Police issue 12 burglary charges after dog breeding 'factory' break-in

Twelve people - thought to be anti-vivisection protesters - have been charged with burglary following a break-in near Huntingdon.

Officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary responded to reports of a break-in at MBR Acres - the site of the Camp Beagle protests - in the early hours of Sunday morning (June 19).

At 3am yesterday (Monday, June 20), officers returned to the site with reports of another break-in and dogs being stolen.

The 12 people charged with burglary are:

• Sara Harrison, 52, of Hallowes Court, Dronfield, Derbyshire
• Kat Chan, 20, of Hamiltonhill Gardens, Glasgow
• Safron Macdonald, 23, of Marlborough Grove, Prenton, Merseyside
• Francesca Vaz, 27, of The Avenue, London
• Rosa Sharkey, 22, of Dewe Road, Brighton
• Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 25, of Copenhagen Street, Kings Cross, London
• Rachel Steele, 46, of Capworth Street, London
• Robert Gordon, 26, of Walker Drive, York
• Callum Goode, 22, of Compton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
• Ben Newman, 31, of Wintergreen Court, Homerton, London
• Daniel Kidby, 30, of West Stockwell Street, Colchester, Essex
• Robert Houston, 43, of Byng Road, Barnet, London

A spokesperson for the force said: "The dogs have yet to be recovered."

Those charged with burglary are due to appear in Cambridge Magistrates' Court today (June 21)

MBR (Marshall BioResources) Acres in Wyton is a self-styled "international breeder for biomedical research".

The firm produces a unique breed called the Marshall Beagle, which is a registered trademark.

A statement on the firm's website reads: "For over 50 years, the Marshall Beagle has contributed to the safety and efficacy testing of new medicines and therapies for both humans and animals."

Protests against the breeding of animals for testing purposes began in Wyton in July 2021.