CONVICTED (2018) | David O’Dell, born c. 1947, and wife Penelope O’Dell, born c. 1946, both of Pendrim Road, East Looe PL13 – kept 73 cats in terrible conditions.
Cats found at the home of David and Penelope O’Dell were suffering with a number of ailments.
Six of the cats had to be put to sleep by a vet and others have since been successfully re-homed.
Sadly, more than half were found to be suffering from various problems including dental issues, ear mites, eye problems, matting, and one with a prolapsed rectum.”
The O’Dells both admitted offences of causing unnecessary suffering to cats and of failing to provide their cats with a suitable environment.
Sentencing: Both were given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Lifetime ban on keeping all animals.
CONVICTED (2018) | huntsman George R Adams, born c. 1951, of Ramshill Cottages, Stamford Road, Peterborough PE6 7EZ – used a pack of hounds to kill a fox
Fitzwilliam huntsman George Adams was convicted of breaching the Hunting Act after hounds killed a fox.
Adams, a huntsman with the Fitzwilliam Hunt, was in charge of the pack of hounds when it killed a fox on January 1, 2016.
Falconer John Mease was found not guilty of the charge and also not guilty of causing unnecessary cruelty to an animal relating to hunting of a fox in 2013
The court heard that the hunt started in Wansford, Cambridgeshire and that the fox was eventually killed near Elton by the pack of hounds.
Adams’ co-defendant John Mease, of 3 Kennels Cottages, Milton Park, Peterborough PE6 7AB, who was present at the hunt with a golden eagle, was found not guilty after a court heard he used the bird of prey to catch animals, rather than a pack of dogs.
Mease was further cleared of causing unnecessary cruelty to an animal despite ‘dispatching’ another fox by driving a KNIFE through its eye after it was caught by his raptor in 2013.
The court heard from saboteurs Ruth Nichols and Stephen Milton, who had tracked the hunt.
Video footage shown to the court taken by Mr Milton, which involved around 40 hounds – with the sound of a hunting horn clearly heard.
Mr Milton said he had seen the hunt tracking the fox, and had not heard any calls to ward the dogs off from the fox.
George Adams with the kill.
Adams, who joined the Fitzwilliam Hunt in 1981 and became a huntsman in 1984, told the court he had not seen the fox before it was killed.
When asked if it was his intention to kill the fox with hounds, he said: ‘Absolutely not. We wanted to flush it out for the bird of prey.’
Mr Mease told the court there was no chance for him to release his golden eagle to catch the fox because the saboteurs were in the field, which would provide a risk to the bird.
He was asked why he never radioed Adams to call the hunt off.
He said: ‘A hunt is a fluid thing. It was changing minute by minute. It was the heat of the moment and it was the first time I had come across saboteurs in my 11 years.’
He told the court he was in charge of the bird but had no control over the pack of hounds, which was Adams’ responsibility.
Speaking after the trial, Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson Lee Moon said: ‘To anyone who witnessed the events on the day in question it was abundantly clear that a wild mammal was hunted and killed illegally, in a most gruesome manner.
‘Although a fox had to suffer and die due to the blatant and remorseless actions of the defendants we are pleased that hunt saboteurs were able to bring at least one of them to justice.
‘We would like to thank Cambridgeshire police who conducted a robust and unbiased investigation.
‘The loopholes and exemptions in the current act have always been cynically exploited by hunts in order to operate much as they would have done prior to the ban.
‘The guilty verdict proves that hunting with a full pack of hounds is not the same as Falconry and the judge in summing up confirmed as much.
‘The outcome will of course have wider reaching implications for all those hunts around the country who claim to use this exemption.
‘We will continue to vigorously oppose those who gain enjoyment from the torture and killing of our wildlife and will use all the tools at our disposal to those ends.
‘We have the overwhelming support of the general public who wish to see an end to the barbaric minority pastime.’
Sentencing | fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £950 costs.
CONVICTED (2018) | Kieran Haynes, born 19/01/1998, of Devon Gardens, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead CH42 4RF – beat a young kitten, suffocated him with a duvet and then hanged him from outside a block of flats
Kieran Haynes beat a kitten, smothered him with a duvet and then hanged his body outside his ex’s flat because he had scratched him
Haynes pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the 11-week-old kitten named Niko.
RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes investigated the case after Niko’s body was found hanging outside flats where Haynes’ ex-partner lived on November 23, 2017.
Inspector Joynes said: “This poor kitten was found hanging from a piece of rope outside the block of flats, clearly having suffered a horrific injury.
“The kitten was recognised as belonging to Haynes, as he had posted photos of the kitten on social media pages before the incident.
“When I interviewed Haynes, he admitted that he had hit Niko with the back of his hand after Niko scratched him.
“He said that afterwards, Niko’s face became swollen and he became wobbly – at which point Haynes went out for seven hours.
“When he returned, Niko was in the same spot and was lying in his own faeces.
“He was clearly severely injured with a broken eye socket and was suffering from swelling to the brain.
“Haynes said that as he approached Niko to check on him and attempt to stroke him that the kitten had attacked him. At this point he has then covered Niko with a duvet and held it there until the kitten stopped moving.
“Afterwards, Haynes took Niko’s dead body and hanged him from a piece of rope outside a block of flats where his ex-partner lived.”
A post-mortem examination found that Niko had suffered from a broken eye socket and that he had been smothered so hard that he had lacerations on his lip from his teeth.
He also had a large bruise on his skull.
He added: “When I joined this job nine years ago I knew I’d be dealing with difficult situations and seeing heartbreaking sights.
“Nothing however can fully prepare you for dealing with cases such as this one, where the animal is already deceased when you arrive.
“This case involved the purposeful infliction of immense pain and suffering by way of physical violence on a completely defenceless and vulnerable 11-week-old kitten.
“Animals can’t choose their owners and unfortunately poor little Niko found himself in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the care of the wrong individual.
“This case will stay with me for a very long time and I’m just glad that through our investigation we have at least not allowed Niko’s suffering to go completely unanswered.”
Sentencing: 16-week prison sentence; £115 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
