You may have read the Country Squire Magazine article focusing on our Executive Director, Jacob Lloyd. They refer to Jacob and the Animal Welfare Investigations Project as a ‘scammer’ and other unfounded allegations throughout the article.
The Country Squire Magazine appears to be a propaganda website for pro-hunting communities. Its allegations against Jacob Lloyd or the Animal Welfare Investigations Project have no factual basis. It has taken out-of-context innuendos and spun them for its own benefit.
Who is Dominic (Dom) Wightman of the Country Squire Magazine?
Dominic Wightman, the so-called editor of the unregulated blog, was previously sued by Mr. Chris Packham for defamatory comments. In May 2023, that case came before the High Court in London. The Judge found in favour of Mr Packham. The court awarded Chris Packham £90,000 in damages from Mr. Wightman and Mr. Bean.
Mr. Wightman is the Chair of Lazarus Corp. He works in the mining sector, allegedly causing environmental destruction throughout developing countries. He has run several companies throughout his time, many of which are believed to have failed. According to online sources, Mr. Wightman is infamous for leaving a trail of bad debts, is a serial shyster, and con artist. He has previously been bankrupt, which noted he was “not working” or otherwise known as unemployed.
Dominic Wightman is a Trustee of I Have a Name (UK Charity Number: 1182358) and Devon Heritage Trust (UK Charity Number: 1184206). The Devon Heritage Trust was previously known as Torbay Coastal Heritage Trust.
Who is Jamie Foster?
Jamie Foster, a solicitor and hunting advocate, has been appointed as the Chief Writer for the Country Squire Magazine. As a solicitor, Mr Foster has represented those who have been accused of animal cruelty and hunting.
He was also accused of making racist comments on Twitter. It is our understanding that he faced dismissal from his employer due to his comments on Twitter. It was alleged that his conduct fell below the standards that were expected of him as a person in a position of trust.
Who is Andrew (Ben) O’Rourke?
Andrew (Ben) O’Rourke, from Tan Hills in County Durham, is the author of the article attacking Jacob Lloyd and AWIP. He is also a “journalist” (that term is used loosely) for the Fieldsports Channel, a pro-shooting media outlet that glorifies animal abuse.
In June 2022, Fieldsports Channel and one of its journalists, Ben O’Rourke, published an online video and article alleging the TV presenter had written a fake death threat letter to himself and lied about it being sent by an anonymous third party. The serious allegation was not put to Mr Packham directly to offer him right of reply. (Credit: Crowdjustice).
Fieldsports Channel Ltd admitted it was responsible for the false and defamatory publications, submitted an apology to the court for publishing such “baseless and damaging allegations of dishonesty” that “fell far below the standards expected of responsible, impartial journalists”. Ben O’Rourke’s legal representative stated that Mr. O’Rourke sincerely regrets instigating the publication of the article that the Claimant had forged and sent himself a death threat, an allegation that he will not repeat (see here).
In December 2024, Ben O’Rourke began reaching out to professional and personal contacts of our Executive Director, Jacob Lloyd, in an attempt to gather information about him. During one such inquiry, when asked, “What is Mr. Lloyd up to then?”, O’Rourke responded, “Nothing really.” He further admitted, “I haven’t been able to find anything” and even stated, “I’m just clutching at straws really.”
He has used the pretext of fact-checking claims from another individual allegedly covering a story—a claim we believe to be entirely false.
During his fishing expedition, he revealed that he is working on a “report” about the RSPB, accusing the organisation of engaging in “land-grabbing” and “stealing land.” He alleged, “They are sneakily getting people off land” and “helping utility companies.” He further mentioned, “my report is coming out early next year.”
We have also been made aware that Mr Ben O’Rourke has requested images of Jacob Lloyd via the encrypted messaging application, Signal. In some of the exchanged images, Jacob is as young as 14 years old.
Due to his unethical conduct and ongoing harassment, we have issued a cease-and-desist letter to Mr. O’Rourke. If you are contacted by Ben O’Rourke, please notify us immediately.
Conclusion: Why has Jacob Lloyd and AWIP been targeted by the Country Squire Magazine?
According to our research and anonymous sources, the authors and contributors of the Country Squire Magazine have allegedly been involved in fraudulent activities, disinformation campaigns, and supporting animal cruelty.
Their agenda appears to be to frustrate animal cruelty investigations, undermine our credibility, and spread disinformation.
Our question is: What do these alleged animal abuse supporters have to hide, and why do they fear our work so much?
Update and Disclaimer (Sunday 27 October 2024)
This article was published by Animal Welfare Investigations Project Limited based solely on information that is publicly available and accessible through reputable sources, including verified media reports, public records, and other open sources.
Following its publication, Dominic Wightman of Country Squire Magazine contacted us with a request to take down the article. In his communication, he indicated that there could be repercussions if we did not comply, including the publication of a retaliatory article targeting our Director, which he stated would be “embarrassing.”
At this moment in time, we have decided to maintain this article in line with our editorial standards and our commitment to transparency and public interest reporting. Our researchers upholds rigorous standards of factual accuracy, fairness, and accountability. We believe this article serves a legitimate public interest by providing readers with insight into issues relevant to media ethics, transparency, and accountability.