CONVICTED (2020) | commercial breeder Simon James Davis, born 25 January 1985, of Acacia Crescent, Bedworth CV12 – cropped American bulldog puppies’ ears with razor blades before selling them for thousands of pounds to celebrity clients
Breeder Simon Davis used razor blades to perform painful cosmetic operations on American Bulldogs
Davis, who traded under the name Lions Lair Kennels, admitted to cropping the ears of seven puppies. He was arrested on 30 January 2019, after the RSPCA and Warwickshire Police carried out a joint raid at his home address.
During the raid, they found seven kennels, in a converted garage building in his back garden, containing eight American Bulldogs.
The RSPCA gathered a range of evidence, including before and after photographs and medical appliances such as syringes, razor blades and forceps were seized from both properties.
A further nine American Bulldogs were found at Davis’s mother Sheena Davis’s house at 17 Chelsey Road, Coventry CV2 1DG including two pregnant dogs and six with cropped ears.
The RSPCA urge people to never buy a dog with cropped ears, and have taken seven of the dogs into care to be re-homed.
Sentencing: 18 weeks in jail suspended for 12 months. Ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and pay £10,973 in costs. A 15-year ban on keeping and dealing in dogs.
CONVICTED | Stephen Carr, born 11/11/1986, of 10 Munroe Avenue, Millom LA18 5AL – failed to get veterinary care when two of his dogs suffered facial injuries consistent with wild animal fighting
Stephen Carr, who has two young sons, brags about his lust for bloodsports on his Facebook page
Married father-of-two Carr pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering.
The court heard Cumbria Police executed a warrant at Carr’s home on August 14, 2019, accompanied by RSPCA officers.
Three dogs were found in kennels at the bottom of the garden, and two of them were found to have facial injuries
A vet who examined Toby, a bull lurcher, found a lower lip laceration which was about a month old which was still healing and there was no sign of an attempt to repair it.
Boots, a Patterdale Terrier, was found to have an old ‘degloving injury’ on her jaw which was caused by ‘traumatic tearing forces’.
Patterdale terrier Boots suffered a degloving injury to her jaw and had facial scarring
The vet report said ‘these injuries are incredibly painful,’ and there was no evidence it had been treated and had instead been ‘left to heal’.
Stephen Carr with hapless long-suffering wife Kimberley Carr.
RSPCA Inspector Ian Briggs, said: “As a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure your pet gets vet treatment when they need it so they do not suffer.
“We are pleased that Boots, Toby and Blaze, will be looking for loving new homes soon.”
Copeland Neighbourhood Police Officer Marie Carter said: “This is a welcome result which enforces the message that mistreatment or abuse of animals will not be tolerated and will result in robust action being taken. We continue to work with our partners in the RSPCA in order to bring these offenders to justice.
“Anyone with any information in relation to this type of offence is asked to contact Cumbria Constabulary on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Sentencing: 12-week suspended prison; ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £622. Disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years. Boots, Toby and a third dog Blaze are in RSPCA care and will be looking for new homes soon.
CONVICTED (2020) | Scott Hayes, born 16/02/1989 of Blakewood Drive, Blaxton, Doncaster DN9 3GX and Christopher Darwin, born 15/10/1991 of Laycock Avenue, Gringley-on-the-Hill, Doncaster DN10 4SA – used lurcher dogs to hunt and kill a deer.
Scott Hayes and Chris Darwin were found guilty of poaching offences.
The pair were spotted by police coming off private land with lurcher dogs in the village of Haxey, North Lincolnshire, on December 24, 2019. The body of a freshly killed male Roe deer was discovered nearby and further investigations revealed its injuries were consistent with it being killed by dogs.
Chris DarwinScott Hayes
Chief Inspector Paul Butler said, “This court result should send out a very clear message to those who commit wildlife offences that we take these offences seriously and will seek other sanctions available to the courts.
“The obtaining of [Criminal Behaviour Orders] in this case provides other police forces with a straight forward tool to deal with these men if they choose to commit wildlife offences with the use of the type of dog involved. I would like to thank the Wildlife Crime Officers involved in bringing this case before the court, the CPS Prosecutors involved and also the court for taking such offences seriously”.
Vicious bloodthirsty predator Scott Hayes
Deer poaching is a problem in many areas across the UK. It can involve extreme cruelty to the deer targeted, especially when dogs are used to chase and drag them down. Many offenders operate across several counties, travelling long distances to target specific hdilocations.
Chris Darwin
The use of lurcher type dogs features in most poaching offences committed during both the day and night.
Chief Inspector Butler added: “Poaching activity is a blight on the countryside and many of those involved are linked to other offending. Members of rural communities often feel vulnerable and intimidated by poachers who can be aggressive or offer violence if challenged.
“If you witness suspected poaching offences taking place, particularly where lurcher type dogs are being used please report it to the police via 999.”
Sentencing: 12-month community order of 300 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay £350 court costs; made subject to a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) preventing them from entering the Humberside Police area.
CONVICTED (2020) | Helen Burt, born 04/01/1992, previously of Elder Place, Rosyth, and now Cairns Street East, Kirkcaldy KY1 – kept three Staffordshire bull terriers in squalid conditions
Convicted dog abuser Helen Burt from Rosyth, near Dunfermline, Fife, is banned from keeping animals for a mere five years.
Burt let the dogs, Codi, Mali and Shakira, live in a filthy home surrounded by their own excrement and failed to take them outside to do the toilet.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court she pled guilty to a charge under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, after failing to provide the dogs with a suitable environment or to meet their needs, between January 11 and 25, 2018.
Two of the three dogs rescued from Helen Burt’s filthy home.
The charge detailed how her treatment of the dogs would have caused them psychological suffering and put them at risk of injury and disease.
They were exposed to urine, faeces and household debris including open tin cans and broken furniture.
Burt failed to provide adequate water and ventilation for the animals, left them in an unhygienic environment and failed to allow them to exhibit normal behaviour.
She also neglected to take the dogs outside to defecate or urinate.
Conditions inside Burt’s house
Animal welfare charity Scottish SPCA investigated the case.
Scottish SPCA inspector Sarah Gregory said: “The living environment for these animals was cramped and filthy.
“The entire property was uninhabitable and appeared to have been used as a kennel rather than a home.
“The smell was an overwhelming stench of ammonia, dirt and faeces that made your eyes water. Faeces were trodden into the floor with fresh matter on top.
“There was litter and broken furniture throughout the property.”
The female dogs were kept in this cage with no bedding.
She said the female dogs, Shakira and Mali, were found in a cage in the living room, with no bedding or resting area.
All of the dogs appeared in good body condition, despite the living environment and high risk of disease due to the contamination in the house.
“Not allowing the dogs adequate opportunities to toilet outside the house meant the dogs would be caused stress and potential mental suffering by having to toilet in the same area as they were confined to for sleeping and eating,” she added.
“Burt did not sign the dogs over into our care which meant that we’ve been caring for them for almost two years. As they are part of a case, we’ve been unable to rehome them until this conclusion. It has cost the society almost £30,000 to care for Codi, Mali and Shakira.
“We welcome the outcome of this case. It was clear that Burt was not able to provide these animals with even the most basic of care.”
Sentencing: community payback order with supervision and a requirement to do 100 hours of unpaid work within six months. Five-year ban on keeping dogs (expires January 2025).
EXPOSED (2020) | puppy dealer Carol Louise Willis, born 10/07/1970, currently of 3G Kings Court, Ayr KA8 0AD – kept ‘production-line’ puppies in stacked cages at her squalid farmhouse; sold diseased and genetically damaged dogs online to unsuspecting buyers
It was said that Willis had handed the dogs over voluntarily and to date, no prosecution has followed.
An SIU spokesman said at the time that Willis was ” keeping dogs in poor conditions and we believe their welfare was seriously compromised.”
He added that the Scottish SPCA had received reports of “animals suffering from illnesses and tiny pups being attacked by other dogs because they were made to live on top of each other.”
Willis handed over the dogs voluntarily and, more than 18 months later, has not been prosecuted by the authorities.
Earlier in 2018 Scottish newspaper the Daily Record reported how Willis had sold a one-eyed, seriously ill pug to a mother-of-three from Cairnryan, Wigtownshire, despite the animal urgently needing veterinary treatment.
Willis then tried to persuade Lisa Lochhead to sell on pups for her, making them look like they came from a loving family home – a favourite tactic of puppy farmers to mask the fact that they are churning out pups from a production line.
Lisa fell in love with the poorly pup, Buddy, after seeing an advert online and felt she had to rescue him from hellish living conditions. She was so desperate to save him that she borrowed cash to pay for him.
But Buddy was so over-run with mites that all his fur had fallen off. A vet confirmed he was suffering from demodectic mange as well as giardia, an intestinal problem associated with dirty, cramped conditions. This made his stool bloody and full of worms.
Buddy later lost his second eye after it burst in front of Lisa’s horrified children.
Lisa managed to talk the price down from £550 to £100 after Willis asked her to sell on dogs from her house.
Lisa has since spent hundreds of pounds on vet bills. She has also been contacted by the buyer of Buddy’s sister, who also suffered from dire skin problems.
Lisa said: “I would say that the moment I saw Buddy, I felt I had to save him from this woman. He is such a loveable wee character and the fact he lost an eye hasn’t stopped him have a big personality.
“Carol Willis told me that Buddy lost an eye after being attacked by a French bulldog she was selling, then almost lost the other eye after being scratched by his sister.
“That’s what happens when all these dogs are bred in cramped conditions. She shouldn’t be doing it.”
Lisa had hoped to see the pup with his mother before taking him but Willis repeatedly insisted on meeting at Asda car park in Girvan, Ayrshire, where she turned up with a van full of dogs in cages.
She said: “She didn’t want me anywhere near her home. I couldn’t believe that she was wanting £550 for a dog in that shape but I was determined to rescue him. Willis was really keen for me to take dogs from her and sell them as though I had bred them from my home.
“When she found out I was from Cairnryan, she started asking if I knew anyone who did ferry trips to Ireland, so I presumed she was thinking about bringing in pups that way too.”
A few days after the SIU’s raid, Willis offered to sell a Daily Record reporter a pug pup for £850, claiming she could get the dog microchipped the same day.
Willis denied her dogs were being kept in poor conditions. and told the reporter: “The SSPCA said there were too many dogs, they didn’t say they were being badly looked after.”
Willis has since moved from Lochend Farm in Barrhill, Girvan, to a flat near the Wallacetown area of Ayr
While the Daily Record said that their expose had made it impossible for Willis to continue trading, we have been sent screenshots of two recent Gumtree adverts that are believed to have been placed by Willis:
Sadly, the public have short memories and we have also heard that Willis does not operate alone. She almost certainly has a network of people around her that will allow her to continue to ply her barbaric trade.
CONVICTED (2020) | Hayley Langton, born 18 December 1996, and Derek Yeomans, born c. 1950, both of Willowcroft Road, Spondon, Derby DE21 7FR – left their Akita to suffer in “unimaginable pain” over several months
Convicted animal abusers Hayley Langton and Derek Yeomans are now banned from keeping dogs indefinitely
Hayley Langton and Derek Yeomans pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the dog, known as Keeta, between August and September 2019.
Keeta had a severe skin condition and ear and eye problems. She hadn’t been taken to the vet for six years.
Keeta was found with no fur and her eyes were covered in a green discharge.
The dog was rescued by RSPCA workers and immediately rushed to a veterinary centre.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrate’s Court heard how the vet said they had never seen a dog with dry eyes so severe, causing her extreme pain and distress.
Andrew Cash, prosecuting, said the last time Keeta was seen by a vet was in September 2013.
The dog was owned by single mother Langton, but was kept at the house of Yeomans.
When testing the dryness on her eyes, both readings came back as zero – something the vet said they had never seen before.
Mr Cash said Langton believed Keeta had a cold which had lasted around a month. However she failed to notice how serious her condition had become as she was out a lot and described her life as “chaotic”.
The dog has recovered, despite still showing signs of hair loss.
She has since been fostered by a veterinary nurse.
John Haye, mitigating, said Yeomans had not been fully aware of the severity of the situation the dog was in.
He said it was “fair to say” they had both taken their eye off the ball in terms of caring for the animal.
He revealed how Yeomans has ill health, suffers from high blood pressure and cares for his wife full-time.
He said Langton also suffers a range of mental health problems and struggles to care for herself, “never mind a dog”.
He said: “They both express remorse and sorrow for what happened.”
District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said: “Keeta is now properly looked after and responding to love and care that any domestic animal needs.
“This is not a matter that Keeta suddenly became ill, developed skin conditions and eye problems.
“It’s a situation where Keeta has clearly been in great distress over a significant period of time.
“The pain and distress that the dog must have been in could not be imagined.
“When people have pets, they have responsibilities to look after them.
“I accept this is not a case of sadistic ill treatment of Keeta. This is more a case of neglect based on issues in your life.”
Sentencing: three-month curfew ; 12-month community order; ordered to pay £490 each in costs. Both were disqualified from keeping dogs for a period without limit.
CONVICTED (2020) | David Morton, born c. 1992, of Jane Street, Stanley DH9 7BH – left his husky dog to suffer with a broken leg for more than four weeks
Serial headcase David Morton was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal for failing to get veterinary treatment for his pet husky’s broken leg. The cause of the dog’s injury was unexplained.
Morton, who is no stranger to the courts, told magistrates he didn’t “give a monkeys’after being convicted for leaving his pet dog to suffer in agony with a broken leg
Husky Sendi who was mistreated and neglected by her uncaring owner David Morton
Kevin Campbell, prosecuting on behalf of RSPCA, said the charity became involved after a veterinary surgeon contacted them to raise concerns about Morton’s dog, a female husky named Sendi.
He said: “On the 22nd July [2019] the dog was seen by a vet who conceded that the dog had a fracture to her leg and the injury was four to six weeks old. The dog had either been untreated or treated inadequately.
“She concluded that the dog was clearly suffering as a result of the failure to give it any proper treatment.”
The dog had a broken femur and was unable to walk when she was seen by a vet.
Mr Campbell added: “When inspectors attended the address they could see the dog was unable to stand on its hind leg.
“A male answered the door and said he was the defendant, the inspector asked him about the dog in question and he was uncooperative – referring to him as a donkey.
“The defendant told him to f*** off, he was not allowed to enter the property and police had to be called to help him.”
Paul Donohue, mitigating, said the 28-year-old had not set out to harm his own dog.
He said: “The actual injury has not been caused on purpose. It was caused accidentally and the complaint is that the dog did not have the proper treatment. He accepts that the dog did not have an operation but that wasn’t for lack of trying.
“Like many people he does not have insurance so if anything happens it would fall to him to pay for it.
“If he had £5,000 there and then he would have spent it on the dog.
“He didn’t want the dog to suffer but he just has not got the money.”
Sendi was treated by the RSPCA and remains in their care.
Sentencing: ordered to pay £480 costs. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires January 2025). Morton is already serving a community order for a previous offence.
Morton was back behind bars after intimidating a prison officer by driving threateningly in his direction outside HMP Durham.
He was also accused of assaulting the officer, by spitting at him, in an incident said to have taken place in the segregation unit at Durham Prison, where the defendant was being held in January 2022.
Morton admitted a charge of intimidation and was sentenced to nine months in prison.
The court heard the case involving the original spitting allegation is due to take place later in 2022.
CONVICTED (2020) | Ieuan Batten, born 23 October 1996, of Forest Avenue, Cefn Hengoed, near Ystrad Mynach CF82 – beat up his mother after she intervened to stop his savage attack on a dog.
At just 23 years of age Ieuan Batten, who goes by the nickname Skins Citroen, has racked up 20 convictions for 49 offences. These included previous assaults on his own mother.
Prosecutor Leah Pollard told the court that 23-year-old Batten had a history of violence against his mother, with previous assault convictions recorded against him.
She said this latest attack happened just before Christmas 2019 when Batten came home “under the influence and in an aggressive mood”.
Judge Daniel Williams was told of how Batten’s mother and two women, one of whom was pregnant with his child, were in her house when he went “completely mad”.
After two dogs began fighting, he took one of them into the kitchen and repeatedly punched and kicked him.
Batten’s mother covered the animal to protect him before her son turned his attention to her.
Miss Pollard said: “He was in a complete rage. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the living room.
“He started punching her and stamping on her all over her body.”
One of the women told police: “It lasted for about half an hour. I have never seen such violence in my life and I was shocked – especially when it was carried out by someone against their own mother.”
The victim was taken to hospital with her face “totally swollen and black and her body covered in bruises”.
Batten pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
The court was told he had 20 previous convictions for 49 offences.
Nik Strobl, mitigating, said: “The defendant wishes to express his remorse and he can’t believe what he has done to his own mother.
“He has little recollection of what happened.”
Judge Williams told Batten, who was high on alcohol and drugs during the attack, that: “This was a savage assault. You used dreadful violence.”
Sentencing: jailed for two years and given a five-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his mother. He must pay a victim surcharge upon his release from custody. He was not banned from keeping animals.
IEUAN BATTEN, now of Holly Road, Ty Sign, Risca, Newport, was jailed for 25 weeks after he admitted two counts of assaulting a police officer at the Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran, the criminal damage of a BMW car at the Masons Arms, Pontymister, and failing to surrender.
He was ordered to pay £400 in compensation following his release from prison.
CONVICTED (2020) | Gary David Bell, born 09/09/1969, of 54 Coronation Way, Keighley BD22 6HH – forced his pet dog to have a bath in bleach, rubbed it into her eyes and battered her over the head repeatedly
Sick Gary Bell forced his pet dog to have a bath in bleach and rubbed it into her eyes
Gary Bell battered and abused nine-year-old American bulldog Smiler, leaving her bloodied and barely conscious in the bathroom
RSPCA inspectors were called to Bell’s home over concerns for the dog’s welfare.
They attended the property with police and could hear heavy breathing through the ground-floor bathroom window.
RSPCA inspector Sarah Bagley said: “I was horrified to see Smiler in the bath with a bloodied tea towel on her head.
“A friend of Bell’s let us into the property and we found Smiler barely conscious. She and the bath were wet and there was a bottle of human shampoo and Flash household cleaner which appeared to have been used on her.
The gentle dog was found bloodied and barely conscious in Bell’s bath
“Between us we were able to get her out of the flat and I rushed her straight to a local vet practice.
“By the time I got her there her eyes were swollen shut. She was found to have multiple injuries including two large wounds to the top of her head which needed to be stitched, bruising to the head and a loose tooth that needed to be removed. Her eyes were flushed to get rid of any cleaning product.”
American bulldog Smiler was repeatedly beaten and mistreated by her owner
A veterinary examination ruled that the injuries were not accidental and attempts to clean Smiler afterwards would have caused pain and suffering.
Smiler spent a week under treatment and supervision at the vets during which time she slowly started to physically recover.
Smiler looking healthy and well following weeks of treatment by the RSPCA
Bell, who has previous convictions for assault and heroin possession, was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog by inflicting trauma on her, failing to provide veterinary attention for her injuries and applying cleaning products to her head and eyes.
He was due to attend Bradford Magistrates Court on January 7, but failed to appear and was arrested on warrant.
Inspector Bagley said: “Bell didn’t offer any plausible explanation for Smiler’s predicament – in interview he said that she had probably cut her head on barbed wire during a walk in the woods.
“She is recovering well, gaining weight, her skin and coat are improving and she seems to be a much brighter, happier dog. The cherry eye is being monitored on vet advice at the moment.
“Smiler is currently being cared for by the great staff at RSPCA Sheffield where everyone absolutely loves her and she will be put up for adoption soon.
“She is a very sweet dog who loves people and I can’t wait to hear that she’s thriving in a loving new home.”
Sentencing: 16 weeks in prison. Disqualified from keeping animals for life.
CONVICTED (2020) | John David Baimbridge, born 1 June 1989, of Grey Street, Stalybridge SK15 2NP – for the neglect of two dogs found underweight and infested with fleas at his family home
John Baimbridge was banned from keeping animals for five years after his pet dogs were left with severe flea infestations and other symptoms of neglect
RSPCA inspector Lorna Campbell visited the property John Baimbridge shares with parents Judy and Dave Baimbridge and his brother James Baimbridge and discovered the dogs in poor condition. Both dogs – a red cocker spaniel named Ollie and a German shepherd called Pippa – were scratching furiously due to a severe flea infestation. They were also severely underweight and had suffered extensive fur loss.
Fleas could be seen crawling in spaniel Ollie’s fur
Pippa was in so much pain she was crying, yet Baimbridge had not taken her or Ollie to the vets in four months.
Baimbridge agreed to sign the dogs over to the RSPCA and they were taken to Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for emergency treatment.
Pippa weighed just 21.5kg, when an average weight should have been 32kg, and her body condition score was one out of nine, with one being the lowest possible score. Her ribs, spine and hip bones were clearly visible.
German shepherd Pippa was emaciated with numerous bald patches on her body
She also had widespread hair loss across her body due to a chronic skin condition, believed to have been caused by an untreated flea infestation
Vets found Ollie’s foot had grown around towards the paw pad due to the matted fur. The matts had to be shaved off and his claws were cut.
Following on from the treatment both dogs made a full recovery and have been re-homed.
Baimbridge admitted two animal welfare charges at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on January 7, 2020. No charges were brought against any of the other members of the household in which the dogs lived.
Sentencing: 12-month community order including 100 hours of unpaid work. Ordered to pay a total of £415. He was banned from keeping animals for five years (expires January 2025).
