Restaurant Owner Criticizes Lenient Sentence for Activist Who Threw Crayfish into Sea
Sean Cooper, owner of the Michelin Guide-listed restaurant Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, expressed deep disappointment after animal rights activist Emma Smart received a lenient sentence for throwing a crayfish into the harbour. The incident occurred in April 2025 when Smart entered the restaurant, seized a crayfish named Ronnie from an educational tank, and threw it into the cold sea with significant force. Cooper stated that the thermal shock likely killed the animal instantly, and its mate died shortly after due to stress. Although initially charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, theft, and assault, Smart was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of criminal damage. She received an eight-month conditional discharge and a three-year ban from approaching the restaurant. Cooper criticized the Crown Prosecution Service for dropping serious charges without consulting him and failing to hold a promised meeting to discuss the case handling. He described the outcome as a travesty, emphasizing the aggravated nature of the act and the clear video evidence supporting more severe charges.
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Restaurant Owner Criticizes Lenient Sentence for Activist Who Threw Crayfish into Sea
Sean Cooper, owner of the Michelin Guide-listed restaurant Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, expressed deep disappointment after animal rights activist Emma Smart received a lenient sentence for throwing a crayfish into the harbour. The incident occurred in April 2025 when Smart entered the restaurant, seized a crayfish named Ronnie from an educational tank, and threw it into the cold sea with significant force. Cooper stated that the thermal shock likely killed the animal instantly, and its mate died shortly after due to stress. Although initially charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, theft, and assault, Smart was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of criminal damage. She received an eight-month conditional discharge and a three-year ban from approaching the restaurant. Cooper criticized the Crown Prosecution Service for dropping serious charges without consulting him and failing to hold a promised meeting to discuss the case handling. He described the outcome as a travesty, emphasizing the aggravated nature of the act and the clear video evidence supporting more severe charges.
independent