As the Times made clear in its article yesterday we now have confirmation of what many in the animal rights world have been talking about for some months, the sell out by Debbie Vincent to obtain a shorter prison term. The question is, are any of us surprised ?

Debbie came into the world of AR on the back of much trauma in her private life. Born Peter Rogers before her gender reassignment operation and changing her name Debbie was a troubled individual open to manipulation and control from an early age. The choice of her as the new leader of SHAC after Greg Avery was imprisoned was controversial with many and a number of dissenting voices were ignored. She made many mistakes in the running of SHAC and the ultimate failure of the group must be placed at her door, HLS is up and running and in real terms has not been affected at all in the past four years by the actions of SHAC.

The decision to purchase a house in France from SHAC funds as an 'investment' was quite rightly condemned by many and the current fight over its ownership by six individuals (including Debbie) has been another diversion from what should have been the core activity of SHAC. She clearly expects to come out of prison and live there and yet why ? It was not her money, it was paid for by SHAC donations.

The issue at the heart of this is HLS and its continuation. SHAC was a pain to HLS but it never succeeded in its primary target of closing it and while SHAC has now closed HLS has just won a new multi million Pound contract that will see its animal experimenting expand. SHAC has hundreds of thousands of pounds in the Co-Op bank accounts and yet we are told the campaign has finished. Who is controlling that money ?

Debbie sold us out and now it looks like SHAC did the same. In the meanwhile the animals continue to suffer.