot re-enter the regulated supply chain. Love and Libby were most likely killed.
The Charge and the Defence
All defendants were charged with burglary under the Theft Act 1968, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.
The central question before each jury was straightforward: was it dishonest?
The defence rested on honesty and moral belief. Each defendant gave evidence about the welfare conditions inside MBR Acres and the scientific validity of animal testing. They cited published research from the British Medical Journal and the Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics.
It was the first time the concept of “Open Rescue” had been tested before a UK jury.
Trial by Trial
Five separate trials were held across two Crown Courts. The outcomes were split, with juries reaching starkly different conclusions on broadly the same facts.
5 defendants (Lewis Elliot, Ben Newman, Hannah Hunt, Nathan McGovern, Eben Lazarus). Convicted of burglary after a 12-day trial and approximately three hours of deliberation. Sentences: three received 18-month suspended sentences; one received an 18-month conditional discharge with £250 costs.
4 defendants (Alan Guthrie, Louisa Hillwood, Thomas Cusick, Kat Chan). Unanimously acquitted after a 7-day trial and approximately two hours of deliberation.
First not guilty verdict for an open rescue of laboratory animals in UK history.
4 defendants (Ash Faulkner, Ben Thomas, Matilda Dunlop, Michael Sykes). Convicted of burglary after a 7-day trial and approximately five hours of deliberation.
5 defendants including Animal Rising director Rose Patterson (Jennifer D’Netto, Andrew Houghton, Dev Vyas, Rose Patterson, John Sasportas). Acquitted after over two weeks of trial and three days of deliberation. Chris Packham provided a character reference for the defendants.
3 defendants (Ben Newman, Beau Sebastian, Dan Kidby). Relating to the earlier June 2022 rescue of five beagles from MBR Acres. Convicted by a majority 10-2 verdict after nearly 10 hours of deliberation.
What the Prosecution Conceded
Crown prosecution-agreed facts, not campaigner claims
The Crown confirmed in court that MBR Acres is named on a Home Office project licence that:
- Permits the harvesting of bio-products from live dogs, or from dogs following humane killing
- Permits terminal blood sampling under general anaesthetic, from which dogs are not permitted to recover
- The licence has primary availability at B&K Universal (Hull) and secondary availability at MBR Acres
These are facts agreed by the prosecution in open court. They are not disputed.
The Legislative Backdrop
In the same week as the first guilty verdict in December 2025, Parliament was progressing an amendment to classify animal testing facilities as “Key National Infrastructure”.
This would make peaceful entry to, or blocking of, such facilities a specific criminal offence carrying up to 12 months' imprisonment.
In January 2026, the Labour government announced further changes to protest rules, tightening restrictions on direct action.
The Split Verdict
Four juries heard broadly the same facts. The outcomes split roughly in half: some acquittals, some convictions with suspended sentences.
This is a story about the jury system, public conscience, and the contested legitimacy of animal testing law in the United Kingdom.
Public opinion
86%
of the British public find testing on dogs for medical research unacceptable, according to a 2018 Ipsos MORI poll.
What You Can Do
The trials are over. The fight is not. Here is how you can help.
This page reports matters of public record from Crown Court proceedings. Reporting restrictions do not apply to these trials. All factual claims are sourced from public court records, published journalism, and official press releases.