CONVICTED (2016) | David Farrell, born 30 June 1969 of Ashdown Road, Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 1SF – moved out of a property, leaving a dog behind to starve to death.
Gus was found alone and starved to death after being abandoned by his callous owner, David Farrell
Farrell was found guilty in his absence of failing to meet the needs of a Staffordshire bull terrier called Gus.
The RSPCA was called in May 2015 after Gus was found dead in Farrell’s previous home in Hollington Old Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea. The police had been contacted by a neighbour, who had noticed a smell, and so broke into the house to find the distressing sight of the dog’s dead body.
The RSPCA investigated and learned Farrell had left the home, with Gus alone in it, two months earlier, in March 2015. He claimed he had told a friend to feed and walk the dog but then lost touch with him.
RSPCA inspector Alison Edwards said: “Who knows how long it took this poor dog to die alone in that home.
“We found him curled up on the kitchen floor surrounded by faeces and empty bowls of food.
“His suffering was just so unnecessary. No-one was checking on him, or giving him care. He had simply been shut in a house alone and left to die.
“Simply following up to make sure this dog was cared for would have saved his life and saved the lonely, prolonged death that we can only suppose he suffered.”
A vet estimated the dog had been dead for at least four to five days, and left to suffer for at least two weeks before that.
Sentence: eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, 150 hours’ unpaid work, £300 costs and £80 victim surcharge; disqualified from keeping all animals for five years (expired September 2021).
ACQUITTED (2016) | Jordan Thomason, born c. 1992, of Alexandra Road, Walkden, Worsley, Salford M28 3RJ – hit a German shepherd over the head repeatedly with a samurai sword – CLEARED of causing unnecessary suffering.
Thomason struck the five-year-old dog called Kaiser “two or three times” with the 2.5ft long weapon outside his home in Little Hulton after the dog supposedly attacked him.
He claimed Kaiser had “gone for” a girl at his house and when he tried to get outside the home where he lived with his mother, the dog followed him.
Thomason said: “I was seeing this girl and she had stayed over. We were messing about in the front room. The dog went for the girl and was jumping up to bite her.”
He said he grabbed the dog but it then latched onto his buttock.
Thomason, who was formerly in the Army, said: “I was scared.”
He then picked up a samurai sword from near the front door, that belonged to his mum’s partner, and opened the door to let the girl and himself out – but the dog chased him.
He said: “I hit him two or three times, he was attacking me.”
In police interview he denied that the dog had bitten him but said in court that was because he was worried the dog would be put down. He had the dog since it was a puppy and said it was like his ‘best mate’.
Thomason’s friend, Matthew Howell, who was in a car outside the house when it happened also gave evidence and described the dog as ‘like something out of a film’ as it was barking loudly and ‘baring teeth’ ready to pounce.
RSPCA officers said the two inch wound had ‘gone through the skin and muscle and fractured the dog’s sinews’.
A photograph was shown in court of the wound. Thomason pleaded guilty to being in possession of an offensive weapon, but denied the charge of causing suffering to an animal.
Mitigating, Ellie Akhgar, said he had not told the truth initially because he was worried the dog would be put down.
A neighbour also gave evidence stating he had seen the man hit the dog up to eight times, from around 40ft away. He said he hit the dog a number of times with considerable force, and the dog was just stood at his side.
Chair of the bench, Dr Lorraine Lighton, said Mr Howell would have seen more clearly what happened and said photographs of the dog’s injury were more consistent with being struck two or three times.
Thomason was found not guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, but was to be sentenced at a later date for being in possession of an offensive weapon.
CONVICTED (2016) | livery yard owner Lynda Smith (aka Lynda Beaney), born c. 1982, of Beaumont Park, Littlehampton BN17 6PF – neglected two horses for several months until they became emaciated and malnourished
Livery yard owner Lynda Smith was not banned from owning horses despite starving and neglecting the health of two of them
Lynda Smith was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to ensure the welfare of the horses, known as Hamish and Ava, between August 2015 and February 2016. Both horses were emaciated and malnourished when discovered by the RSPCA.
Hamish when he was found by the RSPCA
The RSPCA received a complaint about the condition of Hamish and Ava, who were owned by Smith and kept at stables at Lickfold Farm in Wiggonholt, Pulborough, and investigated immediately. Once RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley saw the state of the two horses at the yard, he tried to contact Smith by telephone and left notices at the stables, but these were ignored.
Both horses were emaciated having been starved for months. Shown is Ava.
Inspector Woodley was left with no choice but to call a vet who confirmed that both Hamish and Ava were suffering. Police then removed them and placed them into RSPCA care.
“Thankfully both horses have been in RSPCA for some time now and are looking fantastic. It’s sad to think they horses suffered so much but now this case had concluded they can go on to find the caring forever homes they deserve.”
Inspector Woodley said: “For months these poor horses suffered because Lynda Smith failed to get a vet out to them, even though they rapidly were losing body condition. Quite simply these horses were not provided with adequate feed and reasonable level of care. Smith ignored my attempts to contact her to offer advice on improving their welfare. Both Ava and Hamish had high worm burdens, their teeth were in desperate need of specialist equine dentistry and they were emaciated.
Sentence: deprived of the two starved horses; ordered to pay a total of £1,930 in fines, costs and charges.
CONVICTION (2016) serial animal abuser and backyard breeder Paul William Alton, born c. 1962, of Deanhead House, Trice Barn Farm, Bacup Old Road, Bacup OL13 8RF – left a desperately ill collapsed horse to suffer without treatment for several days; previous conviction for dog cruelty.
Alton pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a bay thoroughbred horse called ‘Jack’.
The court heard that on January 21, 2016, Alton had helped move the horse that lived on his field to a nearby barn after the animal had collapsed.
Alton agreed to arrange for a vet to attend but failed to do so.
Thoroughbred horse Jack was found collapsed and barely alive by RSPCA inspectors
RSPCA inspectors attended the farm three days later after a call about concerns of an ill horse. The inspectors found the animal lying on his side with barely enough energy to move.
After inspection by a vet, Jack was found to be suffering from colic and had a worm and lice burden in his abdomen.
RSPCA inspector Charlotte Booker said she called a vet to the horse but sadly, after many attempts by them to get the horse to stand, the vet decided the ‘kindest thing to do was put him to sleep to end his suffering’.
Jack was too poorly to be saved having been denied the vet care he desperately needed for three days
Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Booker said: “This poor horse was in a terrible state when we found him at the farm where Mr Alton lives, back in January.
“He was collapsed on the ground with a rug thrown over him, barely alive.
“Mr Alton claimed he couldn’t get hold of the owner of the horse, yet took no action to get a vet. It was obvious on day one the horse needed help. How anybody could leave him for four days is beyond me.”
Alton was ordered to pay a total of £647 after admitting that he failed to seek essential veterinary treatment for a horse.
Magistrates did not impose a disqualification order preventing Alton from owning or being responsible for animals because it would have a ‘significant impact on his business’.
The court heard that Alton neglected to ‘provide the proper care’ to the dogs, which he was breeding with the intention to sell.
Breeds including terriers, collies and Alsatians were found in conditions described by the RSPCA as ‘squalid’.
One dog had a bleeding stumped leg
One dog was found to have a bleeding malformed hind left leg after she was injured in a tractor accident a few years earlier.
Another was seen climbing on top of a dead cow next to the stables.
The father-of-two was banned from keeping dogs for until February 2024.
He was also banned from transporting dogs, attempting to sell dogs or being party to any transaction or transportation.
Speaking after that case, an RSPCA inspector said: “They were conditions that no animal should have to be placed in and they were absolutely appalling.
“I’m really pleased about the disqualification and it’s good that he will not be able to appeal for five years.
“The conditions that the dogs were subjected to were terrible and I hope that this decision will deter him and others from ever doing anything like this again.”
CONVICTED (2016) | Wayne Keightley, born 5 July 1974, of Rutland Street, Melton Mowbray LE13 1QR – threw a nine-week-old puppy from the window of his third-floor flat
Cocaine addict, dog abuser and all-round loser Wayne Keightley
In a prosecution brought by the RSPCA, habitual cocaine user Keightley was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the 9-week-old Staffy named Gypsy after throwing her from the window of his third-floor flat. The distressed puppy suffered injuries to her face, leg and abdomen in the 20-foot fall but has since recovered.
Gypsy suffered injuries to her face, leg and abdomen, but happily recovered.
The court heard how Keightley smashed the window with a vase, threw Gypsy out the window and then jumped out himself minutes later. Sadly he survived with just a fracture to his ankle. He was found on the floor outside in a “rambling” state dragging himself away from the property.
The court heard he told paramedics he had taken a line of cocaine “a couple of hours” before the incident and had also drunk three cans of lager on the same day.
He told the court seven men entered his property to steal watches and were stabbing him in the hands with a pole with a spear-head attached whenever he tried to pick up the frightened puppy. This was not accepted by the court.
As well as having Gypsy confiscated, Keightley is banned from keeping pets of all kinds for the next three years.
He received a 10-week sentence for the offence against Gypsy and a further four-week sentence because he had been subject to a suspended sentence for possessing a knife at the time of this offence.
He spent half of his 14-week sentence in custody and the second half out on licence.
RSPCA inspector Andy Bostock, who investigated, said: “When Gypsy was found on the floor, she was obviously in pain and was very distressed.
“She was immediately taken to a vet and was treated for injuries to her face, leg and abdomen. She is a very, very lucky dog to have not been more seriously injured, considering also how young and delicate she was at nine-weeks-old.
“There is absolutely no excuse to throw an animal out of a window like this – Gypsy would have been terrified and in pain from the various injuries she received. She got off lightly and is now thriving in her foster home.”
Sentence: 10-week prison sentence for animal cruelty (a further four weeks for knife possession); banned from keeping any animal for three, yes THREE, years (expired September 2019).
CONVICTED (2016) | Sally Anne Boon, born 1 April 1959, of Llwyn Hudol, Bangor LL57 1SG – her three horses were found to be riddled with lice and underweight with their bones showing.
When found Boon’s horses were emaciated and riddled with lice (top), but recovered in the RSPCA’s care (bottom).
The RSPCA was called in April 2016 with concern for two bay mares named Lottie and Silkie, and a Cremello mare named Polo, being kept in the Llanfigael, Holyhead area.
An inspector found the horses with an infestation of lice and had not been fed properly for a long time. Their spine, ribs and pelvic bones were clearly visible and they appeared lethargic and dispirited.
Boon admitted offences relating to causing unnecessary suffering to three horses. She admitted failing to provide them with a nutritionally balanced diet suitable for their needs and addressing their poor physical condition.
RSPCA inspector Mike Pugh said: “These horses were covered in lice, had no grazing and were not attended to for weeks. All these factors meant that their body condition deteriorated and they were in a poor state.
“Fortunately in our care we were able to give them the care they deserved. They have all made a good recovery and they are going to be made available for rehoming in the near future.”
Sentence: £500 costs. Disqualified from keeping any further animals for life.
CONVICTED (2016) | Amanda Adams previously of Lynton Road, Walcott, in Norwich – a notorious pet peddlar, backyard breeder and serial animal abuser
In August 2015 Adams – a backyard breeder of large-breed dogs such as wolfhounds and Newfoundlands – was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a three-week-old puppy called Hope, whom she left in agony for five days with a fractured rear leg.
A second dog in Adams’ care, wolfhound Rina, was left with a large open wound for three days before receiving veterinary treatment.
Unemployed Adams was disqualified from keeping dogs for five years and ordered to pay £500 in costs.
Weeks later an RSPCA inspector visited Adams’ property with a warrant to seize the dogs and discovered her passing puppies across a fence in an attempt to avoid her ban on keeping dogs. Other dogs and puppies were found inside the property.
Three rabbits living in appalling conditions in a filthy shed were also found at the property. One of the rabbits was injured.
This time she was given a six-week suspended prison sentence plus a 10-year ban which she breached again.
Sentence: six-week prison sentence, suspended for 2 years; £1,000 in costs plus £80 victim surcharge. 10-year ban.
The BBC reported that Adams had fled to Ireland to evade the justice system.
She was accused of keeping Irish wolfhounds despite being given two previous banning orders.
The RSPCA withdrew the charge when she failed to turn up at Great Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court for the third time.
It said she was “incredibly clever”, capable of “concocting cover stories”.
RSPCA inspector Ben Kirby, the case officer, described Ms Adams as “manipulative” and said he personally did “not believe a word she says”.
He said: “We have prosecuted her twice before but unfortunately this time she has fled to part of the world where our jurisdiction is non-enforceable.”
“I have no doubt at all that she will be back and should she come back and break UK laws again, I will be on her toes.”
The RSPCA said it has not been able to locate Ms Adams in Ireland.
It said the cases against her which have previously been heard in the UK do not apply in the Republic of Ireland.
The animal charity’s prosecutor Jonathan Eales said most people “don’t take the dramatic step” of moving abroad to avoid prosecution.
“I suspect the court would’ve dealt with her severely and to avoid that, she has left the country,” he said.
Mr Eales said even though the case has been withdrawn, proceedings could be reactivated if Ms Adams were to return to the country.
CONVICTED (2016) | Adrian Bentley, born 14 September 1966 and Jacqueline Clarke (since deceased) of Avenue Road, Lurgan, Craigavon BT66 – kept a dog in a small yard littered with faeces
Adrian Bentley only received a SIX-month ban despite his appalling neglect of collie Sky. Picture: Facebook.
Bentley and Clarke pleaded guilty to offences under the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011 relating to a female collie type dog named Sky.
Following a complaint an animal welfare officer from Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon District Council visited the property and noted Sky who appeared underweight and whose coat was heavily matted with faeces. An improvement notice was served on Bentley which required the dog to be groomed and wormed.
Sky was starved and kept in diabolical conditions by her owner. Inset photo shows Sky in 2010 in a photo Bentley posted to his Facebook account.
The council was forced to obtain a warrant to gain access to the property for a follow-up visit when Sky was discovered in the property’s back yard, which was littered with faeces. Her coat was still matted with faeces.
The dog was taken into the council’s possession and given veterinary treatment.
Charges were brought by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council against Bentley and Clarke in relation to their failure to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of the dog were being met and obstruction of an Animal Welfare Officer. Additionally Bentley was charged with the offence of failure to comply with an improvement notice.
Sentence: fines of £600 and £500 respectively. Banned from keeping animals for six months (expired).
CONVICTED | Theresa Maria Cowling, born December 1963, of Higher Lamerton Farm, Idless, Truro TR4 9QT – kept cattle and pigs in foul and hazardous conditions.
Welfare officers discovered dreadful conditions on Theresa Cowling’s farm, with pigs and cattle living up to their bellies in mud. The animals had not been given any bedding and were cold and shivering.
Cowling pleaded guilty to the following animal welfare offences:
failed to provide a farrowing rail to protect piglets from a sow;
kept pigs and cattle in muddy, wet conditions, with no suitable lying areas;
failed to provide a suitable diet for cattle and pigs;
left a boar and pigs with access to potential injury from protruding nails and broken, rusty corrugated sheeting; and
failed to ensure cattle with overgrown feet were protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Kevin Hill for Cornwall Council, said the offences arose after visits to the farm in July and December of 2015, and January, February and March 2016, after initial complaints that defendant’s cattle were straying on to neighbouring farmland.
Cattle and pigs were found in poor condition. Pigs were being fed from oranges and bananas which are illegal food for them. There was no rail to prevent a sow from crushing her piglets. Conditions for pigs and cattle were wet and muddy. There was dirty drinking water, and no dry lying areas. There were protruding nails and rusty, corrugated metal sheeting in a pig area, with pigs in poor condition and one shivering.
There were more than 30 Dexter cows on the farm which had little grazing and a shelter which was too small to house them all, and bedding wet with faeces.
After she was given advice, Cowling provided better bedding and clean water, but the shelter for the cattle was still too small, cows were standing in thick mud at their feeder, and still in poor condition.
One pig had a leg wound likely to have come from a nail.
Some of the cows had overgrown feet and were struggling to walk properly.
Mr Hill said that after Cowling was given advice on how to put things right, problems were still found on return visits. Things were put right, but then would slip by the next visit. Some could have been addressed relatively easily, but she was either not able to or was unwilling to comply.
He asked the magistrates to disqualify her from keeping farm animals.
Cowling said in court that she and her helpers had had to tackle horrendous wet weather conditions which had led to some of the offences, as straw was getting wet very quickly. She had never lost piglets with a sow as the mothers were very good, and they had been seen daily.
The Dexters were living-out animals, and had lived outside with her all their lives. After advice, their shelter was to be extended this month.
She said she was shocked to hear that the council wanted her to stop keeping her animals.
She said she had followed the advice given to her and had then been given the “all clear” by investigating welfare officers.
“I was very conscious of looking after my animals” she said. “I would not harm anything. I love them all.”
She said she would give her helpers things to do but they did not always do as she would have liked. If she had any problems with her animals she would call her vet.
She said she bred the animals for meat, but there was no profit in it whatsoever. She had reduced the numbers of both pigs and cows as advised.
As well as running her smallholding, she did work at a local college, and gardening.
The farm had belonged to her grandfather and she was born there. “I love it there and I don’t want to lose it” she said.
Cowling asked the magistrates: ”If everything has been put right, why do the council want to disqualify me?”
Answering to the Bench Stephanie Martin, an animal welfare officer, agreed the pigs and cattle were now in good condition, with good bedding and water, but the cattle shed was not.
”I fear that when the bad weather comes again this is all going to happen again” she said.
Sentencing: 12-month community order, with 150 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay £1,250 costs and £60 victim surcharge.Banned from keeping farm animals (period not specified).
Cowling’s appeal hearing was held at Truro Crown Court on 7 February 2017.
Judge Recorder Midgley found the cattle on the farm still had insufficient dry bedding, with nails and sharp metal still protruding from the pigs housing as recently as 6 February 2017. Cowling had also failed to respond to clear advice.
Consequently Cowling’s appeal was dismissed and she was banned from keeping cattle and pigs for three years (expired February 2020).
CONVICTED (2016) | Justin Brazier, born 03/05/1971, of Beechcroft Avenue, Breightmet, Bolton – for possession of videos and images showing extreme child and animal pornography; videoed himself having sex with his own dog
Brazier pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images, possession of extreme pornography and penetration of a live animal.
On Tuesday 10 May 2016 officers from Greater Manchester Police executed a warrant at Brazier’s home and his computer and DVDs were seized.
Forensic examination revealed videos of extreme pornography and bestiality, including videos of Brazier having sex with his own dog.
Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden of GMP’s Bolton Borough said: “Brazier committed vile acts of depravity and thankfully he is now behind bars.
“As soon as we became aware of his crimes, we removed the dog from his possession and will now be looking to re-home it.
“The images that were found on his computer were extremely distressing and I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of the officers involved who worked on this case and needed to view the images as part of enquiries.
“The information which led to Brazier’s arrest and subsequent conviction came largely from community intelligence and I hope the sentence passed will send a clear message that we are prepared to take positive action whenever we receive information like this.”
