CONVICTED (2018) | Jonathon Eugene Meynell, born 26/07/1990, of Rifle Street, Haslingden, Rossendale BB4 6NR – kicked his pet dog nine times while screaming abuse.
Meynell pleaded guilty to kicking and shouting at his rottweiler Coco as he took her for a walk
The incident happened on August 28 2017 where he can be seen kicking the black and tan Rottweiler dog and shouting and swearing at her in an intimidating manner causing her to suffer physically and mentally.
RSPCA inspector Kat Newman said: “The footage shows Meynell walking down the street with Coco who is off the lead and stopping and sniffing as she goes.
“It’s clear that he is in a temper and is shouting and swearing.
“He can be heard to say ‘do you want a kicking today or what? Is that what you’re after?’ before approaching her and kicking her nine times to the head and body.
“She cries out every time he kicks her. It’s really horrible to watch.”
Coco was taken into possession by police on veterinary advice after the RSPCA was contacted and provided with the footage.
Abused Rottweiler was renamed Lola and made available for rehoming.
She was signed over at the first court hearing and is now in the care of an RSPCA animal centre where she has been renamed ‘Lola’ and will be up for rehoming soon.
“There can never be any excuse for behaving this way towards an animal,” said inspector Newman.
Sentencing: six weeks in prison suspended for 12 months; £115 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping any animals for life.
CONVICTED (2018) | puppy farmer Rosemary Fabb, born c. 1941, of Fern Bank, Carr Lane, Roughton, Norwich NR11 8PG – admitted 17 charges relating to breeding puppies without a licence at her home.
Rosemary Fabb kept dogs and puppies in cold conditions and without food and water, at her illegal Norfolk puppy farm
The charges against Rosemary Fabb included causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Fabb had bred dogs at the site with a licence up until 2014, but failed to get it renewed.
Vets were called to the puppy farm by North Norfolk District Council last February and they found dogs kept in facilities which were out-of-date following changes to legislation.
Animals were discovered unvaccinated, with ear infections, dental disease and matted hair covered in faeces and sawdust.
The prosecutor, Lynne Shirley told the court that Fabb had threatened an inspector saying “I know the mafia, and she’d [the inspector] better look out”.
The court heard that over the years Mrs Fabb had signed over 30 dogs to the RSPCA but by January 2018 she still had 10 animals, mainly toy poodles, that she was breeding.
All the dogs found have been re-homed by the RSPCA.
In March 2016, Fabb was banned from running a riding school for five years, alongside son Ben Fabb, after she was prosecuted for not having a licence to run the Fern Bank Riding School.
Magistrates heard that North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) had refused a licence to the Fabbs in January 2015 following serious concerns identified by a veterinary inspector about the health and welfare of Fern Bank’s horses.
Ben Fabb
Vet Diana Verhulst’s inspection report to NNDC in January 2015 said that she had found it to be untidy and unhygienic.
Horses were not adequately groomed and the pasture and shelter were insufficient for the number of animals.
The Fabbs claimed some of their horses had been rescued weeks before the inspection and were in a poor state when they arrived. Ben Fabb said they looked after their animals ‘100 per cent.’
Sentencing: 22 weeks jail, suspended for two years due to Fabb’s age and infirmity. Ordered to pay £12,731 in costs within a month. Disqualified from keeping and breeding animals until further notice .
CONVICTED (2018) | Stephen Dixon, born c. 1961, of Meath Street, Middlesbrough TS1 – starved his dog and left her outside overnight as a punishment when she “misbehaved”.
Emaciated Staffordshire bull terrier Meeka was starved and left outside by her cruel owner, alcoholic Stephen Dixon from Middlesbrough
Stephen Dixon allowed his Staffordshire Bull terrier, Meeka, to become “emaciated” and full of sores as he battled alcohol addiction.
Dixon pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal between October 29 and November 26, 2017.
John Ellwood, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA called the case “worrying.”
“The RSPCA visited his home after a complaint that his dog had been left unattended”, he said.
“Meeka was confined in a small yard full of faeces and a broken door which appeared to have broken glass on top of it.
“The dog was clearly emaciated and had sores on all four legs.
“When interviewed the defendant said he would punish the dog by not feeding it.”
He added: “When confronted about the dog being thin he said he was an alcoholic and knew she was skinny.
“Meeka was very hungry and when fed she ate ravenously, licking the bowl clean within seconds and was clearly very thirsty.”
Mr Ellwood added that the dog had been left outside for at least two days on occasions.
Dixon’s lawyer said his client was “extremely ashamed of himself” and was receiving treatment for alcohol addiction.
Meeka has recovered from her ordeal and has been rehomed.
Meeka has since been nursed back to health and re-homed.
Chair of the bench, Carole Freeman-Dunn, said it was a “very disturbing case.”
Sentencing: 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months; £415 costs; 15 rehabilitation activity days. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2018) | Eugene Stanley Crooks, born 1945, of Elmstone Gardens, Hemlington, Middlesbrough TS8 9EL – left his elderly dog to become emaciated, flea-infested, with rotten teeth and in a state of constant pain.
Eugene Crooks neglected his 16-year-old dog Barney while ‘failing to notice his condition’. He admitted to an RSPCA officer that he only fed him Weetabix on a morning and a small tray of dog food at night.
Crooks pleaded guilty to four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.
John Ellwood, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court that Barney suffered between August and November 2017.
He said: “On November 13, the RSPCA went to Crooks’ home.
“The premises smelt strongly of urine but also that typical smell associated with infection.
“He had apparently been fed on Weetabix with a small tray of dog food on an evening. There was no clinical reason why the dog should be underweight.
“He had been starved.”
After the RSPCA took Barney in, he was found to have “severe dental disease” that was extremely painful to him and a number of his teeth had to be removed as a result.
He also had chronic arthritis and an untreated skin disease, which may have been caused by chronic flea infestation. There were also visible fleas on him.
Mr Ellwood added: “He was anaemic as a result of blood loss.
“The suffering in this case is extreme and the neglect prolonged.”
Barney had to be put down by a vet after his kidneys failed not long after being rescued.
Before sentencing, chair of the bench, Carole Freeman-Dunn, said: “We are dealing with a faithful friend you had for many years. In his later years, you let him down.”
Sentencing: Ordered to pay £300. Banned from keeping animals – excluding cats – for at least 10 years.
CONVICTED (2018) | Sharon Elizabeth Wood, born 17 November 1971, of Polmeere Road, Penzance TR18 3PJ, and son Ashley Mark Wood (aka Ashley Corfe), born 11 August 1995, formerly of the same address but now of Penventon Terrace, Redruth TR15 3AD – for the severe neglect of their pet dog.
Sharon Wood and son Ashley Corfe treated their pet dog with “despicable cruelty”.
Mother-of-five Sharon Wood and son Ashley Wood admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog named Dexter who was found covered in sores with barely any fur. He was chronically underweight and his ribs and back bones were exposed with no fat on his body.
Dexter was found covered in sores with barely any fur. He was chronically underweight and his ribs and back bones were exposed with no fat on his body.
Appearing for sentencing the pair were told they had committed “a despicable act of cruelty to the animal” and they were lucky not to be sent straight to prison.
The court heard that Dexter belonged to Ashley Wood but his mother was also responsible for the pet, who at the time lived at her home.
Lindi Meyer, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said a family friend was horrified to find 10-month-old Dexter covered in bleeding sores and scabs, having lost most of his fur and nearly half his body weight.
She took him straight to the vets and the RSPCA and police were then called and Dexter was taken into care.
Ms Meyer said he weighed just 12.85kg when brought in to the RSPCA. After four days on an emergency diet, Dexter’s weight had risen to 15kg and he now weighed a healthy 19.8kg.
She said: “Staff in the centre were unable to put a collar on him as this made him bleed around the neck. There was basically no fur on his body apart from along his back and he was extremely thin.”
She said his eyes were swollen and discharging fluid.
Dexter recovered in the RSPCA’s care.
Ms Meyer said Ashley told the RSPCA that Dexter had been really ill for two weeks previously. She said he did not go to the vets but instead asked his friends for help, who suggested taking Dexter for a swim in the sea. Ashley admitted using skin cream to try to treat Dexter’s condition, she added.
She said the vet who inspected Dexter said: “In my opinion the dog was suffering and had been for a minimum of four months.”
Ms Meyer showed the court pictures of Dexter as he is now, having made a complete recovery. She said: “With an intervention and proper treatment, he looks fantastic now. He has been re-homed.”
She told the court the pair also have five cats and another dog, which has since been re-homed, and asked the court to ban them from keeping animals.
Ashley Corfe, pictured in September 2020.
Beverley Wilmott, from the Probation Service, who interviewed the Woods for the court, said Sharon Wood was ashamed of what had happened.
She said: “She didn’t seek to excuse her behaviour. She was aware the dog was quite poorly but she didn’t seek treatment at the time. She didn’t want to get into trouble about the state he was in and she had concerns about paying the vets.
“She is extremely ashamed to be here in court. She said, as the mother, she should have taken the responsibility of looking after the dog.”
As a result of previous media coverage, she added that Sharon no longer felt safe in the council house where she has lived for the last 17 years. She said she suffered some health and mobility problems for which she had not sought help and was of previous good character.
Sharon Wood outside court
Turning to Ashley, Ms Wilmott said: “He tells me he did very much stick his head in the sand. He does suffer from anxiety which is linked to alcoholism. Finance was also a problem. Other bills got in the way and Dexter became a low priority.”
She said he was now getting help for his drinking from the relevant agencies.
Solicitor Charles Hulley, representing the Woods, said they cooperated with the investigation and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Referring to press coverage of their first court appearance, he said: “Through social media, they’ve experienced some difficulties as a result of their guilty pleas and want to move to a different area.”
Addressing the pair, the presiding magistrate, Mr Aldred, said: “These offences were so serious that neither a fine or community sentence would be justified. You should have been aware of the animal’s suffering and should have acted to relieve that suffering, and neither of you did that.”
Sentencing: Both were sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Total of £415 each in costs and charges. Banned from keeping any animals for life with no right of appeal for at least 10 years. The court also ordered all animals still in their care in 21 days to be seized.
CONVICTED (2018) | Mark Barber, born 8 June 1977, of The Waterings Farm, Blore, Ashbourne DE6 2BT – for leaving two donkeys to suffer in agony with overgrown hooves
Farmer Mark Barber pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the two jennys, at Derby Magistrates’ Court on 15 February 2018. He admitted failing to seek vital treatment for the pair.
The RSPCA and the Donkey Sanctuary found the animals, Jessica and Jasmine, with hooves so overgrown they were unable to walk normally.
“These two beautiful donkeys were left to suffer because Mr Barber failed to arrange veterinary or farrier treatment,” said RSPCA inspector Charlotte Melvin,
“After a concerned member of the public called us about the state of two donkeys they’d seen on the Barbers’ farm, I called Hannah Bryer, head of welfare at the Donkey Sanctuary, to help and when we arrived we were shocked at what we saw.
“Both donkeys, Jessica and Jasmine, were out in a field and their hooves were so long we could barely coax them to take a few steps – they were in agony.
“Mr Barber had left Jessica and Jasmine without any farriery or veterinary care for a really long time, even though it was clear that they were suffering.
“Thankfully, after we called a vet who certified their suffering immediately, Mr Barber signed the donkeys into our care and after carefully loading them into the horsebox, they were taken straight to the Donkey Sanctuary to receive the expert care they so desperately needed.”
The pair were taken to the Donkey Sanctuary in Buxton, where Jessica was found to have severe sarcoids on her legs and belly.
Barber was not charged with any offence relating to the sarcoids, but her condition was so serious, a veterinary specialist advised that she would not recover and she was put to sleep.
Jasmine has recovered and is still with the sanctuary in Devon.
Ms Bryer, head of welfare at the Donkey Sanctuary, said: “Cases like this are incredibly sad as they can be so easily avoided.
“We are grateful for the combined efforts of the RSPCA, Derbyshire Police and all involved in investigating this case. The disqualification order serves to protect the welfare of donkeys in the future, but of course the most important outcome is that Jasmine is now fit and well, with a safe and secure future ahead of her.”
Sentencing | Barber was fined £383 and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £38 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from keeping donkeys for life.
CONVICTED (2018) | Teresa Wade, born 04/05/1959 of Ship Lane Travellers Site, Aveley, South Ockendon RM15 4HQ, and Victoria Montgomery, born 05/12/1961 of Marne Road, Dagenham (previously Melford Avenue, Barking, London IG11) – kept dogs and puppies in dire conditions at a puppy farm in Essex.
Cruel and deceitful puppy farmers Teresa Wade (left) and Victoria Montgomery duped customers into thinking their puppies were home bred. The reality was quite different
Wade and Montgomery, who are Irish travellers and part of a notorious gang of puppy dealers with previous convictions, both pleaded guilty partway through a trial for a string of animal welfare offences. The pair admitted keeping dogs and puppies in dirty, unsuitable conditions following an RSPCA investigation.
The animal charity launched an initiative called Operation Excel to investigate the breeding and selling of puppies in Essex in 2014 after receiving numerous calls from members of the public who had bought puppies that had become extremely sick or, in some cases, even died.
When the RSPCA and police executed a warrant at the Ship Lane travellers site in Essex – and two other residential addresses, one in Essex and one in London – officers found 76 dogs and puppies, including poodles, cocker spaniels and some of the popular designer crossbreed types such as cavachons, cockerpoos and golden doodles.
RSPCA officers found 76 dogs and puppies, including poodles, cocker spaniels, cavachons and cockerpoos at Ship Lane travellers site. The dogs were advertised as being ‘home-reared’, but were actually kept in small cages in dark sheds at the site.
The dogs were seized and placed into the RSPCA’s care and a number of pregnant bitches went on to have 27 puppies in the charity’s centres. Of the 103 dogs in total, four sadly died, but courts ordered for the remaining 99 dogs to be rehomed ahead of the court hearing.
RSPCA inspector Carroll Lamport, who led the investigation, said: “After a number of calls from people who had bought puppies that had fallen ill we became suspicious of a gang who appeared to be selling a large number of puppies.
“The dogs were being bred on an industrial scale at a site in Aveley and were kept in disgusting conditions in makeshift kennels and pens in outbuildings.
“When it was time to sell the puppies – for hundreds of pounds each – they would be moved to two houses being used as front addresses to sell the puppies from. The staged houses to gave the impression that the dogs were much-loved family pets. The reality was far from that.
“These dogs were kept in dark, damp pens covered in filth. They were in terrible conditions, riddled with worms and fleas, with matted, dirty coats. Many of them were extremely poorly with campylobacter and giardia – both serious and potentially deadly parasitic illnesses.”
RSPCA investigations determined that while many of the dogs were being bred on-site, a number of puppies were also being imported from abroad.
“These dogs were being kept in horrendous conditions, it must have been hell for them,” inspector Lamport added.
“Sadly, we lost a few of the pups but, thanks to the wonderful dedication of our animal centre staff and fosterers, the rest have all flourished and are now happy, healthy dogs in loving homes.
“Many of them still carry the scars – both mental and physical – from this part of their life, though. Some have ongoing health problems caused by the conditions they were kept in while others have developed behavioural issues because they were not properly socialised as pups.”
“It’s clear that this gang didn’t have a care in the world for the welfare of these dogs. All they saw when they looked into their dark, sad eyes was a way to make thousands and thousands of pounds.”
Sentencing: Teresa Wade pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences and was given a five-month prison term, suspended for 11 months. She was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge. She was disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.
Victoria Montgomery admitted one animal welfare offence and was given a three-month jail term, suspended for 11 months, and was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge. No ban on keeping animals was imposed by the court.
CONVICTED (2018) | David Arfon Davies, born c. 1959, of Brookhill Hall Farm, Brookhill Lane, Pinxton, Nottingham NG16 6JU – for the mistreatment of the animals on his farm.
Rottweiler Modlin and horse Tommy have recovered from their ordeal on David Davies’ farm in Pinxton, Nottingham
Davies had denied causing unnecessary suffering at the farm but failed to turn up for his trial and was found guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in February 2018.
The enquiry began when Davies took a horse, named Tommy, to be castrated, only for experts to decide he was too weak to withstand a general anaesthetic.
Tommy’s ribs and spine were easily seen, he was infected with lice, and was not used to being handled.
The RSPCA was told and visited the farm. Inspector Teresa Potter said a rottweiler was tied to a gate and “hunched over a bucket, adding that the dog’s “demeanour was very dull, you could see all his bones and he was scruffy.”
She went into a barn with a vet where they found two cows lying amid straw. A Swiss red cow was under a rug and had “a horrendous wound to her hip.”
Inspector Potter added: “There was a horrible smell as you lifted the rug. I would describe it as a rotting flesh sort of smell.”
Vet Christine Jamieson said the cow had ulcers the size of “dinner plates and right down to the bone.”
She said: “I think it had been dragged over a concrete surface.”
They only found a sick Friesian cow because it was covered with builder’s bags which began to move.
“It was trying to raise its head when it heard us talking,” said Miss Jamieson.
She believed both had been unable to stand since the previous December and that would have caused internal damage.
“We went down to the house and he said ‘they’re alive’, and carried on and didn’t seem to understand it was inhumane to keep cows like that,” added Miss Jamieson.
The RSPCA’s prosecutor Mr Wright called for the farmer to be banned from owning and keeping any animals. This request was granted by the courts, with the farmer receiving a life ban.
Tommy and Modlin were taken into the care of the RSPCA and made full recoveries. Sadly the two ill cows found on the farm were euthanised immediately.
Sentencing | 26-week prison term, suspended for two years; £750 towards the costs of the RSPCA. Banned for life from keeping livestock.
CONVICTED (2018) | John Poole, born c. 1976, of Paterson Street, Ayr KA8 9HD – battered his pet dog, threw her against a wall and hurled her onto a busy road
Twisted John Poole from Ayr knocked his Golden Retriever Biscuit unconscious during a battering
Alcoholic John Poole punched and kicked defenceless golden retriever Biscuit on the head and body and threw her against a wall.
Poole then hurled the animal into the path of oncoming traffic in the seaside town of Ayr.
He was arrested over the incident in January 2018 and held in police custody before appearing in the dock at Ayr Sheriff Court.
Poole admitted causing the dog unnecessary suffering by punching and kicking her on the head and body, throwing her against a wall and into the road, leaving her injured.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, by shouting at police officers and threatening them with violence.
Police were called to the scene of the attack around 7pm on January 27, 2018, and Biscuit was rushed to a local vet for treatment.
But it is understood the dog will suffer no lasting damage.
Defence solicitor Mandy Stewart told the court that Poole is an alcoholic who is trying to overcome his addiction while complying with a court order imposed in another case.
She said he had relapsed around Christmas, culminating in him attacking his pet in the manner he admitted.
Sentencing | four months in prison; ordered to relinquish ownership of Biscuit. Banned from keeping animals for just four years (expired February 2022).
CONVICTED (2018) | prolific hare courser James McPhee, born c. 1967, of Bloomfield Crescent, Arbroath DD11 3LL – unleashed lurcher dogs on wild hares.
Car dealer McPhee, who is now said to be living in Roseacres Chalets, Newport-on-Tay, Fife DD6 8SP, pleaded guilty to charges of hunting a brown hare with a dog at Carrot Farm, Carrot Hill, Inverarity, on April 28, 2017, and at Ingliston Farm in Forfar, on May 12, 2017.
The court heard that as a member of the travelling community, McPhee had been in the habit of hare coursing for food, resulting in a number of previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said that in the first offence the accused had been seen with his daughters in a field, while the other matter involved two dogs and several men in what the court was told was a “classic hare coursing” scenario.
Mr Markwoski said McPhee’s dog, Gip, had now been given to a friend and had recently had pups.
“His record of 35 convictions over the past 20 years is reasonably significant, but it has slowed down and his last contravention of the Wild Mammals Act was in 2009,” the lawyer said.
“He accepts he has a record for hare coursing from when he was a younger man and he is under no illusions that what is uppermost in the court’s mind is prison.
“He doesn’t have a dog, that car was sold for very little and he is apologetic to the court,” said Mr Markowski.
Sheriff Murray told McPhee there were “several aspects of considerable concern” in the case, including his role in driving others to participate in coursing and giving away the dog, which he said could often be worth thousands of pounds in such crimes.
“What occurred was obviously hare coursing and these are your 11th and 12th convictions so there can be no alternative to a sentence of imprisonment,” said the sheriff.
In 2016 McPhee was prosecuted for hare coursing alongside father and son Mark Reid and John Stewart and others, but was cleared on that occasion due to lack of evidence.
