CONVICTED (2017) | Michelle Spoors, born 6 January 1980, of Cheviot Road, Chester-le-Street DH2 3AL – allowed her elderly German Shepherd to suffer for months before he was put to sleep
Michelle Spoors admitted causing unnecessary suffering to her ten-year-old German Shepherd, Zeus.
RSPCA prosecutor, Kevin Campbell, told the court how an inspector had visited Spoors’ home in July 2017 after a neighbour raised concerns about Zeus.
The inspector found Zeus in a “poor condition” with his bones protruding, overgrown nails and only “a pinch of hair on the back end”.
Mr Campbell said Zeus was unsteady on his feet and the inspector noted the house had bare floorboards.
An empty bag of dried dog food and a dirty food bowl were also found.
Mr Campbell said: “The inspector describes how she takes the dog out and before she puts him in the van she takes him for a walk, because he is quite clearly suffering, and the dog passes faeces.
“It had the consistency of milky tea with what looked like chow mein and vegetables in it.”
Mr Campbell said Zeus was taken to a vet to undergo tests.
He weighed just 24kg when a healthy dog of that age should have weighed 35kg.
The vet rated Zeus as four out of five on a condition scale with five being emaciated.
Tests confirmed Zeus was suffering from sever malabsorbtion, likely to have been caused from an infection in his gut. He could not be saved.
Mr Campbell said Spoors had handed Zeus over immediately and tried to rehome him previously but had been unsuccessful.
“She did not think the dog had been suffering to that extent,” he said.
“The whole situation was causing stress for her and she did not know what to do.”
Spoors, who represented herself, told the court she was “struggling to cope with everything in life” and hardly leaves the house.
Sentencing: five-year ban on keeping any animal but allowed to appeal from November 2020 (ban expired November 2022).
#MostEvil | Dominic O’Connor, born 18 October 1989) formerly known as William Mocsari and also William Stevens, previously of Roden Street, Kircubbin, Co Down – strangled a dog to death then fed her to his other dog.
Deranged dog killer Dominic O’Connor AKA William Mocsari AKA William Stevens – given just two years in jail for his crime
O’Connor strangled his four-year-old collie, Jess, with a lead before cooking her, using “a few onions and an Oxo cube” in December 2016. He then fed the stew to his other dog. He put Jess’s remains on the fire and later dumped the ashes into Portavogie harbour.
O’Connor was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog and banned for life from owning another animal.
Prior to being sent to prison for two years in November 2017 O’Connor was seen at a property in Dundela Avenue, Belast BT4 3BT. His family are based in Bangor, Co Down and he also has links to Hammersmith in London and Surrey.
The court heard that O’Connor bought Jess on the internet classifieds site Gumtree.
The incident was uncovered when he told hospital health professionals what he had done.
Police then visited his house, where they found burned dog hair and a liquid on the grate of the fire.
Sentencing O’Connor, the judge said this was a “particularly disgraceful and heinous offence”.
He said O’Connor had misled the people from whom he got the dog, leading them to believe she would be nurtured and protected.
Instead, he said that it was clear that O’Connor was going to kill this dog and “inflict serious cruelty”.
He said O’Connor’s behaviour was “barbaric and calculated”.
The judge added that O’Connor had raised questions about his mental health, but did not provide any medical evidence on which the court could rely.
He said he had displayed “no real remorse” and despite not giving evidence on his own behalf, O’Connor seemed to challenge the evidence against him.
The court heard that O’Connor had 23 previous convictions.
Sentence: He was sentenced to two years in prison and a further two on licence. He was banned from owning any animal for life.
CONVICTED (2017) | Hayley Ann Wolsencroft, born 18 January 1988, and Gavin Lee Lewis, born 20 October 1984 both of 4 Bowen Court, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6DQ – starved their Staffordshire bull terriers so badly one of them died.
Hayley Wolsoncroft and Gavin Lewis were banned from keeping animals for 10 years after starving two dogs to emaciation
Hayley Wolsoncroft and partner Gavin Lewis were convicted of animal cruelty offences in relation to Staffies Molly and Fudge.
Prosecutor Glen Murphy said an RSPCA inspector went to Bowen Court on April 10, 2017, to investigate a complaint about a neglected dog.
On entering the property, the inspector was met with a ‘strong smell’ and dog faeces and urine on the living room floor.
Molly was discovered in a lethargic state lying in an open crate. She was bloated but very thin and her spine was prominent through her skin.
Staffy Molly was found lethargic, thin and bloated when visited by RSPCA inspectors.
Wolsoncroft told the inspector that Molly was her boyfriend’s pet. She said she had tried to feed her but was ‘unable to provide any dog food’ and had given her tuna and pasta to eat.
Wolsencroft told the inspector another Staffordshire Bull Terrier, called Fudge, had died weeks previously and was buried in some nearby woods.
A neighbour showed inspectors where Fudge had been buried and the body of the dog was exhumed for tests to be carried out.
Mr Murphy said: “This dog was wrapped in bin bags and looked to have been very thin.
“Miss Wolsoncroft was interviewed and she said Molly, who had been purchased from Facebook, was a fussy eater, but said she was regularly fed by Mr Lewis.”
She told police that before Fudge died, she had been shivery and sick, but they could not get through to a vet in order for her to be assessed.
A pathology report stated Fudge was emaciated at the time of death with an extended stomach, and starvation due to an inadequate diet was the most likely cause of death.
When Lewis was interviewed, he agreed that he should have sought out a vet for Molly, and agreed to sign the pet over to the RSPCA.
Vet David Martin found that Molly, who is now with new owners, was in a very poor condition.
Both dogs had suffered ‘acute pain for two weeks’ and ‘severe’ pain for at least 24 hours.
Probation reports were read out about the couple, who represented themselves, which stated they both had their own issues.
The court heard both had been under a great deal of stress due to death threats which had been sent to them in the aftermath of the case against them.
The report added that Lewis appeared to have learning difficulties, while Wolsoncroft had “severe mental health issues”
Sentencing: 10-week custodial sentence, suspended for one year. Both were ordered to pay £250 each to the RSPCA with a £115 surcharge. 10-year ban on keeping animals (expires November 2027).
CONVICTED (2017) | Peter Neville Tellett, born 22/11/1959, of 8 East Green, Sealand Deeside CH5 2SG – failed to take his dog to the vet even when he chewed off his own back foot and lower leg
Peter Tellett let his Jack Russell chew his own leg off
Tellett admitted a cruelty charge between July 4 and July 18, 2017.
Solicitor Glen Murphy, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told Flintshire Magistrates Court that RSPCA Inspector Fred Armstrong called at the Tellett’s home and spoke to his partner, Angela Maguire.
Inspector Armstrong was shown a male Jack Russell dog and part of his rear right leg was missing.
Jack Russell SpongeBob was found with ‘horrific injuries’ and needed to have an amputation.
The injury appeared to be fairly recent but Maguire said she did not know how it happened.
It had been noticed some two weeks earlier but she said they did not have the money to take him to the vet.
She agreed to sign over the dog, together with two others, to the RSPCA.
At the time there were three adult dogs and five puppies in the property.
Tellett was interviewed and said he had SpongeBob for nine years and became aware of the injury some two weeks before. It was not bleeding and he assumed it was alright.
Tellett said he believed the dog had done it himself, did not howl or cry, and he did not consider it to be in pain.
He agreed it was his fault that nothing had been done about it. “I should have done more,” he said.
Vet David Harlow found the dog to be “quiet and miserable” and was missing his rear, right lower leg below the hock.
SpongeBob is believed to have chewed his leg off after getting an infection in his foot.
The wound was swollen and painful, the vet suspected it was infected, and the degree of healing was consistent with “traumatic amputation” some two weeks before.
It was also consistent with the claim that the dog might have chewed off his own foot.
SpongeBob was given pain relief and antibiotics.
He also had teeth missing and may have had teeth knocked out, said the vet.
His nails on the remaining three feet were long, suggesting a lack of reasonable exercise.
The leg injury would have extremely painful and the vet said that the dog would have been in chronic and acute pain since it happened.
He had undergone unnecessary suffering by failure to seek veterinary attention.
Mr Murphy said a lack of money was no reason not to seek veterinary attention for an animal.
All vets were under a duty to provide pain relief to prevent suffering, whether payment was made or not. The RSPCA was always available to give advice.
District judge Gwyn Jones told Tellett he would have to make urgent arrangements to have any remaining dogs rehoused.
Earlier the judge questioned why, if there was no money available, there were five dogs in the house in the first place.
The court was told Tellett, who had no previous convictions, could not do unpaid work because of a heart condition.
Sentence: 12-week tagged curfew; £300 costs and £85 surcharge; 10-year ban on keeping dogs (expires November 2027).
CONVICTED (2017) | Daniel Jackman, born c. 1975, and Charlene Reed, born 27/08/1981, both of 123 Queens Road, Gosport PO12 1LG – locked their starving flea-infested dog in a filthy bathroom with no food or clean water
Jackman and Reed, who have two young children, were only banned from keeping dogs for 18 months despite repeatedly ignoring animal welfare advice from the RSPCA.
Charlene ‘Charlie’ Reed and partner Danny Jackman were convicted in their absence of two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to Staffordshire bull terrier Mitsy and two charges of failing in a duty to ensure her welfare.
RSPCA inspectors, who visited the couple’s home on February 16, 2017, were met with piles of faeces on the bathroom floor while Mitsy had been left with a bowl of stale water and an empty food bowl.
Staffy Mitsy had been starved and neglected by her cruel owners
The dog had extensive fur loss and was very thin with her ribs prominent through her skin. She also had multiple sores which she was scratching.
The RSPCA contacted and visited Jackman and Reed a total of 16 times, but after their advice was repeatedly ignored, had no choice but to call police and seize her from the couple.
RSPCA Inspector Jen Ride said: “Mitsy was in a terrible state when she was rescued.
“She had been left without food or clean water in a dirty bathroom. She was very underweight with all her ribs showing.
“The neglect suffered by Mitsy could have been easily avoided but she was simply left to suffer without the care she needed and deserved.”
Sentencing: Jackman – 18-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, ordered to pay a total of £335.
Reed – 18-month disqualification from keeping dogs, a 12-month community order; two-month curfew; 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirement days; ordered to pay a total of £210.
Both were banned from keeping dogs for 18 months (expired May 2019).
CONVICTED (2017) | Sarah Taylor, born c. 1979, of Cookson Close, Burnham-on-Sea TA8 – prosecuted for animal cruelty after her springer spaniel was found underweight and covered in raw itchy scabs
Cookie was underweight and was suffering from a painful skin condition
Sarah Taylor admitted causing unnecessary suffering to her springer spaniel Cookie while living at an address in Nightingale Way in Weston-super-Mare.
An investigation was launched by the RSPCA after the animal welfare charity was contacted by a concerned member of the public who had seen the dog, Cookie, covered in raw itchy scabs.
RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson said: “Those who own animals have a responsibility to care for them and ensure health conditions are dealt with promptly by a vet to avoid their pets suffering. There is never an excuse for ignoring an animal in need.”
The RSPCA says Cookie has now been rehomed.
Sentencing: fined £380. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (can be appealed after three years). Expired November 2022.
CONVICTED (2017) | puppy trader Jaimie Rose Colquhoun, born 21/02/1991, of Roseberry Street, Dundee DD2 2NS – sold animals trafficked from illegal breeders in Ireland before selling them on Gumtree
Jaimie Colquhoun, who was dubbed Cruella de Vil by the media, was found guilty of selling imported farmed puppies in a Dundee supermarket car park and at Arbroath seafront
Jaimie Colquhoun was found guilty of importing dogs from puppy farms in Ireland and selling them online to unsuspecting animal lovers.
The mother-of-three was snared as part of a major multi-agency operation, known as Operation Delphin, which is aimed at combating puppy farming.
She was accused of repeatedly offering animals for sale through trading site Gumtree and meeting buyers in public car parks to carry out sales without a licence.
Colquhoun told investigators that a contact in Ireland she said she only knew as Thomas would text her once a month to tell her what breeds he had available and she would travel as a foot passenger by ferry to the Republic of Ireland to collect a litter.
She would then list them on Gumtree and carry out the transactions in car parks or at her Dundee home.
Breeds sold by Colquhoun included English Bulldogs, Morkies – a cross between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Maltese – and Pugs.
She said she did not have papers for any of the animals nor did she have them checked by vets prior to sale – aside from one which had an eye problem.
The court heard Colquhoun was first interviewed by the Scottish SPCA under caution in August 2015 and told she was suspected of a crime.
But the brazen trader went on to sell more dogs through Gumtree in October that year.
When confronted about that she whined: “I needed money for my rent.”
The trial was told that some of the animals had even been transported from Hungary via a middle man in Hertfordshire.
Colquhoun’s defence lawyer, Ian Houston of Bruce Short solicitors, claimed Scottish SPCA investigators told his client she would be branded “Cruella de Vil” and have dog excrement put through her door by animal lovers if she didn’t help their probe. This was emphatically denied by the animal charity.
Colquhoun pleaded not guilty to three charges on summary complaint of selling animals without a licence so to do.
But she was convicted of carrying on a business of selling animals at Pleasure Land in Arbroath and in the car park of Morrisons, Dundee, as well as “keeping a pet shop without a licence” at her home in Dundee between January 1 2014 and July 13 2015.
Sheriff Gregor Murray imposed a community payback order with 250 hours of unpaid work and said the maximum jail term he could impose — three months — would not be enough punishment.
But he could not impose an order banning her from keeping animals because legislation that would allow him to do so is not yet in force.
He said: “You became involved in selling dogs in an unregulated fashion purely to make money.
This forms part of a trade which, if not regulated, can cause cruelty to animals. Conduct such as yours encourages others to breed and supply such animals.”
A spokesman for the Scottish SPCA said: “Whilst we’re disappointed that she did not receive a ban we do welcome the fact that she has been dealt with by the court.
“We currently feel sentencing for animal abuse is very inconsistent in Scotland and we would like to see an increase in the maximum jail sentence which would provide the sheriff with a greater range of options.”
Sentencing: community payback order of 250 hours of unpaid work. No ban.
In May 2019 Colquhoun was convicted in the Welsh courts on four charges of contravening the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order.
In January 2017 Colquhoun was stopped by police at Holyhead Port after she came off a ferry from Ireland. She was found to have seven Pomeranian puppies in a large bag but when asked for the appropriate documents she told officials she didn’t have any.
She was found guilty after she failed to turn up at Caernarfon Magistrates Court for a video link hearing from Forfar Sheriff Court in Scotland.
Magistrates decided to proceed in her absence after being told it was the seventh time the matter had been listed and she had failed to turn up on previous occasions.
Julia Longworth, prosecuting on behalf of Anglesey Council, said Colquhoun was stopped after police saw her carrying a large bag which appeared to be moving.
“She was asked what was in the bag and she said it was her dog”.
Asked to show the dog she produced a dog carrier and a plastic bag. She then said there were four dogs but further examination found seven dogs in the two containers. There were four in the plastic bag and a further three in the dog carrier,” she said.
Ms Longworth said the Pomeranian puppies were in good condition but were “crammed in” and had no water.
“Asked for the dogs’ documentation she said “do they need any”,” she added.
Colquhoun told officers she had collected the animals from a man in County Meath for £1,500 and intended to give them to members of her family.
The pups were given water and Colquhoun was allowed to continue her journey.
Ms Longworth said anyone carrying more than five dogs needs to be authorised to do so under animal welfare regulations.
The court heard a week previously Colquhoun had been spoken to by officers at Holyhead port when she was found to be carrying four Pomeranian puppies from Ireland. Authorisation was not required on that occasion.
Finding her guilty of the charges the magistrate said: “Legislation is in place to protect animal welfare. The defendant breached the regulations knowingly and the penalty reflects that.”
Colquhoun was fined £1,000 on each charge and ordered to pay £889 in costs.
CONVICTED (2017) | Danielle Elizabeth Brown (also known as Danielle Davidson), born 8 April 1986, of Dunlop Street, Linwood, Paisley PA3 3AL – starved pet dogs Shasta and Skylar and refused to take them to the vet.
Brown’s cruelty left seven-year-old Shasta in such a “terrible state” that a concerned vet felt there was no option but to put the animal to sleep.
The dogs were taken to the vet by investigators from the SSPCA following an anonymous tip-off that they were being neglected.
Investigators arrived at Brown’s home and took the animals away to have them examined.
Shasta’s ribs, hips and spine could clearly be seen through his coat. He also had a fever and tests revealed he had become blind in one eye due to glaucoma.
Vets who examined two-year-old Skylar could also clearly see her ribs, hips and spine.
Single mother Brown pleaded guilty to neglecting both pets between February 27 and March 27, 2017, in breach of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
Sentencing: Community Payback Order of 75 hours of unpaid work over three months. Banned from owning animals for just five years (expired November 2022). Deprivation order on the surviving dog, Skylar.
CONVICTED (2017) | tyre fitters Shaun Mark Fussell, born 05/02/1988, of Woodlands Crescent, Quakers Yark, Treharris CF46 5AP, Lee Edward Jones, born 27/07/1975, of Rhydfach, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 4DJ and William Christopher Morgan, born 02/03/1981, of Upper Fforest Level, Mountain Ash CF45 4HR – hit a wild rat over the head, forced it into a pipe and launched it into the air like a cannonball.
Pictured left to right Shaun Fussell, Lee Jones and Billy Morgan. All three men were convicted of animal cruelty after shooting a live rat from a makeshift cannon
Shaun Fussell, Lee ‘Sooty’ Jones and William ‘Billy’ Morgan were all convicted of animal cruelty after a video was posted to Facebook showing a live rat being fired out of a makeshift cannon.
Sadist Lee Jones was filmed shooting the terrified rat several metres into the air
The horrific footage showed a rat being caught in a tyre fitting shop using pliers, and forced into a pipe attached to an air compressor after being hit on the head with a metal pole. The rat was then shot out of the pipe by Lee Jones using the compressor, into the air and over a neighbouring building.
After issuing a public appeal for information earlier in 2017, the RSPCA received “scores” of calls from people as far as Australia to help track down the men.
Shaun Fussell
RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper said: “This was such a horrific case where this rat suffered unnecessarily.
Lee Jones in still from the horrific video footage
“Even though some people see rats as vermin they are still protected by law in certain circumstances. They are still living creatures that feel fear and pain.
“These men purposely attached a gas compressor and put the rat in a tube and fired it. They knew exactly what they were doing.
“We never found the rat, but it surely suffered extremely from the horrifying incident.”
Sentencing: 12-month community order of 180 hours of unpaid work each; ordered to pay a total of £445 each in costs and charges.
CONVICTED (2017) | Kayleigh Laybourn (aka Kayleigh Fenwick), born 29 October 1990, of Londonderry Terrace, Sunderland SR3 2EE – allowed her pet lurcher to starve
The lurcher, called Margo, was described as ’emaciated’ when RSPCA inspectors acted on a tip-off from a member of the public, Sunderland magistrates heard.
But the court heard owner Laybourn did not appear to accept she should have fed the dog,
Margo became emaciated after Kayleigh Laybourn opted not to feed her
John Ellwood, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said an inspector visited the home Laybourn shared with her two children after a complaint was made about her in June 2017.
The charity made three separate visits, but Laybourn failed to respond.
Mr Ellwood said: “This case concerns a dog – Margot. She was emaciated.
“Margot was in a small, cramped utility area. She was extremely skinny, with prominent hips, ribs and spine. All the ridges on the spine were visible.
“Margot weighed 25.3kg, she should have weighed 30kg. She was in poor body condition, with a poor quality coat.
“Bloods were taken which showed she had a low red cell count and other problems, either as a result of starvation or liver problems.
When Margo returned to the vet a few weeks later after being fed a proper diet she had gained 6lbs.
Mr Ellwood went on: “I can safely say that Margot was suffering from emaciation from lack of food.
“Since emaciation is the lowest stage of starvation that a dog can reach before death, this case must have involved a prolonged period of suffering.
“Whilst the defendant accepts she should have taken the dog to the vet, she doesn’t appear to accept that she should have fed it.
“Margot has now been fed back to full health.”
Laybourn pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. She was due to be sentenced on 7 December 2017 but no details are available.
