CONVICTED (2022) | Ian Anthony Bowman, born October 1972, of The Bungalow, Arties Mill Grounds, Wressle Road, Brigg DN20 9LF – kept donkeys and ponies knee-deep in mud and riddled with lice.
Ian Bowman, who works as a chef, neglected ponies and donkeys in his care and has been banned from keeping them for the next 10 years.
Bowman pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences relating to three donkeys and two Shetland ponies that he was responsible for.
Officers from three animal welfare charities found issues including overgrown hooves and donkeys repeatedly biting and scratching themselves due to lice.
The RSPCA investigated the matter in January and February 2021 alongside The Donkey Sanctuary and Bransby Horses, based in Lincoln.
Mick Flower, the deputy head of prosecutions at the RSPCA, said: “The welfare officers across the three charities discovered the three donkeys and two ponies were being kept in poor condition and had been provided with inadequate shelter.
“Some had live lice in their coats and significantly overgrown hooves with no evidence that a farrier had attended for many months.
“The animals had also not received adequate worm control or sufficient dental care.”
The charges being faced by Bowman included causing unnecessary suffering to one donkey and not ensuring that the needs of all five animals were being met.
A vet said in their witness statement: “Dental care, hoof care and endoparasite control are all part of the preventative healthcare that a responsible owner would provide to their equines.
“These are not optional extras of horse ownership and are required in order to keep the animals healthy, pain-free and to provide good welfare standards.
“This horse owner has therefore neglected most of the basic preventative health care requirements of these equines and that has ultimately caused suffering in two out of five of them.”
All of the animals were taken in by Bransby Horses and after receiving veterinary care they were slowly introduced to relevant herds.
Rachel Jenkinson, the welfare manager at Bransby Horses, added: “After they were found to be living in unsuitable conditions – knee-deep in mud and riddled with lice – and without their basic needs being met, we were keen to remove these equines as soon as possible.
“The complex needs of donkeys and ponies are completely different and were not being met in this mixed group environment.
“They are now receiving the individual care they require and are flourishing after months of hard work by our teams.”
Sentencing: ordered to pay a total of £2,330 in fines, costs and charges. Ten-year ban on owning equine animals but can appeal after five years.
CONVICTED (2022) | Daryl Hill, born c. 1989, of 26 Beauly Crescent, Dundee DD3 0DF – left two dogs to starve almost to death.
2013 image of Daryl Hill. Picture: Facebook.
Hill admitted two charges of failing to give adequate care and treatment to two dogs discovered at his home in an “emaciated” state.
Scottish SPCA officers visited Hill’s home after receiving a report of neglected dogs and found Staffordshire bull terrier Kaiser, aged eight, and German shepherd Chaos, two.
Both dogs are likely to survive and have begun the process of being rehomed, despite being described by vets as “very underweight”.
SSPCA inspector Robert Baldie, said: ‘Hill was advised of the reason for our visit and was asked to if he could bring the dog to the door.
‘He returned carrying an eight-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier named Kaiser which appeared seriously underweight.
‘Hill was asked to place the dog on the ground in the front garden and Kaiser was so emaciated he could barely stay on his feet.
‘The dog tried to eat something lying in the garden and Hill pushed him away telling him to stop.
‘Kaiser then fell over onto his side and could not get back to his feet without the aid of Hill.
‘We then asked to see his other dog, a two-year-old German shepherd named Chaos.
‘He was brought to the door and was also seriously underweight but was bright and alert.
‘We were extremely concerned for the welfare of both dogs, and immediately removed them to be transported for a veterinary examination.
‘At the examination, both dogs were extremely emaciated and shook when standing still.’
Hill had claimed Chaos belonged to a friend – but admitted Kaiser was his.
His animals are now recovering well from their ordeal with proper care and attention.
Sheriff Gregor Murray said he had considered a prison sentence but was convinced he could be given a community-based order instead.
He said: “This is an appalling offence.
“These animals could have died.
“There is a public expectation that those who own animals look after them.
“You have been remorseful and it has been brought to my attention you have mental health difficulties.
“Therefore I am convinced you could be subject to a non-custodial sentence.
“I am going to disqualify you from owning animals for a period of three years also.”
Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Inspector Baldie added: ‘The only treatment required was a proper diet.
‘Kaiser and Chaos would have taken months to reach this condition and Hill seemed to be aware that the dogs were clearly in poor condition.
‘By feeding a good basic diet he could have easily alleviated the suffering caused to both dogs.
‘With the correct feeding regime, there has been a marked improvement in both the dogs’ condition.
‘We are pleased Hill has pled guilty and received this sentence.
‘The ban will ensure no other animals will suffer like Kaiser and Chaos did, although we would have liked the ban to be for a longer period of time.’
Sentencing: 180 days of unpaid work. Three-year ban (expires February 2025).
CONVICTED (2022) | Christine Parker, born 5 August 1952, of Prince Philip Road, Launceston PL15 8BZ – for violent cruelty to a cat.
Parker caused unnecessary suffering to the unnamed cat by inflicting blunt force trauma. The incident took place between June 8 and 12, 2021. The animal’s condition was not reported.
Sentencing: 16 weeks in jail suspended for 12 months; 80 hours of unpaid work; £728 costs and charges. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2022) | Ben Daniel Taylor, born c. 1977, of Coleraine Road, London SE3 8NU – left his dog to waste away with painful terminal cancer.
Bozo’s owner refused to put him to sleep despite him suffering from an extremely painful form of cancer.
Taylor pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his 10-year-old mastiff, Bozo. The dog was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer in early 2020, and further x-rays showed it had probably spread to his lungs.
Taylor was advised that bone tumours are extremely painful for dogs and even normal activity would likely lead to fractures because the bone was weakened.
A vet told Stratford Magistrates’ Court: “The owner was advised that amputation was not in Bozo’s best interests given the size of the dog, and the advanced state of the cancer with suspected spread to the lungs. It was strongly recommended that Bozo be euthanased.”
However, Taylor refused to put Bozo down and asked to be referred to a specialist surgeon for a second opinion. Bozo was discharged with medication and referred to a specialist, but Taylor then cancelled that appointment.
On May 20, 2020, he contacted his vet again to say that Bozo had deteriorated and organised for him to be euthanised. However, Taylor never attended the appointment and failed to attend further medication, leaving Bozo in a state of suffering.
A month later, on June 15, Bozo was brought to an animal hospital in a horrific state where his bones were prominent because he was extremely thin.
The vet said: “On examination, Bozo was collapsed, unable to ambulate, lying on his right side, consciously depressed, seemed unaware of his surroundings and showed severely reduced responsiveness to surroundings and people. He was groaning. The body condition score was assessed as 1/5 (1 being emaciated, 5 being obese), and he weighed 40.8kg. The bones of the spine, pelvis, ribs, shoulder blades and skull were prominent.”
The vet said Bozo had a raised heart rate, abnormal breathing and his leg was swollen and ulcerated with a “putrid, foul smell”.
They took the decision to put him to sleep immediately before taking x-rays which showed the “complete destruction of the bone in his lower leg” and the tumour had “progressed significantly”.
Bozo’s body was seized by police and taken to the Royal Vetinary College for a post mortem which found Bozo had a malignant bone tumour originating in the leg and spreading to multiple bones, including the ribs and vertebrae, and the lung. It also found a bacterial infection.
The post mortem report said: “Both of these disease processes would have been painful and caused suffering… The size of the tumour and extent of spread, would be consistent with this occurring over a period of months.”
The court was told that Taylor was a “well-meaning” but incompetent dog owner. Deciding on his sentence, magistrates said that by delaying Bozo’s euthanasia Taylor had caused serious and substantial suffering.
RSPCA inspector James Whipps said: “Vets looking at the clinical evidence estimated that poor Bozo had been suffering for months and the condition of his body showed that he’d deteriorated more and more as the weeks passed.
“Making the decision to have your pet put to sleep is the hardest part of pet ownership, but it is so important to ensure that your pet is not suffering and that they have a good quality of life. Sadly, on this occasion, Bozo was left to suffer despite the expert advice of vets.”
Sentencing: 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months; £628 in costs and charges. A ONE-year ban.
CONVICTED (2022) | former pet shop owner Andrew Paul Garth, born March 1983, of Silwood Drive, Bradford BD2 3ER – starved animals and kept them in squalid conditions; stored the corpses of dead animals in a bin and freezer.
Andrew Garth with wife Sara Turner. She is a convicted animal abuser in her own right and in November 2020 was banned from keeping equines for 10 years in a shocking cruelty case.
Garth, former owner of Allpets and The Bradford Birdman, was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to guinea pigs, rabbits and mice by failing to provide food and water.
An inspection by environmental health officers in January 2020 found animals living in awful conditions, with many of them having died because of a lack of food and water.
Dead animals were found in bins and the freezer storage area. Guinea pigs being mixed in enclosures with rabbits with no attempt at separating male and female animals. No records were kept for feeding or health checks.
Images taken during the inspection show dead mice being stored in a bread bag.
The case was exacerbated by the fact that Garth was providing college students with experience working with animals.
The findings were verified by a vet, who confirmed that animals were suffering or had died through a lack of food.
Magistrates noted that he showed no remorse for his actions.
Handing down their sentence, Chair of the bench A Coward said: “This was the prolonged ill treatment of several animals.
“It caused death, serious injury and harm to animals. There was a high level of suffering, and we haven’t seen any remorse from you.
“The surviving animals were found in squalid conditions. All this while you were supervising college student to learn on work experience.
“The bench feels that this matter is so serious only custody will suffice.”
They took into account his previous good character and his guilty plea, although they gave limited weight to mitigation that Garth was suffering health issues.
Garth’s defence told the court they would be appealing the sentence, and Garth’s detention will be delayed pending the appeal.
Sentencing: 20-week prison sentence; £128 fine. Lifetime ban on keeping animals but may appeal after five years.
#MostEvil | Chayne Robert Mason, born 25 April 1974, of 61 Gloucester Crescent, Northampton NN4 8PP, Tyler Mason, born 4 September 1999, and Tracy Ann Welsh, born c. 1971, of 253 Harborough Road, Northampton NN2 8DW – killed their dog by firing a nailgun into his skull twice.
Chayne Mason and Tracy Ann Welsh
Father and son Chayne and Tyler Mason both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the dog – a Staffy named Buddy.
The pair appeared in court along along with Tyler’s mother, Tracy Ann Welsh, following the incident at an address in Harborough Road, Northampton.
On November 11, 2921, Chayne and Tyler Mason took four-year-old Buddy outside and each shot him in the head using the nail gun.
Believing Buddy was dead, the men left him outside. However, the next day they discovered he had survived the horrific assault, and removed one of the nails from his head, causing it to bleed.
Instead of taking Buddy to the vets or seeking medical assistance, Welsh cleaned the wound and gave the dog pain killers. Two days after later, a third party contacted the RSPCA to raise their concerns.
Officers from the RSPCA and Northamptonshire Police attended the home of Tyler Mason and Welsh, where they found Buddy clearly suffering and in a lot of pain from his injuries.
Buddy was immediately taken to a veterinary surgery for emergency treatment, where he was sadly put to sleep.
Chayne Mason.
PC Chloe Gillies of the Rural Crime Team, who led the investigation, said: “Buddy was treated in such a cruel and inhumane way. He was not treated like a loved family pet and instead he was left to suffer in pain.
“The family stated that Buddy was an aggressive dog at times, which is why they did what they did, but there is just no excuse for this unacceptable act of cruelty or their barbaric behaviour.
“There are many routes to go down if you would like to rehome your dog, even if it is aggressive. Do not take matters into your own hands. You can contact your local vets or an animal charity to discuss how best to move forward.”
Sentencing: 100 hours of unpaid work each. Chayne Mason and Tracy Welsh were both ordered to pay £500 and £292 compensation respectively, £95 victim surcharge and £85 in costs.
Tyler Mason was given no financial order due to a lack of means
All three were banned from owning or being involved in keeping dogs for the next five years.
CONVICTED (2022) | Ryan Hancock, born 1 July 2003, of 2 Prestwich Street, Burnley BB11 4NZ, Marcus Leverett (aka Marcus Tomlinson), born 1 January 2003, of 49 Harold Avenue, Burnley BB11 5LJ and Zak Oldfield, born 9 March 2005 of 3 Greenock Street, Burnley BB11 4DT – used dogs to fight and kill cats, badgers, deer, rabbits and birds before posting footage of the attacks on TikTok.
Much loved family pet Gatsby was attacked by dogs belonging to Ryan Hancock (left) and the unnamed youth after being goaded by the pair. Gatsby was rushed to a vet but died on the way. Marcus Leverett (right) also set his dog on an unnamed grey and white cat.
Hancock and his accomplices Leverett and Oldfield targeted animals on the Stoops Estate in Burnley and wildlife in the surrounding area.
Magistrates heard how the trio had been involved in incidents involving domestic cats, badgers and rabbits.
On 17 March 2021 Hancock and Oldfield were seen encouraging a dog to attack a family cat named Gatsby.
A member of the public filmed the attack from a bedroom window as it took place on a field at the back of Melrose Avenue, Burnley. The lurcher dog was seen to jump out of a back yard and then chase the cat. Hancock and the youth could then be seen encouraging the attack as one of them filmed it on his mobile phone.
Ryan Hancock pictured outside court
Gatsby’s owner screamed at them from her bedroom window and her husband went into the field. An older man, who was the grandfather of one of the teenagers, had approached them and he handed the cat over to the owner’s husband. Tragically, Gatsby died on the way to the vet.
The witness passed the “horrendous” footage to Lancashire Police, who then executed warrants in April 2021 under the Animal Welfare Act at four properties in Burnley.
Mobile phones seized from the defendants revealed 182 videos that showed graphic cruelty to animals, some of which had been set to music and edited for use on video sharing social site, TikTok.
The magistrates were shown gruesome footage of two lurchers dragging a badger from a wooden crate and attacking it.
During the eight minute video a man could be seen kicking the badger repeatedly as one dog had hold of it by the neck and another by a hind leg.
The tormented animal, which could be heard squealing, eventually made it to woodland at the edge of the field where it was finished off by the dogs.
One of the charges related to one of the dogs, Cassie, who received injuries to her face during the brutal incident which had not been treated by a vet.
The attack on Gatsby which was witnessed by his horrified owner.
Hancock pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, a black and white cat called Gatsby, by encouraging a dog to attack the cat; causing unnecessary suffering to the same cat by failing to suppress the attack; causing unnecessary suffering to a rabbit by causing it to be attacked by a dog; causing unnecessary suffering to two rabbits by causing them to be attacked by a dog; attempting to kill a badger; causing unnecessary suffering to a tan lurcher called Cassie by failing to provide veterinary treatment for injuries; attempting to kill a badger; possessing a live badger; wilfully killing a badger; and causing an animal fight to take place between two dogs and a badger. He was jailed for 12 weeks.
Marcus Leverett. Picture: Facebook
Leverett pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an unnamed grey tabby cat by encouraging a dog to attack it which led to the cat’s death and causing unnecessary suffering to a lurcher dog called Storm by failing to provide veterinary treatment for its injuries. He received a suspended 12-week sentence.
Zak Oldfield. Picture: Facebook.
Oldfield pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Gatsby, possessing a live badger, willfully killing a badger and causing an animal fight to take place. He was given a youth referral order.
Marcus Leverett aka Marcus Tomlinson. Picture: Facebook
After the sentencing, RSPCA officer Jason Bowles, who led the investigation, said: “This group of lads was targeting animals on the council estate they lived on as well as wildlife in the surrounding area.
“We found awful footage on their mobile phones that showed extreme cruelty to animals. Many of the photos and videos had been set to music and edited for sharing online.
“Not only did the animals they attacked and killed suffer, but their own dogs also suffered from injuries in the confrontations and fights.”
Zak Oldfield. Picture: Facebook
Jason added: “If anyone notices dogs, such as terriers and lurchers, suffering recurring injuries like cuts and wounds around the face, then we’d ask them to contact the police or RSPCA to report their concerns.”
Oldfield pictured with sister Abbie Oldfield and father (?) Olly Oldfield. Picture: FacebookAbbie Oldfield reveals herself to be as lacking of decency and compassion as her evil brother.
PC Matt Hartup, part of the Lancashire Police Rural Task Force in the East of the county, said: “This operation – known as Op Ratchet – shows how closely we work in partnership with other agencies to tackle all sorts of crime, and bring offenders to justice.
“The glamorisation of this type of violence is barbaric and serves no purpose in the countryside; it promotes horrendous suffering and abuse of animals – including the lack of concern for the welfare of the dogs used for these crimes.
Sentencing
Hancock admitted 11 offences and was jailed for 18 weeks.
Leverett and the other youth also admitted to animal welfare offences.
Leverett was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, by the magistrates, while Oldfield received a 12-month referral order at Blackburn Youth Court.
All three were banned from keeping animals for 10 years, while Hancock and Leverett were ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.
On 8 February 2022 Ryan Hancock was given a two-year community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehab days after pleading guilty to common assault and assault on a young father.
Oldfield lives with his grandparents, Gordon and Alison Renton, as his mother is allegedly an alcoholic. They previously lived at 2 Melrose Avenue, Burnley BB11 4DX.
Leverett also lives with grandparents, Angela and Sam Leverett.
CONVICTED (2022) | serial offenders Rajeshwari Cameron, born c. 1965, and her husband Adrian Cameron, born c. 1959, of Northampton Place, Northampton Avenue, Slough SL1 3FT – caught breaking a banning order imposed in June 2009.
Serial dog abusers Adrian and Rajeshwari Cameron. Please note, these photos are old.
The Camerons were convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to their pet dog Lucy in June 2009 following an RSPCA prosecution. They were banned under section 34 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 from owning or having any control of an animal for 10 years.
However, in September 2020, Slough Borough Council (SBC) officers investigated the couple – by now living Reddington Drive – in relation to complaints the local authority had received about the care and treatment of their then current dog, Lila.
As a result of the investigation, SBC became aware and confirmed via witness statements and veterinary records that Mr and Mrs Cameron had owned at least two other dogs during the period of the ban they had received in 2009.
Between March 2018 and June 2019, the pair had owned a dog named Latte who was put to sleep by a vet for undetermined causes, and a dog named Archie, who they subsequently sold.
Ownership of both these dogs during this period breached the ban imposed on them in 2009.
The pair pleaded guilty to two charges each of breaching a disqualification order relating to Latte and Archie contrary to section 34(9) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
During sentencing, the district judge stated that he was satisfied that both Mr and Mrs Cameron fully understood the terms of their original 2009 ban, and that both had control and responsibility for the dogs during the period they were banned from owning or having control of animals.
The judge also gave acknowledgement for their guilty plea.
Lila has been safely rehomed after being in the care of the council since September 2020.
Sentencing: three-year conditional discharge. Ordered to pay a total of £160 each. Banned from keeping any animals for eight years.
CONVICTED (2022) | pet shop owner Joseph Paul Ghessen, born December 1980, of 144-146 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RR – kept a horribly abused marmoset monkey in a tiny cage.
Joseph Ghessen, who runs Cally Pets in Caledonian Road, Islington, has been banned from owning primates indefinitely after his depressed monkey escaped from a tiny cage in a London flat and showed signs of horrible abuse.
Ghessen was investigated by the RSPCA after the female marmoset named Nicky escaped his London flat in Notting Hill.
In June 2019 an animal welfare inspector found little Nicky in a sorry state showing upsetting signs of abuse including hair loss, bruising and rickets.
The depressed marmoset fell from Ghessen’s flat where she had been caged alone since her companion horrifically died in a fire. Previous reports said that Ghessen had owned five marmosets at one time and it’s not clear what happened to the others.
RSPCA Inspector Callum Isitt, who found Nicky, said: “I soon identified her owner as he had reported that his pet marmoset was missing.
“When I visited his home, I could see that Nicky was living in unacceptable conditions. Primates are intelligent, sentient and highly social animals with complex needs. But Nicky had been kept in a cage that was too small.”
The rickets was caused by the lack of ultra violet lighting, which is important for the bone health of monkeys.
Mr Isitt said Ghessen provided Nicky with very little environmental enrichment or mental stimulation.
In March 2021 Ghessen was found guilty of not meeting the needs of his pet marmoset and was disqualified from keeping a pet for 10 years, as well as being handed a £250 fine and was made to pay £1,200 costs.
However, on February 11, 2022 Ghessen appeared in court again to appeal against this sentence. But rather than reduce the terms of his sentence, a judge at Southwark Crown Court decided to increase his ban on keeping primates from 10 years to an indefinite period of time, and ordered that Ghessen pay a further £300 towards prosecution costs.
Nicky has since been re-homed to a specialist facility where she is living a happier life.
Mr Issit said: “It was clear Nicky’s needs just weren’t being met. She will now live out the rest of her natural life at a specialist primate boarding facility in a suitable environment where she will be able to socialise with other members of her species.”
Sentencing: ordered to pay £1,450 in fines and costs. Originally banned from keeping animals for 10 years but the ban on keeping primates was extended to indefinite after Ghessen appealed.
CONVICTED (2022) | Gerald John Hughes, born c. 1972, of 37 Mistover Road, Wareham BH20 4BZ – participated in cruel cock fights and trapped a wild bird.
Hughes
Hughes, a gypsy and persistent criminal with previous convictions for vehicle theft, ,shoplifting and driving without insurance, was prosecuted by the RSPCA after the charity was sent video clips showing a crowd gathered around fighting cockerels in a garden.
The RSPCA launched an investigation, which included executing a warrant alongside police in July 2021.
Officers reportedly observed a number of birds within an aviary, including a small brown bird, known as a Linnet, that officers suspected had been trapped from the wild and placed in captivity.
The wild Linnet was examined by a vet who specialises in birds, an RSPCA spokesperson said. They reportedly found the feathering on both wings was very poor and the bird’s tail was in an a bad condition, with the remains of only one feather. There was also damage to the bird’s jaw and loss of feathers to the sides of the beak, it was reported.
After seeing the footage of the cockfight, Mike Butcher, a retired RSPCA Inspector who worked for the charity for more than 40 years, said: “Cockfighting can cause very serious injuries and death, as the intention is for one cockerel to win by killing its opponent using beak, wings and particularly the hard natural spur.
“Cockerels are naturally aggressive and do not need much encouragement to attack another cockerel when the two are faced together; no matter where they are.”
Hughes pleaded guilty to being present at an animal fight and possessing a live wild bird.
RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson, who helped investigate for the animal welfare charity, said: “Cockfighting is an abhorrent and cruel practice which was outlawed almost 200 years ago. During fights, cockerels are placed into a pit where they face off, cheered on by a jeering crowd.
“To take enjoyment from watching two birds inflict such horrendous – and often life-threatening – injuries on each other is something that should be well and truly confined to the history books.”
Sentencing: two-year conditional discharge; £222 in costs and charges. 10-year disqualification from keeping birds, but can appeal after five years.
