Nottingham magistrates heard how he saw the shop on a TV documentary and noticed the monkeys in cages which he thought too small. Alison Quinn, prosecuting, said that last June Whitburn taped a black bin liner to a door panel at the front of the shop then smashed it with a crow bar. Along with the crow bar, he also had two sacks in which he intended to transport the monkeys to an animal sanctuary. He crawled into the shop and released the monkeys from their cages, but left after being disturbed.

The owner opened the shop the next day to find the monkeys roaming free around the shop. Whitburn, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, was arrested and charged after blood was found on the inner blind of the door which matched his.

Last month he admitted burglary with intent. Gavin Haigh, defending, said: "His beliefs were such that, while watching television, he decided that the monkeys were not being kept in ways they should have been. "He tried to buy the monkeys but was refused. So great were his feelings that he felt he had no choice but to save them. "He had altruistic motives for the burglary and that makes it somewhat unusual." Whitburn has had previous convictions for public order offences in pursuit of his beliefs.

The court heard that he is unable to work in his position of a mental health nurse as he suffers from stress and anxiety. Presiding magistrate Clive Allen said: "The burglary was serious and we have no other option because of your previous convictions, the premeditation and lack of remorse."


Kerry received a two month prison sentence.

Please send upbeat letters to Kerry (nothing gloomy or depressing) to help lift his spirits. Please remember to put your own postal address on letters as any anonymous letters more than often end up in the bin.

Kerry Whitburn LC6637
North Sea Camp
Croppers Lane
Freiston
Boston
Lincs
PE22 0QX

Thanks for your time.