Smash hit

He was jailed for six months for affray by Northampton Crown Court in December 1997 in connection with a demonstration against live animal exports. In November 1998 he was given a 28-day prison sentence for assaulting a police officer and a public order offence.

In March 2000 he was in court again after he threatened to kill a Huntingdon executive, telling him: “We are going to kill you, possibly today.” He was jailed for four months.

Shac has an income of about £200,000 a year from street collections and monthly direct-debit donations from more than 100 supporters. Most are said to give between £10 and £20 but some donate £50 every month. Donors are thought to range from monied professionals to an 85-year-old veteran of the animal rights movement. Shac is understood to have registered with a high-street bank as an educational awareness group.

Tim Lawson-Cruttendon, a lawyer who is investigating Shac on behalf of Huntingdon Life Sciences, said: “Shac’s bank may be turning a Nelson- ian eye to the operation of the account. They know or ought to know that it could be operated improperly. The bank is under a duty to make sure the account is operated under the mandate of constitution.”

Shac collects thousands of pounds every month in street collections. Avery regularly mans an anti-vivisection stall on Oxford Street, London, showing photographs of animals being experimented on and asking for petition signatures and donations. The stall raises about £600 on a Saturday. Other collections are held in towns around the country.

There is some controversy surrounding Shac’s headquarters. Lynn Sawyer, a former member of Shac with six minor criminal convictions relating to her campaigning, bought 6 Boat Lane, Evesham, Worcestershire, for £60,000 in June 2000. Shac operates from the property and gives the address on its website.

In May Sawyer and other activists were served with a High Court costs order by Huntingdon Life Sciences in an attempt to recoup the costs of bringing injunctions against protesters. The court ordered that the costs order should not be enforced until after a full trial next year.

Three months later Sawyer, who had a mortgage with Abbey National, took out a new mortgage with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Police are now considering whether to instigate a fraud investigation.

A spokeswoman for the police tactical unit declined to comment on the possible investigation. But a source close to the animal rights industry said that police were about to launch a mortgage fraud inquiry and were waiting for Huntingdon to make a formal complaint.

The house is now worth from £125,000 to £160,000; Sawyer is believed to have taken out a new mortgage of about £55,000. As the secured creditor, Royal Bank of Scotland would probably have first rights to the proceeds if it were sold, although Huntingdon could challenge this.

The decision to investigate the activists’ assets represents a new “multi-agency approach” to tackling animal rights extremism. Mr Lawson-Cruttendon said: “In the past, companies who have obtained costs orders against animal rights activists have not enforced them.

“Huntingdon are considering whether other options are available to bring home to activists that if they cause damage they should be liable for the costs.”

Sawyer, a midwife, denied that she was still a member of Shac, accused Huntingdon of trying to make her homeless and said that she was being made a scapegoat. “I’m not going to comment on my personal financial situation,” she said. “I’m no longer involved in the campaign, although I’m still in the animal rights movement and proud to be so.”

The police seem determined to shake off previous criticism over a lack of intelligence-sharing and joint strategy. They are now liaising with the Treasury, the Department for Trade and Industry and the Home Office to discuss ways of tackling extremists’ funding.

A tactical unit source said: “Funding is a key element we are looking at. They have got thousands and thousands of pounds coming in every week from city centre stalls.

“Some stalls are illegal because they don’t have a licence from the local council. Some campaigners dress up as rabbits and dogs and have been known to display pictures that don’t relate to animal cruelty. People are too often emotionally duped into giving them money.”

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