A NORTH-EAST man boasted about his role in an illegal dog fighting ring to an undercover reporter, a Court heard yesterday.

Gary Adamson, formerly of Ramsey Crescent, Yarm, near Stockton, bragged about owning three pit bull terriers and allowed his young son to wander close to the kennels at his home.

The 38-year-old admitted six charges in connection with illegal dog fighting at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Claire Parker, 44, of Kexby, Lincolnshire, Mohammed Farooq, 33, of Birmingham, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are on trial over their alleged roles in the gang.

In court yesterday, details were revealed about the investigation by the BBC’s Panorama programme.

The court heard how the documentary showed Adamson, a part-time odd job man, bragging about owning three pit bulls to undercover reporter Stephen Paul Ibinson, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, who recently died of a heart attack in Afghanistan.

The reporter met Adamson in 2006 after he started drinking with the Farmers’ Boys, a dog-fighting syndicate based in Northern Ireland.

In a statement, Mr Ibinson said: “He sees himself as the Don King of pit bulls. The Farmers’ Boys made it clear he was their guy in the North- East of the UK.”

Mr Ibinson also described how a fight in Finland had left some of the dogs involved so badly injured that they would have to be put down.

He said: “The last dog was killed by putting onto its tail a crocodile clip and another one on to its ear and then connecting it to the main electrical system.”

After infiltrating the gang, Mr Ibinson was asked to be a judge at a private dog show, which he said was to test his knowledge of dogs.

He later filmed Adamson’s son being allowed to roam within a few feet of dog kennels at his home.

On another occasion, Mr Ibinson watched a dog fight in Finland. The longest fight lasted 45 minutes and left many of the dogs severely maimed and injured.

In his statement, Mr Ibinson added: “Gary was just a member of the audience, but he was very excited and happy to be there. He said it was a great place to hold conventions – dog fights. He said it was his ideal holiday, to be in Finland viewing dog fights.”

The trial of Ms Parker, Mr Farooq and the 17-year-old youth continues.

Adamson will be sentenced along with Owen Batey, 40, of Cannock Road, Middlesbrough, Kenneth King, 35, of Newark, and Christopher Burgess, 42, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, who admitted their roles in the gang.