dog fighting, Dogs, Lifers, Organised Animal Crime, Pet Profiteering, Serial Animal Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Accrington/ Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire: Darren and Callan Wheatcroft and Simon Whitworth

January 15, 2015 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2015) | Darren Lee Wheatcroft, born 16/01/1967, of Haywood Road, Accrington BB5 5AW, son Callan Nathan Wheatcroft, born 07/02/1993, of Alliance Street, Accrington BB5 2RT, and their associate Simon Paul Whitworth, born 07/03/1971, of Ramsclough Farm, Haslingden Old Road, Oswaldtwistle BB5 3SN – for organised dog-fighting using ‘banned’ breeds

Dog fighters Callan Wheatcroft, Darren Wheatcroft, Simon Whitworth — L-R Callan Wheatcroft, Darren Wheatcroft, Simon Whitworth

RSPCA and police executed warrants at Haywood Road in Accrington and Ramsclough Farm Cottages on Haslingden Old Road in Oswaldtwistle in May 2014.

The RSPCA released images of some of the banned dogs seized from a vile Lancashire dogfighting ring — The RSPCA released images of some of the distressed and injured dogs seized from a vile Lancashire dog-fighting ring

Officers found five banned pitbull-type dogs, large collections of books and magazines relating to dog-fighting and treating dog injuries, veterinary equipment for treating animals involved in fights, treadmills, ceiling hooks and weighing scales.

At Ramsclough Farm, officers found two banned dogs, Dingo and Sheeba, in kennels at the back of farmhouses and found injuries on the left front leg of Sheeba.

The RSPCA also found evidence from phone texts and WhatsApp messages belonging to Darren Wheatcroft relating to attempting to organise an animal fight.

One message on Darren Wheatcroft’s phone from his son Callan said ‘so does he still have that killer 37/38 dog? Would you go for a grand with Dingo?’ to which he replied ‘Zulu hooked up’.

Lancashire dog fighter Darren Wheatcroft — Darren Wheatcroft

Darren Wheatcroft pleaded guilty to arranging a dog-fight to take place, keeping or training dogs for use in an animal fight and possessing three banned pitbull-type dogs.

Lancashire dog fighter Callan Wheatcroft — Callan Wheatcroft

His son Callan Wheatcroft pleaded guilty to keeping or training dogs for use in an animal fight and possessing three banned pitbull-type dogs.

Lancashire dog fighter Simon Whitworth — Simon Whitworth

Father-of-two Simon Whitworth – a company director – pleaded guilty to not ensuring the welfare of a animal, keeping or training dogs for use in an animal fight and possessing two banned pitbull terrier-type dogs.

Defending the trio, Simon Farnsworth of FMB Solicitors in Blackburn told the court that despite large amounts of evidence against them, there was nothing to prove they had carried out any dog-fights.

Lancashire dog fighting trio Callan Wheatcroft, Simon Whitworth and Darren Wheatcroft pictured outside court

District Judge James Clarke told Burnley Magistrates Court that he was ‘quite satisfied’ all the banned dogs and equipment were ‘being used for illegal dog-fighting’.

Sentencing, he said: “The centre of this case is that each of you, to varying degrees, together and separately, were involved in the ownership, training and care of prohibited animals.

“These dogs are illegal for a reason because they are dangerous, not only labelled dangerous by parliament but by their physical characteristics, their training, their selective breed and ability to cause significant physical injuries.

“You have willingly and knowingly involved yourself in an industry and endeavour that perpetuates cruelty to animals, the vindication of fighting to the death of animals and also the mistreatment of dogs.

“It’s something which you have invested significant amount of your own finances and no doubt considered the potential to make money out of the enterprise.

“This was deliberate offending over a period of time with little or no regard to the animals other than as sources of entertainment or for financial gain.”

Sentencing: Callan Wheatcroft and Simon Whitworth were given suspended 16-week jail sentences; Darren Wheatcroft was given a 20-week suspended sentence. All three were ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work. Darren Wheatcroft and Whitworth were ordered to pay RSPCA costs of £15,000 each and Callan Wheatcroft was ordered to pay £10,000. All three men were banned from owning or keeping dogs for life.

Daily Mail
LancsLive

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Ealing, West London: Albert Stephenson

January 12, 2015 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2015) | Albert Stephenson, born 17 January 1957, of Chandos Avenue, Ealing, London W5 – seen yanking, kicking and hitting his German Shepherd on several occasions near his home.

Shadow, who was badly mistreated by his cruel owner Albert Stephenson from Ealing, London, UK — Shadow was badly mistreated by his cruel owner Albert Stephenson, who was only banned from keeping animals for one year.

Stephenson pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences on 9 January 2015.

The RSPCA was called in May 2014 after a witness was concerned to see the dog being subjected to physical trauma on his walks along the city streets. Several witnesses subsequently came forward to report similar sightings.

They said they saw the defendant regularly losing his temper with the three year-old male German Shepherd, now called Shadow but previously named ‘Oi Dog’, and so mistreating him.

RSPCA inspector Mike Beaman said: “Poor Shadow was the victim of regular abuse.

“People saw him being hit, kicked, shouted at, yanked with his lead and even whipped by his lead. It must have been a miserable existence.

“Owning a dog is a responsibility and a privilege, and this animal was simply not treated with the kindness he deserves.”

Sentencing: ordered to pay £870 in costs and fines. Banned from owning dogs for a year (expired 2016).

Metro

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Burnley, Lancashire: Jamie Broadbent

January 9, 2015 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2015) | Jamie Broadbent, born 20 April 1985, of Clarence Street, Burnley BB11 3HG – locked two dogs in a room without food and water and left them to die.

Jamie Broadbent from Burnley, Lancashire, locked two dogs in a room and left to them to die

Broadbent admitted causing the unnecessary deaths of a German shepherd cross named Roxie and a terrier named Cassie while he lived at a house in Bacup.

He left the dogs on a settee in an upstairs bedroom where they were found by an RSPCA inspector decomposed on May 23rd 2014.

The door handle to the bedroom had been removed.

The inspector was informed by the landlord that the property had been vacant for five weeks.

Broadbent claimed in interview that he was suffering from depression and had recently split up from his girlfriend with whom he had two children.

He said that he could not afford to buy food for the dogs but could not explain why he had not given them water.

Broadbent said that the terrier had died first and that he taken the door handle off to prevent the children from getting into the bedroom.

The RSPCA found two half-full bags of dog food in the room with the dogs, but no water.

Sentence: jailed for 12 weeks and banned from having pets for 10 years (expires December 2024).

Burnley Express
Daily Mail

Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Clevedon, North Somerset: Nigel Streater

January 9, 2015 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2015) | Nigel Streater, born c. 1964, of Hurn Road, Clevedon BS21 5AF – for the “inexcusable” starvation and neglect of a young German Shepherd who had to be put to sleep

Dog abuser Nigel Streater from Clevedon, North Somerset, UK, and his neglected German Shepherd Kai — Kai was so badly neglected by his cruel owner Nigel Streater he had to be euthanised for humane reasons

An RSPCA inspector that attended the home Nigel Streater shared with wife June and adult son Nathaniel and noted that the German Shepherd dog, known as Kai, was suffering from chronic starvation and a severe skin condition.

Very sadly Kai had to be put down days after being rescued because his injuries were so extensive he could never be re-homed.

A veterinary surgeon said Kai had been suffering for at least five to six months and was in obvious pain.

She believed the skin condition could have started with a simple flea presence which had been left untreated.

She also reported that he had suffered ‘chronic starvation’ and that he was ravenous when given food.

Streater told the hearing he was trying to treat Kai himself as he could not afford to take the dog to a vet.

RSPCA inspector Sarah Kenward, who discovered Kai, said: “I was appalled at the condition that I found Kai to be in.

“He was a beautiful, young German Shepherd and despite the pain he was in, he loved people.

“I understand that animals can be costly, particularly when an issue arises which needs veterinary attention. However, it is unacceptable that Kai suffered for such a long period of time. There were options available which could have helped Mr Streater and the fact that he chose to leave Kai in that condition is inexcusable”.

Sentencing 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years; 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work; £1,080 costs and charges. Banned from keeping any animal for five years (expired 2020).

Source: Bristol Post (article removed)
Included in this court case round-up

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers, Traveller Animal Crimes, Worst of the Worst

Runcorn, Cheshire: Tony Astles

January 7, 2015 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2015) | gypsy traveller Anthony Barnett Astles, born 10/06/1973, of Holt Lane, Halton, Runcorn WA6 2AY – left a Great Dane to starve to death in a caravan toilet.

Dog killer Tony Astles, a traveller from Runcorn, Cheshire

The caravan was kept on a pallet yard and it was only after a recently recruited worker stumbled upon it that the dog’s emaciated corpse was found.

Tony Astles locked Great Dane Neo in a caravan toilet and left him there to die

The Great Dane, known as Neo, had been locked in a tiny caravan toilet and starved and the floor was covered in excrement.

Inspector Nadine Pengilly said: “In ten years of being an inspector this is the saddest thing I have ever seen. He was such a big dog and he was just shut in that tiny room, it was filthy and full of excrement.

“He had starved to death and he must have spent four to six weeks waiting for someone to come and rescue him.

“Thinking about how Neo must have suffered is incredibly sad.”

Unemployed Astles – a member of the travelling community – pleaded guilty to one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to Neo between January 31 and February 28, 2014.

Sentence: Astles was sentenced to a 14-week custodial sentence and a lifetime ban on keeping animals as well as an £85 surcharge.

Liverpool Echo 07/01/2015

UK Animal Cruelty Files

Yearly Archives: 2015