Tag Archives: Yorkshire and The Humber

Dogs, Lifers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Wakefield, West Yorkshire: Craig Price

May 17, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Craig Anthony Price, born June 1990, currently of Lower Warrengate, Wakefield WF1 1SA but with strong links to Castleford and Pontefract – pinned a dog to the ground and hit him twice on the head with a shovel.

RSPCA prosecution of violent dog abuser Craig Price, from West Yorkshire, who was seen beating a dog with a shovel and stamping on his head

Price was seen dragging a bull mastiff called Moschino from his then home in Keswick Drive, Castleford, by the scruff of his neck before picking up a large metal-ended shovel and striking him twice on the head.

He then stamped on the dog’s head with his knee as his pet lay defenceless on the ground.

Eye witnesses reported the incident, which took place in the property’s back garden on 29 December 29, 2022, to the RSPCA.

Price was prosecuted by the animal charity and on February 26, 2024, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to Moschino and a German Shepherd called Snowy.

The court heard how an RSPCA inspector, accompanied by a police officer, visited Price’s house to speak with him after witnesses described seeing him raise the shovel above his head and ‘whack’ Moschino with it and ‘stomp’ on the animal’s head with his knee.

The court heard how Price was initially calm, but instantly became irate on being questioned about the allegation.

In written evidence, the RSPCA officer said: “Mr Price instantly knew what I was talking about. He replied that he had taken the dog outside and shouted at him, but he denied that he had used any physical force. He said there was a shovel out there for picking up after the dogs – but again denied hitting them with it.”

Price then became verbally aggressive and refused to allow the RSPCA to take the dogs to a vet for examination. The pets were therefore seized by police and transported to an RSPCA hospital.

Moschino was found to be lame due to a soft tissue injury and was nervous and fearful when examined.

A vet who gave a written statement in the case said based on the eye witness accounts given to the RSPCA, his opinion was that Price had inflicted physical abuse for a period “of at least several minutes, possibly longer,” and had failed to protect Moschino from injury, pain and suffering.

The court also heard evidence from a clinical animal behaviourist who said Price hadn’t provided the dogs with a safe and predictable environment in which they did not experience anxiety, physical discomfort and helplessness.

The behaviourist said: “This suffering could have reasonably been avoided or reduced had Moschino not been hit and the dogs not been put into fear by the behaviour that they were exposed to.”

“He showed no retaliation, and at no point did his behaviour provoke the male to continue the abuse; there was no reason to cause the animal suffering, or for the suffering to continue for as long as it did as described.”

Price immediately lodged an appeal against his conviction.

The two dogs remain in the care of the RSPCA.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation; £366 in costs and a victim surcharge of £114. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.

Wakefield Express

Additional Information

Price is a director of a flooring supply company called Price Carpets Ltd, though that appears to have ceased trading.

He formed a second company in October 2023 called A Brush Painting & Decorators.

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Kingston upon Hull / Scarborough, North Yorkshire: Jake Craven and Megan Findlay

May 15, 2024 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Jake Craven, born 11 February 1996, currently of Linnaeus Street, Anlaby, Hull HU3, and Megan Findlay, born 18 April 1999, of Victoria Park Avenue, Scarborough YO12 7TR – neglected three dogs, starving one to death.

RSPCA prosecution of former couple Jake Craven now of Hull and Megan Findlay from Scarborough, North Yorkshire- neglected three dogs, with one starving to death.

Craven and Findlay were offered help with rehoming when the RSPCA and a housing association officer visited their flat in Victoria Avenue in Scarborough in March 2023.

Two Staffies – Coco and her puppy Tinker – and a terrier called Rex were among several dogs being kept in breach of the tenancy agreement. When the housing association officer returned to the flat a fortnight later, she was unable to get inside.

RSPCA Inspector Tom Hutton later tracked the couple down to where they were living on wasteland near the Grand Hotel in Scarborough on June 10.

Findlay told the inspector they were homeless and Rex had died, so she had wrapped him in a blanket and put him inside their tent.

Inspector Hutton said in a statement presented to the court that Findlay then let the two Staffies out of the tent and he could see they were both extremely thin.

Their hips and ribs were prominent and their spines were visible. Both dogs were anaemic and needed treatment in an animal hospital.

A vet who examined two-year-old Coco said the dog was emaciated with a body condition score of two out of nine. Her daughter, Tinker, a six-month-old Staffie cross, scored three on the same chart.

“Both dogs were suffering due to lack of nutrition and water and were losing body condition. I estimate they would have been suffering for around a month at least to have lost that much weight,” said the vet.

In mitigation, the court was told that Findlay suffered from psychological problems, including ADHD and anxiety and depression. Craven was said to have “secondary responsibility” for the care of the dogs.

Coco and Tinker have been returned to good health and will now be rehomed by the RSPCA.

Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Hutton said: “The defendants had ample time to address the weight loss of their dogs. They didn’t engage with the RSPCA’s foodbank scheme or seek the support one of our branches could have offered them if they were struggling.

“They rang us to tell us one of the dogs was dead and we rushed over, but it was too late by then.”

Sentencing |
Craven – 18-month community order with 25 days of rehabilitation. Three-month curfew.
Findlay – 18-month community order with 35 days of rehabilitation; victim surcharge of £114.
Seven-year ban (expires May 2031).

BBC News
DogsToday

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Serial Animal Abusers

Batley, West Yorkshire: Michelle and Ethan Farrar

May 4, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | mother and son Michelle Farrar of 122 Ealand Road, Batley WF17 8HT, and Ethan Lee Farrar of 15 Oakhill Road, Batley WF17 8JD – kept two dogs in a faeces-strewn property filled with hazards and starved and neglected one of them.

RSPCA prosecution of mother and son Michelle Farrar and Ethan Farrar from Batley, West Yorkshire - for starvation and neglect of a dog in their care. — Persistent animal abusers Michelle and Ethan Farrar were both ordered to undertake rehabilitation. The mother received a two-year ban while her son is banned from having anything to do with animals for the next five years.

The court heard that in October 2022, RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Rebecca Goulding visited an address in Oakhill Road, Batley, to check on the welfare of dogs living there.

Looking through the window ARO Goulding could see two Dogues de Bordeaux – an adult and a puppy. She said: “Both dogs looked in reasonable condition, and were bright, alert and active”.

There were however concerns about the animals’ living conditions with ARO Golding stating that “the stench of urine and faeces that could be smelt from outside the property, combined with the filthy windows and stained curtains suggested that conditions inside were not suitable for the dogs. The living room appeared in complete disarray and all surfaces were covered in faeces.

“When I got inside of the house, the smell of urine and faeces in the living room was overpowering”

The RSPCA was told by the property’s resident, Ethan Farrar, that the two dogs belonged to his mother Michelle Farrar, who although the legal tenant of the Oakhill Road property, lived elsewhere, in Ealand Road.

ARO Goulding advised both the mother and son that the condition of the house at Oakhill Road was unsuitable for the dogs and that improvements must be made otherwise they would have to be removed from there.

ARO Goulding made many unsuccessful attempts to visit and contact Michelle Farrar in person. When Michelle Farrar finally did return ARO Goulding’s calls, she agreed to sign the puppy – named Rain – over to the RSPCA and to move the adult dog – Storm – from the address at Oakhill Road, to the other address in Ealand Road, which provided a more suitable environment.

Farrar was warned against the dog being returned to Oakhill Road, unless significant improvements were made to that property.

A month later, ARO Goulding returned to Oakhill Road for a spot check. To her dismay she discovered that Storm was in the property’s back yard which was full of hazards and littered with faeces.

ARO Goulding warned Ethan Farrar that if Storm was found inside the property, then she would be removed.

In February 2023, RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby visited Oakhill Road for a follow up inspection, to check that Storm wasn’t being kept at the Oakhill Road house. But on arrival, she could see a now very thin Storm sitting on a faeces-covered window ledge and noticed a strong smell of faeces and urine coming from the property’s air vents.

Ethan Farrar admitted that there had been no improvements made to the condition of the property. The Farrars had once again ignored the RSPCA’s warning not to return Storm to these filthy conditions. In addition, the dog’s body condition had seriously deteriorated and she had lost a substantial amount of weight.

Inspector Hodby advised that the dog must now see a vet, that an investigation had been started and that Storm would be in RSPCA care until the investigation was concluded.

Storm was taken into the care of the RSPCA and was thoroughly examined by a vet and treatments to improve her condition were started.

Veterinarian Dr Sean Taylor, expert witness for the prosecution, reported that the evidence indicated that as well as a 3cm (1.2in) lesion on her tongue, Storm had dental disease which was causing her to experience pain. The evidence suggested that the condition had been present for some time and Storm would have suffered for a period of at least five days, but probably longer.

In addition, Dr Taylor reported that due to the house at Oakhill Road being so unhygienic and full of hazards, Storm’s needs had not been met. He added that those responsible for the welfare of this animal had failed to provide a suitable environment

RSPCA Inspector Demi Hodby said: “It was the Farrars’ legal responsibility to properly care for Storm and they failed to do this. Not only did they repeatedly ignore instructions to improve the conditions that Storm was being forced to live in, but there was also no excuse for failing to get veterinary care for her when it was abundantly clear she so desperately needed it.

“This was a sad case and Storm’s suffering could have easily been avoided. The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their animal to ask for help and act on advice, rather than neglecting them and leaving them to suffer.”

Storm was later rehomed by the RSPCA, and though sadly diagnosed with cancer, had a new home for the remainder of her life.

Sentencing |
Both were given 12 month community orders with 20 days of rehabilitation; each was ordered to pay costs of £400 and £114 victim surcharge. Michelle Farrar received a two-year ban applicable to all animals (expires April 2026) while Ethan Farrar received a five-year ban (expires April 2029).

BBC News
ITV News
YorkshireLive

Animal Abandonment, Equine Abuse, Hoarders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire: Dianne Pearson

May 2, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Dianne Pearson, born c. 1953, from Sowerby Bridge – for cruelty offences to 10 horses, many of whom were put to sleep.

RSPCA prosecution of Dianne Pearson from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, for cruelty to 10 horses in her care.

Concerns about Pearson’s horses were raised with the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare in April 2023, and officers went to the scene in the village of Norland, Sowerby Bridge. There they discovered 10 horses and ponies kept in cramped, dirty stables and building. Faeces and soiled bedding had built up to the extent that the horses were struggling to stand.

Some of the horses had difficulty walking due to lameness while many were suffering from dental issues and other health problems. One horse was so thirsty he drank readily from a bucket of water when offered to him.

In her witness statement, RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby said all the horses were being kept in unsuitable conditions.

“There was no ventilation and very limited lighting inside,” she said. “All the stables were piled high with bedding and faeces and it was clear they had not been mucked out in some time. The bedding inside all the stables was piled so high that most of the horses’ heads were touching the roof. There was no water inside any of the stables.”

She added: “During our visit, Pearson admitted that Bud had not been out of his stable for two years and it took her over 10 minutes to dig the muck from behind Ellie’s stable door before she could open it and get her out. It also took her some time to dig out another horse called Rio.”

Rescuers had to dig their way into some of their stables owing to the build-up of soiled bedding and faeces.

Four horses were removed that day and six the next; all were examined by an equine vet, whose witness statement said: “In my opinion the environmental conditions these horses were found in were completely and wholly unsuitable.

“Many of the stables were in complete or mostly in darkness and most had little ventilation.This meant that when some of the horses reached the boarding establishment, they found normal visual things extremely stressful, and one horse had to be medicated for this. This shows the psychological suffering caused to these horses.

“The owner failed to take steps to meet the needs of these animals, and this has caused suffering in all of the horses due to the poor and unsuitable environments, and five out of 10 of these horses due to ailments observed.”

Pearson signed six horses over to the care of the RSPCA. After the case a deprivation order was secured so the remaining four came into the charity’s care.

After the case, Ms Hodby said: “I am so pleased to see Fern, Cody, Inca and JJ are thriving with our team at RSPCA Felledge, and delighted to hear that Tilly and Finn have already found their forever homes.

“This was a really sad case to work on and to see ponies kept in such awful conditions was heartbreaking. I’d like to say thank you to our colleagues at World Horse Welfare for their assistance in the rescue and investigating. Working together with other agencies allows us to reach more horses and ponies that need our help and make a big difference to animal welfare.”

Vets made the decision to put Bling, Bud, Ellie and Rio down for health reasons.

World Horse Welfare field officer Gilly Howard said: “Having been shut in those small and dirty stables for so long, Tilly was a very nervous pony and especially difficult to catch. But our amazing team at Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Lancashire are working with her to gain her trust and the conclusion of this case means that she can be assessed with a view to finding her a forever home.”

Pearson’s age and her early guilty pleas were considered in mitigation, and it was agreed that although she “feels no particular remorse for the suffering occasioned to her horses”, she “does feel a sense of sadness and believes she always tried her best”.

“The defendant has come to accept that she doesn’t want any of the horses returned to her. She has no desire to keep horses in the future.”

Sentencing | 20-week suspended prison sentence for each of the four offences, to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months; 20 days of rehabilitation activity; £7,000 costs. Disqualified from owning horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and their hybrids indefinitely, with no right of appeal for 15 years.

Horse & Hound

Animal Abandonment, Cats

Wetherby, City of Leeds: Reece Glossop

April 28, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Reece Glossop, born c. 2000, of Wharfedale Lawns, Wetherby, Leeds LS22 6PU – abandoned two cats in an unhygienic flat littered with faeces and hazards.

RSPCA prosecution of Reece Glossop from Wetherby, Leeds, who abandoned his cats for 9 days

Glossop left his home over the festive season, leaving his cats Daisy and Mustafa behind for nine days to fend for themselves inside the filthy and hazardous flat.

No litter tray had been provided and RSPCA inspectors found faeces piled up on the floor which was also strewn with rubbish.

Glossop, who didn’t even have the decency to attend court for his first hearing, was found guilty in his absence of one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

In a a written statement read to the court RSPCA Inspector Emma Ellis described being met with a strong smell of ammonia in the communal area outside the flat during her visit on January 11, 2023.

The inspector met Glossop at the property, and he said he was cleaning to the flat.

She asked about the welfare of the cats and he said he had left on December 24 to go to London because of family issues. He said “someone was supposed to be looking after them”.

“He said he came back on December 28 to check on the cats, but he had to return to London and then he came back again on January 6. When I asked who was looking after the cats during that time he replied, ‘they were looking after themselves’,” said the inspector.

Glossop had left food in a bowl in the living room, but there was no water.

Daisy and Mustafa were in a normal body condition, but it was later found that Mustafa had a heart murmur, which could have been caused by stress.

In mitigation, the court heard how Glossop had been diagnosed with ADHD and suffered from psychosis. He had received therapy for a personality disorder while at a psychiatric unit.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 20 hours of unpaid work and 15 hours of “rehabilitation”; £200 costs and £114 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for just three years (expires April 2027).

LeedsLive

Dogs, hare coursing, hunting with dogs, Organised Animal Crime, Traveller Animal Crimes, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Doncaster Hare Coursing Gang: Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh, Jay Poole, Jake Reidy

April 28, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Eugene Meenaghan, born 10 February 2001, of 43 Crabgate Lane, Skellow, Doncaster DN6 8LE, Joseph Murtagh, born December 2001, from Woodlands, Doncaster, Jay Poole born 2 April 2004, of 3 The Circuit, Woodlands, Doncaster DN6 7TE, and Jake Reidy, born 23 May 2005, of 58 Princess Avenue, Stainforth, Doncaster DN7 5QY – for the possession of hare coursing equipment and destroying a farmer’s field.

The four men, who are all prolific wildlife persecutors, travelled from Doncaster to the hamlet of Apley, near Wragby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in the early hours of 1 October 2023. They then drove through a farmer’s field, damaging the land and destroying crops, before attempting to leave the area.

Eugene Meenaghan

The crime was reported to Lincolnshire Police and patrolling officers from Spec Ops quickly identified the vehicle and stopped the group near Burton Waters.

Officers found longdogs and equipment such as lamps – used in lamping to stun wild animals before dogs are set loose.

They were arrested and subsequently videos of animal fights were found on their phones.

All four men were charged with being equipped to hare course, breach of section nine of the animal welfare act and criminal damage. They pleaded guilty to these charges.

On Thursday 25 April 2024 officials at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court told the group to pay out a combined total of £19,791.72 in costs and compensation.

Eugene Meenaghan will pay £5,262,93.
Joseph Murtagh will pay £4,842.93.
Jay Poole will pay £4,842.93.
Jake Reidy will pay £4,842.93.

Magistrates described the crimes as ‘cruel and despicable’ and said the events of that night had ‘caused great distress’.

This result comes after a lengthy police investigation and PC Karen Irving, who works for the rural crime action team, insists this behaviour won’t be tolerated.

She said: “We are determined to make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit. This result shows we will use all avenues available to us to bring people to justice and protect our communities and wildlife.

Sentencing | costs and compensation; 10-year criminal behaviour order not to enter Lincolnshire with longdogs; 100 hours of community service. Forfeiture of mobile phones and lamping equipment. Disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years..

Lincs Police
Lincolnshire World

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Todmorden, West Yorkshire: Leah O’Connor

April 21, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Leah Mae O’Connor, born 23 June 1999, of Summerfield Road, Todmorden OL14 – left two dogs to starve to death in an abandoned property.

RSPCA prosecution of Leah O'Connor from Todmorden, West Yorkshire, who left two dogs in an empty house to starve to death. — Leah O’Connor left two dogs to starve to death in a filthy house

Bulldog Doris and Rottweiler puppy Rox were left behind when single mother Leah O’Connor moved out of a house on Melrose Street, Halifax, in February 2023.

The RSPCA were alerted after the property’s landlord discovered the abandoned pets.

In written evidence to the court, Inspector Demi Hodby said: “The property itself was full of faeces and urine.

“Where there wasn’t faeces there was rubbish and other hazards on the floor and it was difficult to move around.

“It smelt strongly of urine and faeces and it was difficult to stay inside.

“The smell caused my eyes and nose to burn.”

There was a dog cage covered with a blue blanket in the house and inside was the body of Rox.

Inspector Hodby said: “There was no food or water inside the cage and it looked as though the dog had been trying for some time to get out.”

She added: “The dog itself was in an emaciated condition.

“One of its legs was poked through the cage and wrapped around the bars.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking to think what this dog has gone through leading up to its death.”

Doris was barely alive – emaciated, shivering, and lethargic, the court heard.

She was rushed for veterinary treatment and found to be severely dehydrated, covered in fleas, and had to be carried into the room because “she was too weak to stand”.

It was found she had eaten plastic to survive.

The bulldog was there for more than a week but her condition deteriorated and she had to be put down.

The court heard O’Connor had “spun a web of lies” to neighbours and family members, telling them Doris and Rox had been rehomed to someone on a farm.

She told Inspector Hodby in an interview she had done this after leaving the address and claimed someone must have broken in, as she was not aware the dogs were there.

O’Connor had concealed the dog’s suffering and the state of the property, which she wouldn’t allow anyone to enter, before finally leaving the house and abandoning the dogs to die inside.

In mitigation, the court was told O’Connor had been diagnosed with low maturity.

She also struggled with alcohol and drug issues – which she was getting help for – as well as depression and anxiety.

The magistrates were told that the “prolonged neglect” and abandonment of the dogs by their owner for a long period of time could not be regarded as anything other than “a deliberate act, perhaps short of sadistic behaviour”.

O’Connor pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was ordered to undertake rehabilitation activities.

Speaking after the case, Inspector Hodby said: “The sight of Rox, who had wasted away in that filthy cage, unable to escape, is something that will stay with me, and those who discovered her, for a long time.

“Along with Doris, she’d endured unimaginable suffering over a prolonged period of time, having been abandoned and forgotten about.”

Sentencing | suspended 20-week prison sentence; 33 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. Banned from keeping animals indefinitely.

Telegraph & Argus
YorkshireLive

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers

Doncaster, South Yorkshire: Andrew Durkin

April 18, 2024 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Andrew Durkin, born c. 1992, of 4 Farndale Road, Scawsby, Doncaster DN5 8SH – left two starving dogs in a “cruel and nasty state”.

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. — Andrew Durkin received an indefinite ban on keeping all animals

Father-of-one Andrew Durkin pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his two dogs: a black crossbreed called Bruno and an Akita cross named Cody.

The RSPCA began investigating Durkin in October 2020 after receiving a tip-off that two skinny dogs were being kept at his then address in New Street, Doncaster.

After Durkin failed to make contact with them, the animal charity enlisted the help of the police to enter and search the property.

Inspectors found both dogs in the kitchen, where the floor was littered with old pizza boxes, and the counters covered in mouldy food and rubbish.

Inspector Kim Greaves said: “A police officer opened the door to the kitchen and it was then that I first saw Bruno, a black crossbreed, male dog around six years old.

“Bruno was loose in the kitchen, and there was no bedding or water for him,” she said.

“Bruno was very friendly, eager and wagging his tail to greet us, but he was wobbly on his legs, and I could clearly see every rib. His spine and hip bones were all sticking up clearly from his fur which was oily with dry skin flakes all over his coat.”

Tan and white Akita cross Cody was being kept in a dog crate at the rear of the kitchen. This had no base and only bare wires to stand on. There was no food or water inside the crate. Durkin later explained that Cody was kept in a crate because he was destructive. He too was found to be very underweight.

A vet report read to the court stated that the dogs were believed to have been starved for an extended period – possibly several months.

The report continued: “Any reasonable owner looking at these dogs must have noticed the advanced weight loss and either sought veterinary attention or increased their nutrition.

“The owner’s failure to act has undoubtedly caused a great deal of suffering in this case,

“Dogs experiencing food deprivation are likely to experience this in a similar way to people who suffer with extreme hunger, shakes, anxiety, distress and weakness and lethargy.”

Sentencing Durkin a magistrate said it was horrifying that he had put animals “into such a cruel and nasty state”.

Durkin was unrepresented and did not offer any mitigation, although the court heard that he had no previous convictions and was “of good character”. He had agreed to sign over both dogs to the RSPCA.

Cody and Bruno were rehabilitated by the RSPCA and are in loving homes.

Sentencing | 200 hours of unpaid work; £500 court costs. Indefinite ban on keeping all animals which he can’t appeal for at least 10 years.

National World
Doncaster Free Press

Dogs, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Huddersfield, West Yorkshire: Bridget Reilly and Andrew Keating

April 13, 2024 misanthropic 4 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeders Bridget Reilly, born 15 October 1977, and Andrew Keating, born 11 September 1981, of 11 Brackenhall Road, Sheepridge, Huddersfield HD2 1EU – bred dogs without a licence.

Backyard breeders Bridget Reilly and Andrew Keating from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Reilly and Keating pleaded guilty to breeding dogs without a licence, under Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The case came to light when Kirklees Council Animal Health officers found evidence of the pair posting adverts for a range of breeds of puppies on various sales platforms.

Reilly pleaded guilty to 18 offences and was sentenced to two years’ community service and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

She applied for a licence before attending court and is now a licensed dog breeder.

Keating pleaded guilty to 11 offences and was sentenced to 18 months’ community service and a further 25 days rehabilitation activity.

The outcome of the confiscation hearing will be heard in September 2024, which is when the financial penalties for the pair will be decided.

YorkshireLive
Kirklees Together

Dogs, Domestic Violence - Animals Targeted, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire: Sam Bodington

April 1, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | Samuel Bodington, born 22 May 1990, of Aire Street, Goole DN14 5QE – strangled a chihuahua and attacked his girlfriend in a drug-fuelled rage.

Domestic abuser and animal abuser Samuel Bodington from Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire — Image credit: HullLive

Bodington’s girlfriend was looking after the female dog, known as Luna, because she had been cruelly mistreated by a previous owner. Following the vicious attack by junkie Bodington, the tiny pet was left with her tongue hanging out and became “very shaken and jumpy”.

Sentencing was originally imposed in July 2023 after Bodington admitted the intentional strangulation of his girlfriend and causing unnecessary suffering to her pet dog. He was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence but this was activated in late March 2024 after he repeatedly failed to attend appointments with the probation service.

Michael Forrest, prosecuting, told the original hearing that Bodington’s girlfriend had been looking after Luna.

Bodington arrived at her home in Goole at 7.30pm on April 21, 2023, for a party where everyone was drinking. He and his girlfriend took Pregabalin tablets obtained from a drug dealer.

“The defendant’s behaviour changed like a switch had been flipped,” said Mr Forrest.

Bodington became agitated and he was hallucinating and being loud and aggressive, causing the woman to become scared.

“She told him to leave but he didn’t leave,” said Mr Forrest.

Bodington began calling her names. She was lying on a sofa with the dog when Bodington launched himself at her and dragged them both to the floor. While they were on the floor, he took hold of her throat and the neck of the dog.

He squeezed the woman’s neck, causing her to gasp for air, and he held on to the dog’s neck, causing her tongue to hang out of her mouth.

The woman forced Bodington to release his grip. She alerted the police and Bodington was arrested.

“Luna was very shaken and jumpy,” said Mr Forrest. The woman later said that Bodington’s attack on her was unprovoked.

During the original hearing Judge John Thackray KC told Bodingonn: “Your behaviour on the evening in question was appalling. Your victim must have been terrified. The dog must have been terrified.

“This could have been so much more serious. Sometimes it only takes a few seconds from when someone is strangled to them losing consciousness.”

Sentencing | 16-month immediate custodial (previously suspended), Banned from keeping animals for just two years (expires July 2025).

HullLive

UK Animal Cruelty Files