CONVICTED (2007) | Gordon Devenish, born c. 1966, of West Blackhall Street, Greenock PA15 1UY and John ‘Johnny’ Cathcart, born c. 1969, of Golf Course Road, Skelmorlie PA17 5BH – kicked a hedgehog to death
Johnny Cathcart (left) and Gordon Devenish used a defenceless hedgehog as a football
Self-employed joiner John Cathcart and his colleague Gordon Devenish kicked a hedgehog to death by using it as a football during a stag weekend. The pair admitted kicking the animal back and forth until it died as a result of its injuries.
Sheriff Robert McCreadie described it as an offensive act of wanton cruelty committed by two grown men.
“You should both be ashamed of yourselves. You are being publicly shamed in the dock today,” he said.
Sheriff McCreadie added: “I have noted that you have paid a sum of money to the SSPCA, possibly in an attempt to salve your conscience.”
Fiscal depute Stuart Richardson told the court that a number of police officers were in the area when they saw Devenish kicking the hedgehog across the road and Cathcart kicking it after him.
“Police then approached both to find out what they were doing,” Mr Richardson said. “The hedgehog was killed.”
Devenish claimed he saw an object lying in the street and decided to use it as a football.
He realised it was a hedgehog but decided to boot it several feet in the air anyway.
Solicitor Mark Alder, defending, said: “Both parties were drinking a large amount of alcohol on the day in question.
“They were out at a friend’s stag party.
“Both now accept responsibility for their actions.”
In his letter pleading guilty to the court, Cathcart said: “I deeply regret what I have done. As an animal lover I feel great remorse.
“I was intoxicated at the time of this offence, although I know this is no excuse for such a stupid and barbaric act.”
Sentencing: Devenish was fined £400 and Cathcart £360.
#MostEvil | serial pet abuser Rio Daryle Hall, born 29/07/1987, formerly of Milford Haven, and more recently of Heywood Court, Tenby, Pembrokeshire SA70 8BP – tortured an eight-week-old kitten to death
Hall was banned from keeping animals for life after subjecting an eight-week-old kitten named Angel to a sadistic ordeal. He began by wetting her and placing her on a hot radiator, causing her skin to blister. He then kicked Angel so hard that she fractured her skull. Finally he mutilated the tiny kitten’s ears with scissors.
Hall’s partner and mother of his two children, Caroline Thies, took the stricken cat to the vet who discovered she had fractures to her skull and legs. Angel had to be euthanised to end her appalling suffering.
The vet said the only way the kitten could have received the injuries was by human action, either kicking, stomping or throwing her.
Hall had previously been banned from keeping dogs and cats in 2006, after kicking his dog Benji and breaking his back legs.
Thies, who as at 2018 is still with Hall, received a six-month conditional discharge and was banned from keeping cats or dogs for ten years after pleading guilty to failing to prevent unnecessary suffering to an animal.
As at September 2018 Hall is believed to be living in homeless accommodation in Pembroke. It seems his dopey wife has finally seen the light and chucked the evil get out.
Sentence: Jailed for six months. For his earlier attack on Benji, Hall had been given a 10-year ban on keeping animals. Following his conviction for cruelty towards Angel the ban was extended to life.
#MostEvil | Daniel Devlin, born 07/03/1966, of 33 Greenhead Road, Wishaw ML2 8DJ – stole ex-girlfriend’s dog, poured petrol over him and burned him alive
2018 photo of Daniel Devlin
Deciding he wanted rid of his girlfriend’s cross terrier dog Sam, Devlin stole him, drove to a deserted wood and tied him to a tree with a piece of rope. He then poured petrol over the dog and set him alight.
Sam was found the next day, barely alive and in agony, by a couple out walking
The tiny dog suffered 70% burns to his body and had to be put to sleep.
Evil dog killer Daniel Devlin pictured in December 2017
The court heard how Devlin had callously told a friend “I’ve tortured it, that’s it done”.
The presiding judge noted that Devlin showed no remorse for his actions. It came out later that he had also threatened a witness who was giving evidence at this trial.
Sentence: jailed for seven months. Banned from keeping animals for life.
#MostEvil | Nicky Collinson, born 8 January 1986, of 28 Tynebank, Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 4RW – kicked and punched a kitten that had wandered over to her.
2022 photo of Nicky Collinson. Source: Facebook.
Mobile phone footage showed Collinson and an unidentified 16-year-old female accomplice laughing as they repeatedly kick and punch the cat, chasing after him when he attempted to escape.
In October 2007 Collinson was banned from keeping animals for life. She was also given a 12-month supervision order, and a six-month night-time curfew.
The youth involved was disqualified from keeping any animal for five years and given a referral order.
Collinson later sold her story to Take a Break magazine. This is the text of that article.
The video began and I watched the screen as two young women walked along a dimly lit street. They heard a sound and turned to see a black and white kitten wandering up to them. Its tail swished and its ears pricked up to show it wanted affection.
It was a young, trusting animal and allowed itself to be picked up by one of the women. She cradled it in the crook of her left arm, glanced across at her companion and said: “Quick!” The other woman got out her mobile, aimed it at the kitten and began filming with the phone’s camera.
She said: “It’s ready.”
With that, the woman holding the kitten drew back her fist and punched the animal twice, as hard as she could. It slumped forwards as the women laughed loudly.
Next, she threw the animal into the air. As the kitten began to descend, she swung her foot and drop-kicked it as if it was a rugby ball.
The kitten spun sideways and landed on the road. When it tried to get up to escape, she kicked it again. That’s where the video ended.
I sat back in shock at what I’d seen because that woman torturing the kitten was me. I didn’t remember it because I’d been drunk. Now it was the following morning and I was sober. I’d stayed over at my friend’s house and she was showing me the video she’d taken. I could clearly see the cruelty I’d inflicted.
“It’s hilarious, don’t you think?” she said.
My face burned scarlet with shame. “No,” I said trembling. “You should have stopped me. I’m disgusting.”
I had turned to alcohol after my nan, who was also my best friend, had passed away. She’s suffered from emphysema, a degenerative lung disease, and in her final months, I’d cared for her. I loved her so much and when she died I felt lost. I became quiet and isolated. I was 16 and didn’t know how to deal with my grief. So I tried drinking. Getting drunk helped me stop thinking about my sadness.
My parents were worried and in the end Dad took me to the doctor, who said: “Nicola, your grandma’s death had a big impact on your life. It would be best if you started taking antidepressants.”
I agreed to take them. Although the medication numbed the pain, it didn’t address how or why I felt so bad. I continued to drink. The combination of drugs and alcohol made me feel detached from myself. I became moody and menacing.
My sister Jennifer said: “You’re nice when you’re sober, but I don’t know who you are when you’re drunk. You’re not the sister I love. You need to sort yourself out.”
“Whatever,” I shrugged. That night, when I kicked the kitten, I had been at a friend’s house and we had drunk a lot. I couldn’t remember anything about what happened.
When my friend showed me the clip on her mobile, I was beside myself. I didn’t even know if the kitten had survived.
“I’ve sent it to our friends,” she said.
“You’ve done what?” I said in horror.
“I thought it was funny,” she replied.
Our friends didn’t agree. One sent it to the RSPCA. Later that afternoon I had a visit from the police. They took me to the station where I was shown the video again and questioned. “Is that you kicking the kitten?” the officer asked.
Breaking down, I said: “Yes, it’s me. I’m so sorry. I was drunk and didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t mean to hurt it.”
Despite my tearful pleas, I was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The worst thing was, I loved animals. I had two dogs who I looked after on my own. We’d had Perry, a crossbreed Yorkshire terrier, for 17 years. I had also rescued a six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier called Sparkle from a dogs’ home.
Back home in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, I was plagued by images of me kicking the kitten. I’d think about it and cringe.
I told Dad: “I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done. I’m going to change.”
I meant it. I gave up alcohol and when friends called to invite me out, I refused. Instead, I spent time walking my dogs and playing with my nieces and nephews. Whenever I was tempted to have a drink, I forced myself to think back to what I’d done.
In time I heard that RSPCA inspectors had been unable to trace the kitten or its owners to find out if it had survived. Knowing it may have suffered an excruciating death from its injuries made me even more distressed.
Eventually, I appeared at Gosforth Magistrates Court. I pleaded guilty. Clive McKeag, who was prosecuting for the RSPCA, showed the video footage, recorded on the Cowgate estate in Newcastle.
He said: “This is what can only be described as a very wicked case. It was only a kitten and it came looking for affection.”
He described the attack, saying: “It was absolutely deliberate. There can be no suggestion it was accidental. What makes it worse is that someone was making a video on a camera phone. You can hear joking and laughing.”
The solicitor defending me, Kevin Kivlehan, said: “The girl that you see in the video is very different from the young lady you have before you today. She has suffered from emotional difficulties, anxiety and depression throughout her life until fairly recently. She has abused both drugs and alcohol and that has exacerbated the problem. She once rescued a Staffordshire bull terrier from a neglectful home using her own money. That is the true nature of Nicola Collinson.”
The presiding magistrate addressed me, saying:”Having looked at that video of what you did, we seriously considered custody. It is appalling that any human can do such a thing to another animal. It’s unthinkable and no excuses can be accepted. But we are going to ask for reports. We feel you’re desperately in need of help. Hopefully you’ll live to remember what you’ve done to that cat and never do anything like that again.”
I was sentenced to a 12-month community and supervision order and a six-month curfew from 7pm to 7am. I was also banned for life from keeping animals and ordered to pay costs of £420.
The story appeared in the newspapers and local residents commented. One wrote: “You’re the lowest of the low. I wouldn’t chuck a cup of water on you if you were on fire. In fact, why don’t you just drop dead?”
Another wrote: “Typical scum blaming drink….weren’t drunk enough to aim right TWICE, were you? Hope someone gives you the kicking you so deserve. You are trash.
While another said: “I was mortified when I read about the cat in the paper. It looked so calculated.. she shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near animals.”
The comments hurt but I deserved them. Perhaps I should have been kicked in the same way as I had tortured that kitten. I wish I could do more than just say sorry. But I’ll have to live with the fact that I’m an animal beater forever.
Update April 2022 | Breached Lifetime Ban
Newcastle Magistrates Court heard that on January 10, 2022 a chihuahua and a Jack Russell were found living at Collinson’s home after a housing officer tipped off the RSPCA.
Collinson told an RSPCA inspector that she had been caring for the Jack Russell, called Lucy, since her father’s death in November 2020, and that the chihuahua, known as Robbie, had been brought into the house by her partner in August 2021.
Collinson, who the court heard is unemployed and has four children, was dealt with in her absence after failing to attend the hearing to answer a charge of breaching her lifetime disqualification of keeping all animals, which was handed down at Gosforth Magistrates’ in January 2007.
Alex Bousfield, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court that since the dogs were found at her home Collinson had been co-operative with the RSPCA. Both Lucy and Robbie were found to be in perfect condition and have since been re-homed.
He said Collinson admitted she had been looking after Lucy for around 26 months, and Robbie for five months. No harm had been caused to either animal.
The presiding magistrate said that in Collinson’s absence she was satisfied that the defendant had been served notice to attend court and that having heard a summary of the evidence that she had kept two dogs she was disqualified from having.
She fined Collinson £120 with a £34 victim surcharge for the breach. The lifetime ban on keeping animals still stands.
CONVICTED (2007) | animal hoarder Lee Howard, born 12 August 1966, of Shinwell Crescent, Middlesbrough TS6 6LJ – let nearly 30 animals die of thirst and starvation at a County Durham stables.
Lee Howard was charged after the RSPCA discovered animal remains at Bank Top Stables in Trimdon, County Durham, in May 2005.
Magistrates heard that 13 horses and ponies, 11 hens, four dogs, and a rabbit died of dehydration and starvation over a period of several weeks after being locked up at the stables. Three dogs survived by eating the remains of the dead animals.
In March 2006 Howard was sentenced to six months in jail and banned from keeping animals for the rest of his life.
Just a few months later Howard was back in court after it was discovered he was keeping 11 dogs and 16 birds at a house in Delarden Road, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough.
The animals were kept in squalid conditions, with the dogs running around in piles of faeces and pools of urine. Six of them had problems with their paws and one had an ear infection.
Howard was given a further six-month jail term for breaching his ban.
Sentencing: two custodial terms and a lifetime ban on keeping animals.
Lee Howard, who has used the name Lee Howard-Smith, was handed a suspended prison sentence after being caught breaching his ban. Several animals and birds were found living in squalor at his home. Howard, who since his original convictions has gone on to obtain multiple training certificates in animal care, was also working as a paid pet-sitter. He was caught out after a customer found his name and photograph on an animal cruelty website.
His address at the time of conviction was Scott Road, Kettering, North Northamptonshire.
CONVICTED (2007) | Nasar Khan, born 13/03/1982, of 12 July Street, Blackburn BB1 1SR – turned a terraced house into a training centre for ‘fighting’ dogs
Khan pleaded guilty to eight charges of owning fighting dogs and one of allowing one of the dogs to be in a public place without a muzzle or lead.
Police found the nine illegal, unlicensed pit bull terriers chained up around a terraced property in July Street, Blackburn, after one escaped and began roaming the street.
The house, which was owned by Khan’s family, had been transformed into a pitbull training centre complete with a treadmill.
Isla Chilton, prosecuting, said: “Inside the house was a violent scene and there was blood splattered everywhere.
“There was no furniture and no lighting. It was just full of caged and chained dogs with a treadmill.
“There was a range of muscle-building tablets and powder found there.
“It is clear that these dogs had been trained to fight, a number of these dogs had relatively fresh scars on them. They are clearly not pets.
“The treadmill had a clip for the dogs’ collars which forced them to run, keeping them as fit as possible for fighting.
“These were not normal pit bulls. They were very aggressive and very dangerous.”
After police discovered the animals, which are banned under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, a dog warden was called and they were taken to a kennel, Ms Chilton said.
The court heard the dogs were so vicious that after they were seized one of them escaped from his cage in the back of the dog warden’s van and mauled another so badly he had to be put down. All nine dogs were later euthanised.
Aftab Bakhat, defending, said his client was not training the dogs for fighting, but was “fascinated” by them and wanted them to grow big and muscular. He added that Khan was an “extremely stupid man” and did not realise that what he was doing was illegal.
District Judge Peter Ward said: “It is clear that these dogs were being trained to bite and the potential danger to the public was significant.”
Judge Ward continued: “He may have been naive but it seems to me that these are dogs that have been prepared for fighting and have been involved in some fighting.”
The cost of kenneling the dogs reached over £15,000. This was met by the taxpayer after unemployed Khan was jailed.
After the case, RSPCA spokesman Sophie Corless said: “Sadly large numbers of pitbull types are still being kept for the wrong reasons – seen as macho status symbols for the purpose of organised dog fighting.
“Either way the dog’s welfare is unnecessarily put at great risk by their owners. It is a brutal crime.”
Five men involved in an organised dogfighting enterprise were given prison sentences following a major RSPCA undercover operation.
The men received prison terms of between four and five months whilst others were handed suspended sentences, bans on possession of dogs and community service. Charges ranged from managing premises for dogfighting to possession of pitbull-type dogs, which are illegal under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The Defendants
Adio Clarke, born c. 1985, of 112 Holly Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B20 2DA: Pleaded guilty to managing premises for dogfighting, possessing 11 pitbull-type dogs, and to causing unnecessary suffering to three of the dogs.
The court heard that when police raided Clarke’s home, they found 11 pit bull terriers, all suffering injuries apparently caused by dog fights.
One of the animals was found to have 157 separate injuries. Another dog had suffered a broken pelvis and another had had one ear almost severed.
Because the dogs were held illegally, Clarke was unable to take them to a vet to receive proper treatment. Instead, he had treated the injuries himself, often inadequately or ineptly.
When officers raided Clarke’s home in April 2006, they found six pit bulls chained up in the garden, more dogs inside the house and a video showing two young dogs attacking each other in a sparring bout.
Clarke received four months in prison, and was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
Assam Noshad Lone, age unknown, of 115 Brockhurst Road, Birmingham B36 8JE: Found guilty of possessing two pitbull-type dogs. Received four months prison (suspended for one year), £1200 costs, five-year ban on owning dogs, 120 hour community punishment order.
Amar Ali, born c. 1981, of 89 Edgebaston Road, Smethwick B66 4LF: Pleaded guilty to 12 charges of possession of pitbull-type dogs.
Amar Ali pictured during his court appearance.
The court heard that police found 16 dogs, including 12 pit bull terriers, and dog fighting paraphernalia when they targeted Ali’s home in 2006.
The garden of the property had been divided into three sections and was devoted to pit bulls, who were given their own kennels and runs.
The equipment seized included “flirt poles”, used to make the animals jump to strengthen their legs, and treadmill exercisers.
Medication normally only used by vets was found, along with special sticks designed to force a dog’s jaws apart.
Videos showing dog fighting in Pakistan and Croatia were also discovered by police, along with dog fighting magazines.
Ali received 20 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, 10-year ban on possession of dogs, and 150 hours community service. More on him here.
Mir Dawood, born c. 1979, of Anglesey Street, Lozells, Birmingham B19 pleaded guilty to owning one pitbull-type dog, and breaching a ban on possession of dogs.
Dawood’s home was raided in the early hours of April 4, 2006 as part of a larger citywide police operation.
Officers found four kennels with runs in the back garden, in an area which had been gated off, one of which contained a pitbull terrier which was aged between one and three years.
Along with dog leads and food a treadmill was also found, used for exercising the dog, he said.
Dawood pleaded guilty on the basis that the animal belonged to his older brother, who lived with their mother.
He said Dawood was looking after the animal because their mother did not like dogs.
Dawood was banned in 2001 for ten years from keeping dogs when he was found in possession of a pitbull terrier, so was well aware of the danger the breed presented.
Dawood received four months in prison and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.
Kamran Iqbal of Sandbourne Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham B8 3NT: Found guilty of possessing a pitbull-type dog and causing unnecessary suffering to that dog. Received five months in prison and a five-year ban on keeping dogs, plus forfeiture of that dog and associated equipment.
Mohammed Shazad, born c. 1982, of Holly Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B20 pleaded guilty to three charges owning pitbull-type dogs.
2019 police mugshot of Mohammed Shazad
Shazad, who went on to be jailed for 10 years in 2019 for cocaine dealing, received a four-month sentence for each offence, to run concurrently, a five-year disqualification for keeping dogs and forfeiture of all items seized.
Wasim Azam, born c. 1983 of 143 Bevington Road, Aston, Birmingham B6 6HS: Pleaded guilty to owning two pitbull-type dogs. Received four months in prison, disqualified from keeping dogs for five years, plus forfeiture of associated equipment.
Operation Lace was a major investigation into dogfighting in the Birmingham area conducted on 4 April 2006 by the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU), West Midlands Police and RSPCA inspectors.
It followed the discovery of a dogfight in the Alum Road area of Birmingham in February 2006*.
During the operation 51 dogs (including 45 pitbull-type dogs) were seized and a number of items including treadmills (pictured below), a video, veterinary kits, breaking sticks and other dog fighting paraphernalia were taken away.
RSPCA Chief Inspector Mike Butcher of the SOU said: “This was a complete dogfighting enterprise – they had a venue, and they bred, sold and fought dogs. We’re delighted that the courts have recognised the severity of these offences and hope it gives a hard message to anyone else engaged in what is an appallingly cruel practice.
“This country banned dogfighting more than 150 years ago because it was barbaric, but still some people seem to get their kicks from seeing two animals rip each other to pieces. We shall fight on to ensure these people are stopped.
“We’d like to thank West Midlands Police for their help and co-operation in this case, and we will continue to work closely with all authorities to stop this abhorrent practice.”
CONVICTED (2007) | Ricardo Byfield, born c. 1980, and wife Lisa Elizabeth Harvey, born 24/02/1973, previously of Whitton Avenue West, Northolt, Ealing, but as of 2020 of St Johns House, Lytham Street, Walworth, London SE17 2PW – illegally bred pit bull terriers to use in organised dog fights.
Lisa Harvey and Ricardo Byfield kept a pack of scarred fighting dogs at their one-bedroom council property in Northolt, Ealing
Career criminal Ricardo Byfield and wife Lisa Harvey were prosecuted under the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 and the Protection of Animals Act 1911.
Following a tip-off by neighbours, police raided the couple’s house in August 2006 to rescue 26 dogs. Most were pit bulls but three Dogues de Bordeaux, a rottweiler and a Staffordshire bull terrier were also found.
The animals were found locked in cages around the one-bedroomed council home, which doubled as a dog-training gym.
The dogs were found covered in scars from vicious dog-fights and some were marked on documents as “Champion” or “Grand Champion” – meaning they had won several fights.
Police mugshot of dog fighter Ricardo Byfield
Puppies aged between two weeks and four months old were also rescued in the raid.
A makeshift treadmill which officers believe was used to exercise the dogs and build up their powerful shoulder muscles was also recovered.
Byfield admitted 19 counts of possession and breeding of dangerous dogs and Harvey admitted one charge of possession and breeding of dangerous dogs.
Chairman of the bench Jeffrey Bonn said it was clear both Byfield and Harvey had been actively involved in dog fighting and breeding dogs over a substantial period of time.
“We owe the public the right to be protected from the possibility of these animals escaping and causing harm, which we are in no doubt was a very real possibility,” he said.
An order to destroy 19 pit bull dogs, made by prosecutor Noel Watkins, was unopposed by their owners and upheld by the court.
Sentencing: six months in jail. Lifetime ban on owning or keeping dogs. Byfield was ordered to pay £500 and Harvey to pay £250.
CONVICTED (2007) | Matthew Alex Corfield, born 05/11/1988, of Garden Village, Highley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 6HN and Alex John Lister, born 22/09/1989, of Bickford Lane, Teignmouth TA14 8QT – attacked a horse with a meat cleaver, leaving her so badly injured she had to be put down.
Recent (2019) photos of horse killers Matthew Corfield (left) and Alex Lister
On Friday 13th April 2007, a 19-year-old piebald mare, known as Maggie, was attacked at Essington Hall Farm, Essington, South Staffordshire, by drunken youths Matthew Corfield and Alex Lister then of Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. A third youth – Anthony Ronald Hinsley, born 07/09/1988, of Fryer Close, Wolverhampton WV11 3JD, was also initially charged, but the case against him was later dropped.
Charges against Anthony Ronald Hinsley were dropped
The trio, who had been drinking in local woods with two other youths, went into Maggie’s field and startled her. As she fled, Corfield and Lister proceeded to chase her with the former repeatedly hurling a meat cleaver at her.
The court heard Corfield laughed as he inspected the 12-inch by five-inch blade for blood.
Victim Maggie with her owner
Maggie was found the following day lying in a pool of blood. She had suffered a five-inch-deep cut to her neck, a three-and-a-half-inch cut on her shoulder and her right leg was broken. The tendon of one of her rear legs was severed by a blow that cut to the bone. Her injuries were so severe that she had to be put to sleep on humane grounds.
Corfield, Lister and Hinsley were arrested after locals raised £1,500 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
Remorseless Matthew Corfield and accomplice Alex Lister (inset) pictured outside court in 2007
Paul Jenkins, defending Corfield, said he did not accept he was “solely or exclusively” to blame.
Jenkins said it was not a premeditated attack and that Corfield had taken the cleaver with him to chop wood to make a fire for the five friends who were camping in Black Cat Wood.
Ian Hodnett, for Lister, said he had tried but failed to film Corfield and another friend chasing the horse on his mobile phone.
He said Lister’s only other involvement was to chase Maggie around the paddock.
Corfield and Lister both admitted causing unnecessary suffering to Maggie. Corfield was given five months in a young offenders institution but was released after just eight weeks. His father, Peter Corfield, told a local newspaper that he believed his son “had definitely paid his debt to society”. He added that his son had been rehired by his employer, a building company.
Sentencing: Corfield – five months in a young offenders institution. Ordered to do 180 hours of community work.
Lister – 12-month community order and 180 hours’ community service.
CONVICTED (2007) | David ‘Dave’ Smith, born c. 1949, of Adam and Eve Cottage, Northdene Avenue, Seaham SR7 7BH – killed thousands of ex-racing greyhounds with a bolt gun and buried them at his home
Dave Smith from Seaham is said to have killed thousands of former racing greyhounds with a bolt gun. Despite this, he was never charged with animal cruelty.
The prosecution of Dave Smith was brought by the Environment Agency after police ruled that the ‘Seaham Slaughterer’ as he came to be known would not face criminal charges in relation to the destruction of the dogs.
It had been claimed that Smith had shot about 10,000 dogs, but magistrates were told the figure was nowhere near that. It was conceded that he had put down two dogs a week for two years at a cost of £10 a time.
The shocking footage shows Smith returning moments later with the bodies of the same two dogs in a wheelbarrow
While Smith was questioned by police, it was confirmed the bolt gun used to kill the retired greyhounds was held legitimately.
There are unconfirmed reports that Smith also disposed of dogs for the police and local authority.
Enquiries by the RSPCA concluded that there was no indication animal cruelty laws had been broken.
A spokeswoman for the charity said if used properly a bolt gun was a humane method of killing dogs and there had been no evidence that Smith had killed the greyhounds inhumanely.
Following a six-month investigation, the Environment Agency prosecuted him under legislation used to restrict the dumping of waste.
Smith admitted a single charge under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations that, on 12 July 2006 he disposed of waste – the bodies of deceased dogs – on land without a permit.
Greyhound protection group Greyhound Action (now defunct) held a protest outside the court and said it was disgraceful that the dog racing industry itself was not in the dock.
Sentencing: £2,000 fine for environmental breaches
Dave Smith still runs a building supplies business Dave Smith Builders Merchants & DIY (website here) based in Lord Street, Seaham SR7 7JH. At the time of his prosecution, many local people came forward to support Smith, claiming that he was only meeting a demand from the greyhound industry.
In June 2019 a documentary on animal cruelty within the greyhound industry by Irish TV channel RTE entitled RTÉ Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives highlighted the Smith case and made the shocking discovery that many Irish knackeries, including Larry Earle Ltd of Camolin, Co. Wexford, and John Styles & Son Ltd in Kyletalesha Townland, Co. Laois , will willingly provide a similar service today.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
