CONVICTED (2024) | violent career criminal Daniel Williams, born c. 1993, of no fixed abode but with links to multiple areas of Suffolk and Norfolk* – killed a pet cat and left another with such serious injuries she had to be put down.
Williams was sentenced to a total of four years and six months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to the following charges:
Two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal – 24 months’ imprisonment to run consecutively and 24 months’ imprisonment to run concurrently.
The crimes were committed during 2022 after Williams entered a property in Lowestoft.
Other incidents included smashing windows of a business in the area as well as sending threatening messages to individuals that included threatening to assault someone with a baseball bat.
Detective Constable Matthew Fox of Suffolk Police said: “Williams’ behaviour during this period was controlling, it was threatening and it was severe; culminating in the brutal attack on two defenceless and innocent animals.
“He failed to control his emotions in the most extreme manner and has caused damage to cars, buildings and businesses, but most of all he has caused untold damage to the lives of a number of people.
“Now he will have time in prison to consider the fear and pain he has put onto other people, in the knowledge that even once released, if he breaches the conditions placed on him, he will face yet further punishment.”
Sentencing | 54-month custodial sentence, 10-year restraining order. A 10-year disqualification order applicable to all animals.
*Williams’ last address before his latest bout of imprisonment was Orchard Close, Boughton, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. He has links to the following areas: Dereham, Norwich, North Walsham, Lowestoft, Diss, Swaffham, Attleborough, Bungay/
CONVICTED (2024)| Keane Pyzer, born 25 March 2006, of Amberley Close, Bransholme, Hull HU7 – attacked a police dog and his handler with a shovel.
Pyzer pleaded guilty to a string of offences including threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place, and actual bodily harm.
Pyzer had refused to pay for his taxi after being dropped off at an address in Bransholme.
John Bottomley, prosecuting, told the court that Pyzer came out of the house and attacked the cab with a shovel.
Armed police were called to the address and forced their way into the house.
A dog handler with his dog saw Pyzer at the top of the stairs, shouting and being abusive and still armed with the shovel.
“He threatened to kill the police dog, having seen it,” said Mr Bottomley.
Pyzer, still at the top of the stairs, was asked to be compliant and he was warned about what would happen if he was not. The police dog was sent up the stairs.
He then hit the police dog with the shovel.
The police officer tried to detain Pyzer but the teenager raised the shovel above his head and tried to swing it towards the policeman’s head.
The officer put his hands up but he suffered an cut on his arm and passed out because of the loss of blood.
Pyzer was eventually arrested.
The officer later said that the police dog was his “best mate” and that the dog could have been killed or seriously injured.
The dog suffered a bruise to his abdomen and had to be taken to a vets.
Pyzer had convictions for 14 previous offences, including two of assaulting an emergency worker and others of possessing an offensive weapon, affray and threatening behaviour, all from last year.
He also pleaded guilty to the use of threatening behaviour to cause distress, making off without making payment, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Sentencing | two years and 11 months in a young offenders’ institution.
CONVICTED (2024) | drug addict Niall O’Kane, born 21 January 1987, of Altinure Road, Claudy, Londonderry BT47 4DG – punched a dog repeatedly, bit her then tried to strangle her during domestic violence incident.
Junkie O’Kane, who has a string of criminal convictions dating back 14 years, also attacked his sister in bed and set fire to her bedroom door while she was inside.
The court was told that on July 10, 2023, O’Kane returned to the home he shared with his mother and sister in a state of intoxication.
He asked his sister, who was in bed, if he could borrow her phone, but she refused.
O’Kane then became “violent, aggressive and threatening” and turned his attention to his sister’s dog,.
The court heard he “punched the dog a number of times, bit the dog and then grabbed it by the neck as if trying to strangle it”.
As his sister grappled with him to protect her pet, O’Kane “grabbed her by the back of the head and bit her on the cheek” before he staggered from the bedroom.
A short time later, the sister noticed flames at her door and rang some friends to come to her aid.
When they arrived at the property, O’Kane, who was slumped on the sofa, told them to “f*** off”.
They ignored him and extinguished the fire, which he had started by piling clothes against the door and setting them alight.
O’Kane was unfit to be interviewed by police until the following day. He said he recalled nothing of the previous evening because he had been on a drink and drug binge. He denied attacking the dog, however, and claimed to have a good relationship with his sister.
Ultimately O’Kane, who has links to Limavady, County Londonderry, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal alongside assault, criminal damage and arson.
The court heard that Kane had amassed 51 previous convictions — half of them related to his drug habit.
Sentencing | one-year custodial of which half will be spent on licence. No mention of a ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | Aled Wyn Roberts, born 6 May 1991, most recently of High Street, Tywyn, but originally from Pwlhelli, Caernarfonshire – beat a puppy before choking him to death after the ‘novelty’ of owning a dog wore off.
Roberts admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a black collie called Twm by inflicting blunt force trauma and violence including strangulation.
Prosecuting counsel Gareth Bellis said Roberts was described by a friend as having a history of failing to care properly for animals. He would leave them in cages and forget about them at his dirty and grubby flat. Roberts didn’t know a hamster was dead in a cage.
He had also allegedly smacked his cats.
Details of Aled Roberts’ horrific cruelty towards a defenceless puppy were shared across social media with one animal lover starting a petition to demand justiceSome disturbing allegations were made about both Roberts himself as well as his mother
Mr Bellis said, during a video call with a woman in April 2023, Roberts had complained about the behaviour of his five-month-old border collie.
“The dog was crying in its crate,” the prosecutor said.
The defendant appeared to hit the dog forcefully with his hand. He’d also been witnessed kicking and punching the dog.
The same morning the friend had received another call and grinning Roberts said the dog was dead.
Twm’s body was taken to a vet where Roberts told a receptionist he didn’t know how the pet had died.
Roberts had previously attempted to choke a cat with a headphone lead and screamed at a budgie and refused to feed it, the court heard.
Jailing him for 18 months Judge Timothy Petts at Caernarfon crown court banned him for life from owning any animal.
The judge told Roberts that after acquiring the puppy “you clearly had no idea how to look after him properly. The novelty had worn off.
“You went from neglect to being cruel and violent towards him,” Judge Petts added.
Eventually Twm had been strangled with a chain.
“The suffering he sustained must have been considerable,” the judge said. A post-mortem examination showed internal injuries to the “defenceless” puppy including fractured ribs.
Roberts’ lawyer said his client’s “mental health problems” had led to the sad situation and had urged the judge to consider a suspended sentence.
CONVICTED (2024) | serial domestic abuser and dangerous career criminal Arran Swift aka Arran Adey, born c. 1986, originally from Cowdenbeath, Fife but with links to the Lochend and Restalrig areas of Edinburgh and Cumbernauld in Glasgow – killed and mutilated a hamster with a hammer in a sick revenge attack against his partner.
The death of the little hamster, named Timmy, came to light after Swift sent the woman a chilling message, stating “Timmy isn’t going to survive”.
Police found the body of the animal, along with blood splatters where he had been thrown against a wall and a hammer covered in blood and hair.
The court heard that Swift carried out a litany of abuse after entering into a relationship with the woman in 2018 or 2019.
Fiscal depute Ronnie Hay detailed the abuse, including the destruction of the victim’s pet, committed after she took Swift back following a previous split.
He said: “The complainer felt sorry for him and invited him to stay with her.
“The accused’s behaviour did not vary – he began controlling what she was doing.
“He punched and kicked at walls and mirrors.
“They separated in September 2021 and she left her flat, leaving her pet hamster Timmy.
“Between September 6 and 16 telephone records showed 391 communications were made from his phone to her.
“These messages were also threatening – she received one saying ‘Timmy isn’t going to survive. Where are you?….bad move, goodbye’.”
Police went to the property and found evidence Swift was still living there – along with the grim discovery of the pet’s body.
Mr Hay continued: “They observed the deceased hamster, which appeared to have been struck off the wall.
“They contacted the SSPCA and an inspector attended and found the hamster and blood spatters on the wall.
“She saw a hammer with blood and hair on it.”
On an earlier occasion Swift trapped the woman inside her house, tied her hands together and followed her around the house – even watching as she used the toilet – and threatened to stab her.
On another occasion he hit her, resulting in her waking from unconsciousness in the bathroom.
After the woman left Swift initially, she found him inside her house. Swift had taken some important items, including jewellery and photographs, telling her he had taken “things that matter to you”.
He invited her to a Travelodge in Edinburgh with the promise of returning the items.
She texted her mother asking her to call the police as she needed help, only for Swift to beat her with a gin bottle.
Other incidents included stealing a television that had been taken in by a neighbour following delivery, making threats to kill her former partner, sending her photos to suggest he was in her local area and he stated he had put cameras in her home.
Swift, a prisoner at Edinburgh, admitted engaging in a course of conduct abusive of a partner or ex-partner at addresses in Fife, Edinburgh and Cumbernauld between October 2020 and January 2022.
Swift’s heinous crimes were so serious the case was remitted to the High Court in Dundee.
Presiding judge Lord Arthurson ruled that Swift poses a significant threat to the public should he be released from custody.
He said reports showed that Swift had “sadistic” tendencies and scored highly on a test to assess psychopathic behaviour.
He said: “You demonstrated extreme violence, controlling and somewhat sadistic behaviour towards your victim. You have used different aliases in relationships.
“When you are heavily intoxicated and in a state of inebriation you have felt the overwhelming desire to inflict serious pain on others. You have shown a lack of empathy. You have shown no anxiety about the consequences. There is an extremely high likelihood of you committing other offences and you have the capacity to cause lethal harm.
“You scored highly on the assessment for psychopathy. The risk of harm posed by you has been persistent over time. You have been violent against strangers and intimate partners.
“You have found it impossible to take responsibility for your behaviour. You have had eight previous partners and have shown concerning behaviour towards seven of them.
“You have described your own fantasies about harming others in the past. You killed your victim’s pet animal and mutilated the body. You repeatedly threatened to kill your victim and her family and burn down her house. This was sustained, coercive and controlling behaviour over 16 months.”
Lord Arthurson said: “I have concluded that the nature, gravity and pattern of offending are such as to demonstrate that your liberty will endanger the lives of the public at large.”
Swift will initially serve three years and nine months in prison but will be subjected to a lifelong restriction order meaning that only the parole board can decide if Swift can be managed in the community.
Swift was also made subject to a lifelong non-harassment order.
The court was told that Swift was already subject to two other non-harassment orders, had served 19 previous prison terms and was on a community payback order at the time of the latest offence.
Sentencing | three years and nine months in jail. Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR).
CONVICTED (2024) | Robert Manton aka Rob Philpot, born 1986, and Natasha Butler, born November 1979, of Stonham Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea CO16 7EH – neglected and physically abused their two dogs.
Butler and Manton were banned from keeping animals for life after being captured on video abusing their two dogs.
The RSPCA investigated Manton and Butler after receiving video evidence of their cruelty towards a Staffy called Bruce and Jack Russell-type Snoop. This included footage showing Manton kicking and hitting both dogs.
On January 13, 2023 the charity attended the couple’s home in Clacton with police and removed the dogs.
Bruce (pictured) and Snoop thrived in the RSPCA’s care and have been rehomed
Further evidence was provided of the two dogs fighting outside and running loose in the street and one of the dogs attacking the other. There was no intervention by their owners, thereby facilitating the suffering of the animal being attacked The two dogs were kept together and there was no provision to keep Snoop safe.
Snoop
Both dogs had skin disease and were infested with fleas. They were also being kept in unsuitable conditions.
Manton, who is no stranger to Essex Police, was found guilty in his absence while Butler pleaded guilty to failing to meet the welfare needs of Snoop and Bruce by one or a combination of the following:
Failing to address the skin condition affecting one or both dogs
Failing to adequately control the dogs resulting in the dogs fighting each other
Keeping the dogs in an unsuitable environment containing hazardous items and which was contaminated by urine and faeces
Failing to protect the dogs from stress by punching or kicking them
Exercising the dogs on the highway without the dogs being kept on leads meaning that the dogs were not under control or safe
Failing to provide routine preventative health care such as vaccination and parasitic control.
In mitigation, the court was told Manton was suffering from mental health issues and he had lost a relative to cancer. The dogs were not his, but he was aware of their conditions. In mitigation Butler also said she had been suffering with mental health issues.
Speaking after the case RSPCA inspector Emma Beynon said: “Bruce and Snoop should have been protected and kept safe, but sadly this was not the case. The couple failed them in so many ways.
“Both dogs were taken into RSPCA care and both continued to thrive and they have now been rehomed.
“I would also like to thank the witnesses in this case – which was a difficult one for all involved.
Sentencing | Manton: 17 week prison sentence for the animal welfare offence with one further week added for his failure to surrender. He also activated a previous suspended sentence – which resulted in a further 40 weeks’ imprisonment to run consecutively.
Butler: 12-week prison sentence with additional time added for failure to surrender; 30 days of rehabilitation activity; costs of £600 plus £154 victim surcharge.
Both were disqualified from keeping animals for life.
CONVICTED (2024) | Karl Anthony Draper, born c. 2000, of Jade Close, Kirkby, Liverpool L33 6YH – attacked his girlfriend’s French bulldog puppy more than once during sustained campaign of domestic violence.
MMA fighter Draper had been with Bekah Smith for around three years until their split in September 2023. Ms Smith then told the police that he had subjected her to verbal and physical abuse throughout their time together.
Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, described how Ms Smith had previously “made excuses for his behaviour” and “stayed with him because she loved him”, but she “kept photographs and recordings” evidencing his numerous assaults.
French bulldog puppy Angel was also targeted by violent headcase Karl Draper
The first such incident came on April 15 2021, when Draper kicked the French bulldog puppy they had bought only a few days earlier in her side, causing the dog, named Angel, to “yelp in pain”. This would be one of many occasions when heavy cannabis user Draper took his frustrations out on the puppy.
Numerous other incidents followed which included Draper repeatedly making threats of self-harm, leaving Ms Smith feeling emotionally blackmailed into continuing with the relationship. She also suffered multiple physical assaults, including throttling, at the hands of Draper even during pregnancy and after the birth of their son.
On one voice recording, Draper is heard chillingly telling Ms Smith that she would “end up in the morgue”.
Draper also damaged property including a child’s games console during his many violent rages.
After his behaviour was reported to the police, he told officers Ms Smith “was a liar” and said the marks around her throat in photographs had been an “allergic reaction or make up”.
Ultimately, Draper admitted engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and five counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was not charged with animal cruelty.
Ken Heckle, defending, told the court that his client suffers from issues including depression, anxiety, ADHD and self harm.
Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC said: “People who use this type of abuse, of putting their hands around the throat, are committing serious offences, and that type of behaviour will always be regarded by the court as a real warning sign – a red flag that something more serious might happen in the future. Anyone who puts their hands around somebody else’s throat and squeezes is to be regarded as a high risk.
“All of this has had a significant and profound effect on Rebecca Smith. I am perfectly satisfied that the consequences of your behaviour towards her have caused her very significant psychological harm.
“Often, people such as you who engage in domestic abuse have two faces – the one presented to the public and the more sinister one which emerges in the context of an intimate relationship. You cannot claim to be someone of good character when your conduct has spanned a period of three years.
“However, I do take into account your immaturity and your struggles with your mental health. I am perfectly satisfied that, despite the mitigation available to you, immediate imprisonment is the only appropriate sentence to represent the serious nature of the abuse committed by you.”
CONVICTED (2024) | Del Alan Midgley, born c. 1969, of Robin Hood Street, Castleford WF10 4AX – used his dog as a weapon, leading to the dog being destroyed.
Del Midgley, who has 48 previous convictions for 164 offences, including robbery, ABH and affray, lured a man to his home to attack him with a baseball bat, then goaded his dog into attacking him.
Midgley then allowed the Staffy to attack a police officer when they turned up to arrest him. He also racially abused officers and tried to bite them himself.
He admitted a raft of offences including GBH and allowing a dangerous dog to be out of control. The unnamed dog was ordered to be put down.
The incident took place on June 30, 2023, after Midgley swung a baseball bat at the man, who then tried to grab the weapon.
The man was able to get out of the home and into the street, followed by Midgley who continued to hit him. His dog was with him, and when Midgley relented, the dog pounced and mauled the man for around 40 seconds. The man suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung from the bat attack, and lacerations to his skull and ears from the dog.
After the police were called, they found Midgley in an irate state and he tried to shut the door on the officers, but they were able to force their way inside. The court was told that Midgley allowed the dog to intimidate the officers who had to withdraw, but not before he jumped at one officer and sank his teeth into her arm with such ferocity it left the muscle exposed.
Midgley was Tasered and brought under control, but after claiming he had a heart condition, the officers took him to hospital. However, he continued to struggle and be abusive. He racially abused two officers who had to restrain him when he tried to bite them. Finally, he urinated in the police van.
Held on remand since his arrest, he admitted section 20 GBH, two counts of being a a person with a dangerous dog that caused serious injury and two of racially-aggravated harassment.
An order was made to have the dog put down and Midgley was given a 17-year ban from keeping animals.
Mitigating, Chloe Hudson said that Midgley did not object to the dog being euthanised.
She said that on the day of the attack, Midgley had been drinking heavily and in relation to the dog, she added: “It was clearly very loyal and he [Midgley] should have intervened. He is beginning to realise that offending of this type will just end up in further custodial sentences.
She said of the relationship with the victim: “There’s a long history of knowing one another and there’s not always been a mutual liking, but it does not excuse what went on, it should not have happened.” Miss Hudson said Midgley was having drug counselling in prison and was enrolling in courses to better himself.
The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, jailed him for 45 months, and activated an additional two months of a suspended sentences he was on at the time for a driving matter.
Sentencing | 47-month custodial for non-animal welfare offences. Destruction order for the dog which Midgley didn’t object to. Banned from keeping animals for 17 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Aidan Swift, born 11 July 1981, from Holmpton Road, Hollym, Withernsea HU19 2QG – kicked his girlfriend’s Chihuahua to death in a fit of jealous rage.
Swift flew into a jealous rage and kicked the little dog, Kiki, so hard that she died immediately. He also hit his girlfriend with a piece of wood and threatened to kill her.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on April 7, 2023. He also admitted to being controlling and hurting his girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
Sentencing Swift the judge stated his behaviour was “appalling” adding that “Kiki was only a small dog, but you must have kicked it hard to kill it. I simply can’t bring myself to express my view about that.”
“You will appreciate that I have dogs myself. The way you treated her pet has left me no alternative but to impose a sentence of imprisonment.
“These offences are simply too serious to overlook.”
Sentencing | two-and-a-half years in prison including one year for the attack on Kiki. Five-year restraining order. Prohibited from owning and/or keeping dogs for five years but may apply for the ban to be lifted after three years (expires March 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | Adam Lee Bone, born c. 1991, of 29 Taylor Grove, Wingate, County Durham TS28 5PA – assaulted a dog and his female owner.
Bone, a career criminal with numerous previous convictions for violence dating back to his teens, pleaded guilty to two counts; assault by beating, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The offences took place on August 27, 2023, when Bone assaulted a woman and a Bedlington Terrier in Wingate.
Sentencing | 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs. Disqualified from keeping dogs for five years (expires March 2029).
