CONVICTED (2023) | Lovelle Paharsingh,born 13 February 2003, of Heneage Road, Grimsby DN32 9NP – failed to take a kitten with an unexplained lip injury to the vet.
Paharsingh, who’s originally from the Shiregreen area of Sheffield and retains family links to the city, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
The charges were in relation to an unnamed black and white kitten.
Paharsingh admitted failing to care for or obtain proper veterinary care for an injury to the animal’s lip.
The condition of the kitten was not reported.
Sentencing | fined £270 and ordered to pay a victim services surcharge of £34. Banned from keeping cats for eight years,
CONVICTED (2023) | Becky Louise Moore, born 19 January 1979, and Andrew Thomas, born c. 1981, of 9 Tudor Avenue in Farnworth, Bolton BL4 9RH – kept four dogs and four cats in filth at their disgusting home, with the decaying remains of a fifth dog and a rabbit found amidst the chaos.
Becky Moore and partner Andrew Thomas received an indefinite ban on keeping animals after the remains of a decaying dog and rabbit were found alongside eight surviving pets in horror conditions
In a witness statement to the court RSPCA investigator Ryan King described the conditions in which he found three French bulldogs, a Staffy and four cats as “awful .. the smell was dreadful: a mix of faeces, ammonia and decay.”
Inspector King said he found rubbish and mess all over the counters of the kitchen and spotted tins of dog food on the floor which were all empty.
“There was rubbish and faeces everywhere. There were three dog cages in the room, two were filthy and the other was at an angle so that a dog could not get into it,” he said.
“On the sofa, which had been ripped up to the point I could see the springs, I found the remains of a dog – a jaw bone, part of the skull, clumps of black fur and a grey flea collar.
“The bathroom had faeces and rubbish on the floor, and in the bedroom next to the bathroom there was a rabbit cage on top of a set of drawers next to a bunk bed. Inside the cage was the remains of a rabbit.”
Several of the dogs were treated for fleas, and had itching and discharge in the eyes or ears. One dog was suffering from a prolapsed third eyelid gland and inflammation.
One of the surviving animals
An expert vet witness stated that in his opinion, the four dogs and four cats were housed within an unhygienic environment raising concerns for the welfare of these animals, and that in his opinion, four of the animals had been caused to suffer, and that the needs of all nine animals had not been met.
The surviving animals were seized by police and placed into the care of the RSPCA, where they will now be found new homes.
Moore and Thomas were convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to four dogs, and for not taking steps to ensure that the needs of four dogs and four cats for which they were responsible, were met to the extent required by good practice.
Sentencing | two-year custodial suspended for 18 months. 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement; 300 hours of unpaid work. Banned from keeping pets indefinitely.
CONVICTED (2023) | Zohaib Khan, born 24 October 1995, and Priya Sidhu, born 2 June 1998, both of 11 Adelaide Square, Bedford MK40 2RN – caused the death of a five-month-old kitten after leaving her to suffer with open wounds and broken bones.
The couple had both pleaded guilty to one animal welfare offence in relation to the kitten called Coco, whose suffering was described by a vet as “significant.”
Khan and Sidhu initially took Coco to see the vet on May 27, 2022, stating that she had fallen from a sofa and injured her leg. Following veterinary examination, the couple were advised the kitten would require specialist surgery but they never returned.
Less than three months later, on August 6, RSPCA inspector Stephen Reeves was called by Khan and Sidhu to collect a seriously injured Coco from their home.
Inspector Reeves said: “I was advised by the two individuals that they were unable to afford veterinary care.”
He added that she had multiple injuries and was unable to stand. Her injuries included wounds to her lip and ears, broken teeth, fractures on both back legs, a dislocated pelvic bone, a fractured jaw and a possible sternum fracture.
Coco died of her injuries while under sedation for treatment.
Expert witness Dr Sean Taylor found that there were discrepancies between Khan and Sidhu’s accounts with neither of them able to offer ‘any reasonable explanation’ for the repeated and severe injuries sustained by the kitten in their home.
Ultimately it was deemed that Khan had caused the greatest suffering to Coco.
Dr Sean Taylor said in his statement: “In my opinion, Coco has been caused to suffer as a consequence of being subjected to physical abuse. Suffering will have been experienced by this animal via mechanisms of fear, distress and pain for a period of at least four days, probably longer.”
Following the sentencing, inspector Stephen Reeves said: “The death of Coco was entirely unnecessary and the pain inflicted on this little kitten in her short lifetime was immense.
Sentencing |
Priya Sidhu: 12-month community order with 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work; £400 costs. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years .
Zohaib Khan: 18-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work; costs of £400. Banned from keeping animals for life.
CONVICTED (2023) | Dean Callum Parkes, born July 1995, of Orwell Close, Malmesbury SN16 9UB – for cruelty to a critically injured dachshund owned by girlfriend Fae Brittany Prangle, born c. 1995, of Easton Square, Sherston SN16 0LX.
Dean Parkes and Fae Prangle were prosecuted by the RSPCA after miniature dachshund Mable suffered critical injuries
Four-year-old miniature dachshund Mable suffered chest injuries consistent with blunt force trauma while in the care of Dean Parkes. Her owner Fae Prangle, who had recently started a relationship with Parkes, took Mable to a vet who found signs of a high heart rate and abdominal pain. The vet told Prangle that Mable could go home but advised her to monitor her.
After Mable’s condition deteriorated, Prangle returned to the vet practice and a more thorough veterinary examination found that she had suffered fractures to three ribs and numerous pelvic fractures.
The vet likened Mable’s injuries to those resulting from a road traffic accident.
Prangle could provide no explanation for Mable’s injuries and the RSPCA was alerted.
Parkes was found not guilty of inflicting the injuries on Mable but was convicted of failing to protect her from pain, suffering and injury. Prangle was found not guilty and will now have Mable and another dog with similar injuries returned to her.
The RSPCA attended Prangle’s home in Sherston, near Malmesbury, on 6 January 2022 and seized Mable, an 18-month-old miniature dachshund puppy called Matilda and Duke, a red Labrador belonging to Parkes.
Matilda was examined by vets and found to have sustained numerous pelvic fractures, similar to those suffered by Mable.
It transpired that Prangle had sought treatment for Matilda on 3 December, eight days after she said the dog had jumped off an embankment during a walk and started limping. But she claimed Matilda’sr limp and lameness were intermittent and said the pet didn’t show any signs of pain or serious injury.
Finding no evidence of serious injury, the vet released Matlida back to Prangle with seven days’ worth of anti-inflammatory medication.
Both Parkes and Prangle faced charges of causing unnecessary suffering to Mable and Matilda by failing to seek prompt vet care and failing to protect them from pain, suffering and injury.
Parkes and Prangle gave similar accounts of the circumstances surrounding Mable’s injuries and the timeline of events, but these were contradicted by Prangle’s sister, Heather Prangle.
After hearing expert evidence District Judge Joanna Dickens found Parkes not guilty of inflicting the injuries on Mable, stating: “He clearly had the opportunity to do it. I didn’t find his explanation very convincing.
“Whilst he could have done it, and certainly on the balance of probabilities did do it, I am not sure, and therefore I find you not guilty.”
Parkes with red Lab Duke
However, he was found guilty of failing to protect Mable from pain, suffering and injury.
She added: “Mr Parkes was responsible for that animal when that injury happened. Something happened to Mable, I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure Mr Parkes knows.
“Whether he did it or someone else did it, either way, he didn’t take reasonable steps to prevent this happening.”
Prangle was found not guilty on both charges. Judge Dickens said that she “obviously loves the dogs” and took them to the vet when she had concerns about them.
Parkes, co-director of Empire Construction & Carpentry Limited, has a police caution for harassing an ex-girlfriend.
He will be sentenced in June 2023 and faces a ban from owning animals.
Mable and Matilda were released from Bath Cats and Dogs Home back to Prangle – who remains in a relationship with Parkes and now lives with him.
CONVICTED (2023) | Rebecca Dowbenko aka Beki Sanderson, born c. 1970, of Fairfax Road, Cullingworth, Bradford BD13 4JQ – showed no remorse after leaving her dog with rotting skin.
Rebecca Dowbenko didn’t believe in taking medication for her own health issues and “extended this feeling” to her pets
Dowbenko admitted failing to get much-needed veterinary treatment for one of her dogs, Lily. The nine-year-old Newfoundland was suffering from serious facial and rib injuries as well as other health issues.
Lily had to be put to sleep after enduring a long period of mistreatment and neglect by her owner Rebecca Dowbenko
The dog’s face was swollen and septic with infected sores and pus as a result of either suffering blunt force trauma to the head or the growth of a tumour. The canine’s skin tissue was rotting away, which left a “horrific” smell, RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby said.
Lily was also suffering from severe skin disease, rib swelling and lung injury, chronic arthritis and spondylosis – none of which had been effectively treated by Dowbenko.
She was also found covered in paint, which Dowbenko said had rubbed off from a wet wall.
Some of Lily’s injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma, suggesting they had been inflicted deliberately.
The court was told that Lily was first presented to the PDSA with a skin disease, described as “dreadful” in 2017.
Staff told Dowbenko Lily would need to be seen again in follow-up appointments, but she was not taken back to the vets for these visits.
The dog was taken to the PDSA on further occasions, including in late 2021, but Dowbenko never followed up on suggestions from the vets at the charity.
The court heard that when the RSPCA visited Dowbenko’s home in Fairfax Road on January 4, 2022, Lily was in a very poor state of health and it appeared she had been deteriorating for several months.
The dog was in terrible pain and she was taken to the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for treatment, but the prognosis for her was so poor she had to be put to sleep.
In a statement to the court inspector Demi Hodby said: “Lily had a very large, swollen face and mouth. Her face was oozing with pus and infection. She was lethargic and when she walked it appeared like she was having to think and calculate in her head each of her steps.
“She was in poor body condition and due to the infection Lily smelt horrifically. She spent most of her time during the visit lying on the floor subdued and lethargic. I asked [Dowbenko] if the dog was under veterinary treatment and she said she had not been to the vets but was going to call them that day.”
A vet concluded there was a “significant probability” that Lily’s injuries were not accidental, although the facial damage may also have been caused by a cancerous tumour.
A post-mortem showed she was suffering from osteomyelitis, with evidence of dead bone on the left side of the face, as well as chest trauma. She was also suffering from a rare form of dermatitis.
They said: “It is my opinion that Lily was allowed to suffer due to her owner failing to present her for timely veterinary assessment and treatment of multiple, serious health conditions despite acknowledging the dog was in pain for prolonged periods.”
The vet noted that the defendant failed to follow up a call to a PDSA clinic highlighting a burst abscess on the side of the dog’s face in November 2021.
RSPCA prosecutor Mr Brown told the court: “The dog was clearly suffering and was in obvious pain, suspected to be caused by blunt trauma.
“The animal became blind as the facial swelling grew.
“It was not clear when the injuries had been occasioned – there were signs of blunt force trauma within a minimum of six weeks, but could have developed over a number of months.”
Philip Cockroft, defending Dowbenko, said: “The is a lady 53 years of age who has no previous convictions to her name.
“The allegation is that this lady failed to obtain the necessary veterinary care for an animal she accepts she was responsible for.
“She finds it very hard to accept this, she would say she is a very caring person, and the animal that had to be destroyed is one she had from a puppy until the age of nine.
“Human beings benefit from the NHS, but for someone on benefits a single visit to the vets eats up a huge amount of benefits.
“She herself suffers from arthritis and severe anxiety. She doesn’t believe in taking medicine to help her, and it would seem to some extent that she extends her feelings in this respect to animals in her care – not because she doesn’t love these animals, but because she does things in her own way.”
Having considered all of the evidence including probation reports, Chair of the bench Vicky Reynolds noted that Dowbenko continued to deny causing any suffering to Lily and hadn’t shown any remorse.
Ms Reynolds told her: “Lily was left in pain and suffering for a long period of time. There was totally negligent treatment at an early stage.”
Sentencing | 12 weeks in custody with half to be served on licence. Disqualified from owning any animal for 10 years with a deprivation order on her other pets (ban expires May 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | serial animal abuser Stuart Eunson, born 12 February 1982, of Lucock Street, South Shields NE34 0NQ – neglected a dog found underweight, covered in faeces, with crusty eyes, leg and rib injuries and a severe skin condition.
Eunson was given a 10-year ban on keeping animals in 2020 in relation to another neglected Staffy. This followed a three-year ban imposed in 2018, which he had also breached.
In July 2022 the RSPCA received a tip-off that Eunson was keeping a dog at his home.
RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor said: “When I visited Eunson’s home … [he] appeared at the door holding a white Staffordshire bull terrier which he handed over to me. The poor dog’s eyes were crusted closed, he smelled terrible and despite having a white coat, his legs were dark brown with what looked like faeces.
“Eunson confirmed that he understood that he was banned from keeping animals and while he allowed me to take the Staffie – called Rebel – to the vet, he refused to acknowledge the dog was his or to sign him over.”
The examining vet reported that Rebel had arrived in a very anxious and agitated state. He was underweight, had eye and ear infections as well as itchy, inflamed skin and a sore ribcage.
His skin and cat were soiled with faeces, he had overgrown nails and he was lame from a previous injury to his left forelimb.
The vet concluded that the lameness following the injury to the left forelimb; the itchiness; the eyelid changes and the head shaking and ear rubbing along with the unsettled behaviour would have been a cause of distress to the animal and should have alerted the owner to Rebel’s poor health. It was the vet’s opinion that by failing to protect his dog from pain, suffering, injury and disease – which would have included seeking vet care for the dog – Eunson allowed Rebel to unnecessarily suffer.
Inspector Proctor said: “Not only did Eunson disobey court-imposed bans on keeping animals, but during this most recent incident, while it was still illegal for him to have a dog, he was keeping and clearly neglecting Rebel”.
Sentencing | 18-month community order, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 19 ‘Thinking Skills’ sessions. Lifetime ban on owning animals.
CONVICTED (2022) | prolific wildlife killer Ryan Chad Warner, born c. 1992, of Alexandra Terrace, Cwmaman, Aberdare CF44 6NP – failed to treat his terrier’s severe facial injuries.
Warner pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a black and white male Patterdale-type terrier called Grafter by failing to provide proper and necessary veterinary care and attention for his serious injuries.
He was not charged with any wildlife crimes despite the nature of his dog’s injuries, coupled with photographic evidence on Warner’s social media accounts that he hunts foxes and possibly badgers with dogs.
Grafter had suffered an extensive degloving injury to his jaw. Bizarrely the cause does not appear to have been explored in court.
The case was heard at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court on August 31, 2022, before it was referred to Merthyr Crown Court on Friday, October 7.
In a written statement provided to the court, RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper said she attended Warner’s address on March 7, 2022. She met Grafter in the back garden and found him to have scars all over his head, muzzle, neck and ears.
Inspector Cooper said: “His right ear had a large, healed tear and his left ear had a large, recent tear as there was dried blood on the inside. The bite type wounds all over his head and muzzle, some appeared to be older and healed and others seemed to be newer and scabbed over.
“A large proportion of the skin from the lower jaw was hanging away from the bone, revealing the flesh part of the jaw. The flesh looked red and sore and it smelt really bad, like infection.
“There were bits of dirt and grass sticking to this bit of open flesh and Grafter appeared really uncomfortable when I touched around the area in order to get a better look. He appeared uncomfortable by repetitively moving his head away from me when I tried to look at the injury. I asked Ryan Warner if the dog had seen a vet and he said that he hadn’t.”
Warner then told inspector Cooper he’d only just bought Grafter the previous evening from an advert and that he had the injuries when he bought him. However, Warner was unable to provide her with the seller’s details. A transfer of ownership form was then signed for Grafter by Warner.
A written witness statement from a vet – who examined Grafter on March 7 – was also provided to the court. The vet said there were “extensive and severe injuries” on Grafter’s head and neck, the most severe of the injuries being an “extensive degloving injury” of the flesh of the lower jaw.
She said: “A degloving is a type of traumatic injury where a large portion of skin and tissue is detached from the underlying muscle or bone and is extremely painful.”
The vet added that in her opinion Grafter “had suffered enormously and unnecessarily as a result of his extensive and severe wounds.”
She added: “This unnecessary suffering would have been alleviated by seeking and following appropriate veterinary treatment.”
At the vets, Grafter was hospitalised and given painkillers and antibiotics and later given surgery to try to salvage the wounds on his face. Sadly, he will carry a permanent disfigurement. However, Grafter has recovered from his injuries and has since been successfully re-homed.
Sentencing | 12 months of custody suspended for 18 months; 120 hours of unpaid work; costs of £2,065 Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires October 2027).
CONVICTED (2022) | Kathleen Townley, born 12 March 1969, of Wellington House, Glebe Road, Downham Market PE38 9QN – failed to seek veterinary care for her injured cat.
Kathleen Townley was only convicted of failing to take her injured cat to the vet, but was initially charged with attempting to kill him.
Townley was charged alongside co-accused Mark Baylis of the same address, although he was cleared following a trial. Townley’s son Zach Townley, born 17 March 1999, of 14 Silver Green, Fairstead, King’s Lynn PE30 4SG, was charged with inflicting the injuries on the male tabby cat, Ozzy, but pleaded not guilty and the case against him was discontinued .
Townley with Mark Baylis, who was cleared of cruelty to Ozzy after a trial.
Townley pleaded guilty to failing to ensure Ozzy’s welfare. She pleaded not guilty to a second charge of attempting to kill the cat but this charge was also discontinued.
The court heard that RSPCA officers, acting on a tip-off about the cat, went to Townley and Baylis’s home on the morning of January 19, 2022.
Prosecutor Hugh Rowland said there were four other cats, two dogs and two corn snakes, all in apparent good condition.
After seeing Ozzy’s condition, the officers agreed with Townley that he would be signed over to the RSPCA.
Mr Rowland said: “When Inspector Kirby lifted Ozzy to place him in the cat basket, he tried to get away but couldn’t use his back legs properly.
“He was falling to one side and standing on his hocks and it was Inspector Kirby’s view that he needed to see a vet.”
The court heard that Ozzy’s apparent injury or disease was “readily observable”.
During Baylis’ trial, he admitted being jointly responsible for Ozzy but said he had denied the charge because his partner was the cat’s owner.
Baylis said he had noticed Ozzy limping “a day or two” before the RSPCA came and he intended to take him to the vet when he got paid that week.
Magistrates found Baylis not guilty, saying there was doubt over whether Ozzy needed urgent attention as the RSPCA had not examined him until the day after he was signed over to the charity.
During her sentencing hearing, Townley said she would have taken Ozzy to the vet’s but did not have enough money.
Her solicitor Ruth Johnson said: “I must stress that from the outset she has vehemently denied there was any mistreatment of the cat.”
The court heard that Townley had since rehomed all of her pets apart from two Chihuahuas.
Zach Townley was accused of inflicting the injuries on Ozzy but the RSPCA were unable to prove this.
Earlier in 2022 Zach Townley pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, which related to inflicting a blunt force trauma and physical violence to Ozzy between January 1 and January 20, 2022.
The RSPCA also discontinued that case this week after offering no evidence.
The court heard that Ozzy’s condition improved with anti-inflammatory medicine and he has since been rehomed.
Sentencing | Townley was fined £80 and ordered to pay £100 costs and £34 victim surcharge.
CONVICTED (2022) | Joshua Nicholls, born c. 2002, of Sticker Lane, Cutler Heights, Bradford – failed to seek veterinary treatment for a dog that had been scalded in unexplained circumstances.
Nicholls, who also admitted driving offences, caused unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, a dog called Missy, between December 18, 2021, and February 17, 2022.
He failed to seek immediate veterinary care after the dog had sustained an application of boiling water to her body.
The court document said he knew or ought reasonably to have known that the failure to seek care would cause unnecessary suffering.
Nicholls also admitted aggravated vehicle taking and damage (under £5,000) on February 9, when he took a Peugeot 208 unlawfully and crashed it. He also drove the car without a valid test certificate, valid car insurance, and a valid licence.
Sentencing | 275 hours of unpaid work; £305 in costs and charges. Driving ban. Banned from owning animals for just four years (expires September 2026).
CONVICTED (2022) | drug dealer Marcus McMillan, born 13 June 1995, of Benmore Drive, Finaghy, west Belfast – kept 10 dogs with horrendous facial injuries in outdoor pens.
McMillan pleaded guilty to one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to five dogs and one charge of failing to meet the needs of five dogs under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. He was prosecuted by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.
The 10 severely injured terriers were discovered in kennels during a drug raid by PSNI officers of McMillan’s farm yard in Drumlough Road between Royal Hillsborough and Anahilt.
Police immediately called animal welfare officers and a vet, but when McMillan was asked to sign over the animals to their care he refused.
The dogs were then seized over fears they may suffer further harm. When McMillan was cautioned by animal welfare officers he admitted he was the sole owner of the animals.
The court was told that one of the dogs was so severely injured she had to have her jaw surgically reconstructed while another was missing her nose.
Another had its his ripped off by force, a second had a staple lodged in his head in a suspected attempt to hold a tissue wound closed and another was missing his nose.
Many of the dogs had active infections, with one found with a hole between the inside of her mouth and the outside of her chin which appeared to be a recent wound.
The prosecution lawyer said there was no evidence of any of the dogs being given treatment or pain relief, with one of the animals found with injuries that would cause pain “with every lick and bite”.
She added that all of the dogs had since been re-homed except for two which were stolen from the sanctuary where they were being held.
Police also found a combined total of more than 100 tablets of pregablin (also known as Lyrica) and temazepam.
Just under £4,400 in cash was also seized with McMillan admitting at the scene that the drugs belonged to him.
McMillan was charged with two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, failing to take reasonable care of the dogs, two counts of possession of class C drugs and one count of possession of criminal property.
He pleaded guilty to all charges bar the one relating to criminal property charge, but was convicted of that as well.
The costs of treatment and care of the animals came to £5,814, according to the lawyer.
Describing the images of the dogs’ injuries as “horrendous”, Judge Watters asked if it was known what caused them.
An animal welfare officer said they were caused by hunting but couldn’t say for certain if they were caused by foxes or badgers.
McMillan’s barrister said he claims the injuries were sustained by hunting foxes and not badger baiting and said he has since expressed “genuine remorse” for what happened to the dogs.
For causing unnecessary suffering to the 10 dogs McMillan was jailed for five months, along with five months for failing to take reasonable care of the animals.
On the two charges of possession of class C drugs he was sentenced to three months in prison, with five months for possession of criminal property.
McMillan will serve the terms concurrently and will have to pay a total of £6,048 in council costs.
Sentencing | five months’ imprisonment. Lifetime ban on keeping animals. Lisburn Council was awarded full costs of £6048.
