Monthly Archives: August 2022

animal fighting / baiting, deer, Food Production, Illegal fishing, Organised Animal Crime, poaching, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Sunderland, Tyne and Wear: Connor Bell and Michael Hutchinson

1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Connor Bell, born c. 1992, of Bexhill Road Sunderland SR5 4QH and Michael John Hutchinson, born c. 1983, of 20 Cranberry Road, Sunderland SR5 3PF – caught fishing illegally.

Bell and Hutchinson, who are known wildlife persecutors, were prosecuted after photographs and videos found both on a mobile and posted to a social media account highlighted illegal fishing activity.

Bell pleaded guilty to using unlicensed gill nets to catch salmon and sea trout on the River Wear, including at a location near Fatfield, Tyne and Wear. He was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

In addition, he was ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £128.

Hutchinson was convicted of similar offences and one other offence of handling the illegally caught fish. He was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work. Hutchinson was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £128.

Representing the Environment Agency, lawyer Matthew Treece told the court that files on Bell’s mobile phone and Hutchinson’s social media pages had highlighted multiple weekends of illegal netting during the summers of 2020 and 2021, along with photographs of both men posing with catches of up to 14 fish at a time.

Images from Hutchinson’s Facebook profile also showed a relative, with the captured fish, along with comments from Hutchinson encouraging them to become a “fine young poacher.”

On sentencing, District Judge Garland told the defendants: “You don’t know how lucky you are to avoid going on a trip to Durham this morning. I view and the law views the things you were up to as extremely serious. These weren’t boyish pranks. You were out there putting a large net across a confined space of river where it was highly likely you were going to catch fish of one sort or another. And you did. If you hadn’t gone around bragging on Facebook about what fish you were catching, you wouldn’t have been in as much trouble as you are.”

Following the case David Shears, Senior Fisheries Enforcement Officer for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:

“With salmon stocks reaching crisis in many of England’s rivers, this level of illegal activity could have a serious impact on the sustainability of future stocks in the River Wear. That’s why we take reports of suspected poaching seriously and work closely with the police to take action where appropriate.

“We’re committed to tackling illegal fishing of all kinds whether online or off and as this case clearly demonstrates, we will take action, especially where potentially damaging methods are used.”

PC Peter Baker, Wildlife Officer at Northumbria Police, said:
“We are really pleased to have been able to deliver effective justice and show the impact of illegal fishing and poaching. We are privileged to see a varied amount of marine wildlife around our area, and we should all play a part in protecting and supporting the environment. As a Force, we take all reports of this nature seriously and are committed to taking appropriate and robust action against the minority found to have been involved in such offences in the region’s waterways.”

Sunderland Echo
BBC News

Additional Information

When not illegally fishing, Connor Bell uses dogs to persecute wildlife with photos uploaded to his Facebook profile showing dogs bearing facial injuries consistent with being forced to fight foxes and/or badgers.

Bell is an associate of notorious psycho poacher Dewi Price.

Hutchinson is also a bloodsports enthusiast.

He runs a canine security business named N.E.F. Working Canines.

He has uploaded videos to YouTube showing a dog being trained to attack a human and even uses a young child, presumably his son, to demonstrate how vicious his dogs are.

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Luton, Bedfordshire / Islington, North London: Ryan Gibson and Ciaran Lambert

Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Ryan Gibson, born c. 1991, of Farley Hill, Luton, and Ciaran Lambert, born c. 1998, most recently of Pleasant Place, Islington but originally from Flitwick, Bedford – stabbed a dog and his owner and hit them both with a hammer.

Ryan Gibson (left) and Ciaran Lambert stabbed and attacked a man and his dog during a burglary in Flitwick, Bedfordshire.

Gibson and Lambert were jailed after being found guilty of aggravated burglary and grievous bodily harm in connection to the violent attack in May 2019. At least one of the pair was originally charged with causing unnecessary suffering to the dog but this charge appears to have been dropped. Consequently neither was banned from owning an animal.

At around 5.45am, the victim and his dog, Blue (pictured) were stabbed and hit with a hammer at the victim’s Flitwick home.

Blue recovered from his injuries.

Despite sustaining life threatening chest wounds, the injured victim was able to provide officers with the names of his attackers. He also mentioned he believed the attack related to a small debt.

Several neighbours were alerted by the sound of glass smashing, followed by screams and shouts. They found the victim badly injured at the bottom of the stairs to his flat.

They went to his aid, noting the injured man was more concerned for the welfare of his dog, who had sustained two injuries, than his own condition. Several neighbours were able to provide details of the car used by the attackers.

Later that morning, officers identified the car at a property in Farley Hill, Luton. Armed officers entered the property and arrested Gibson and Lambert.

During a subsequent search of the property, a number of bags of cannabis were discovered as well as a balaclava, similar to one the victim said had been worn by one of his attackers.

The victim and his dog meanwhile both received emergency treatment and were able to survive their injuries.

During a two-week trial in May, the jury heard one of the offenders filmed themselves callously bragging about the attack. They had also stolen items from the victim’s home.

Following sentencing, DC Rebecca Crowley, who led the investigation, said: “The neighbours’ swift action in calling the ambulance ultimately saved the life of the victim and his dog.

Sentencing | Gibson was sentenced to 11 years for aggravated burglary, with an extended licence of three years on release. He will also serve a concurrent sentence of nine years for GBH with intent.
Lambert was sentenced to eight years for aggravated burglary, to run concurrent with a six year sentence for GBH with intent.

Bedford Today

Dogs, police dogs, service and working dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire: Matthew Boulter

1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | ultra-violent career criminal Matthew Boulter, born 2 March 1988, of Ainslie Street, Grimsby DN32 0LY – bit a police dog and assaulted an officer during arrest.

Boulter, described in 2019 as “Grimsby’s most violent man“, was arrested on the evening of 14 August 2022 after police were called to a series of incidents at a venue in Bethlehem Street, Grimsby. It is believed that Boulter assaulted two female bar staff members, a DJ and a customer.

While officers tried to detain him, Boulter punched and kicked some fencing towards one officer, causing them minor injuries.

PD Xander was dispatched to assist with the arrest, but Boulter bit him on the head and then grabbed and twisted his collar.

Humberside Police said Boulter was being arrested after assaulting three people and causing criminal damage outside the venue.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency services worker, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, assault, criminal damage and two counts of battery.

PD Xander

Det Sgt Thomas Crosfill said: “Assaulting emergency service workers is not acceptable, and our police dogs provide vital assistance to us. They are part of the police family.

“The earlier incidents occurred in a very public location and will have caused distress for the victims and passers-by. We want to ensure our towns are safe for people to live, work and visit, so I am pleased that Boulter was quickly arrested and sentenced for these offences.

“Thankfully, PD Xander quickly made a full recovery and was back at work the next day.”

Sentencing | eight months in jail. No ban.

ITV News
Grimsby Live

Additional Information

In June 2019 Grimsby Live published an article on Matthew Boulter’s “career of violence from baby-faced ASBO kid to brutal street thug”, noting that he had been involved in violence or served prison time for half of his life.

His record for violence include a previous attack on a police dog in 2006 during which officers were also assaulted.

By 2014, aged 23, Boulter already had 60 convictions to his name and has continued to offend in the years since.

Boulter with Georgia Michelle

Following his latest conviction, Boulter’s current girlfriend ‘Georgia Michelle’ took to Facebook to justify his attack on PD Xander. She wrote that the police dog “attacked him and would not let go so he bit it”.

She said Boulter had sustained “puncture marks all over his stomach” during the incident, adding that “police ain’t innocent here and they wonder why people fight and resist arrest. Fkin gross behaviour.”

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire: Rafal Golabek

3 Comments

CONVICTED (2022) | Rafal Golabek, born c. 1992, of Kirkoswald Drive, Clydebank G81 2DB – seen on CCTV battering a dog in a lift in a block of flats.

Golabek pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the unnamed white American bulldog by repeatedly punching and kicking the dog on his head and body.

The Polish national then claimed to social workers that he was play-fighting with his pet when he abused him in a lift in Garscadden View, North Drumry, and attempted to make a “black-humoured joke” that next time he wouldn’t be caught.

Fiscal depute Claire O’Hagan told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that Golabek and a friend were seen on CCTV entering the high rise flats in the evening of May 30, 2021.

Whilst waiting on the lift, the accused was seen chastising the dog before pulling the animal by his chain into the lift and then kicking him.

Golabek’s own friend attempted to stop the cruel onslaught, but the 30-year-old continued to repeatedly punch and kick the animal to his head and body.

The next day, police asked to review the CCTV footage and made enquiries into the wellbeing of the pet.

A few days later, in the early hours of the morning of June 5, Golabek was seen walking the dog, who was seized by police.

Ms O’Hagan added that during the police interview he claimed he was “play-fighting with the dog”.

Golabek appeared at court on August 9, 2022, for sentencing, and CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court.

Phil Lafferty, defending, told Sheriff John Hamilton: “I can’t pretend this is anything other than a distressing and worrying case.

“If there is any comfort in any of this, it is that the dog wasn’t injured, but that is a marginal issue.

“Nor has he presented himself to the social work department in a positive light.

“I have to address a particular point in the report where what Mr Golabek suggests he would do differently is ‘not to be caught effectively’.

“I think I can only put that down to nervous black humour.

“It not something he thought was part of the interview process.

“He thought it was a throwaway joke and was clearly lacking in insight into the situation.

“I am more concerned about him maintaining his position in the community.

“He knows that this is something he won’t ever be trusted to do again. It is a nasty offence.”

Sheriff Hamilton then asked: “Why did he have a dog?

“It seems that he is maintaining the narrative [of someone] who thinks having a dog like that would make him more masculine.

“What he seems to fail to understand is that hitting dogs is not appropriate.

“A good dog owner is someone who knows the way to train a dog is not hitting them.”

Addressing Golabek, Sheriff Hamilton said: “I am not overly convinced you understand the gravity of this offence.”

Sentencing | community payback owner with 220 hours of unpaid work and 12 months of social work supervision. Banned from keeping any animals for 18 months (expires February 2024).

Clydebank Post

Animal Abandonment, Dogs

Greenhithe, Kent: Joshua Exall

1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Joshua Exall born 26 November 1996, previously of Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, but currently of Davidson House, Knockhall Road, Greenhithe, Dartford DA9 9HE – left a dog alone in a property without food and water for up to two weeks.

Exall pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a female Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog named Shadow and to failing to take steps to ensure her needs were met

Victim Shadow as she was before being cruelly abandoned by her selfish owner, Josh Exall.

The RSPCA had received reports of a thin dog at a property in Whittlesey in January 2022. RSPCA Inspector Justin Stubbs had attended the property and had found an emaciated dog loose in the garden.

He contacted the police who attended and seized Shadow on welfare grounds and placed her in the care of the RSPCA.

Inside the house Inspector Stubbs saw two bowls in the kitchen. There was no food and little water. She had been left for days in the same blocked off area of the kitchen, and was only able to toilet in her own living space.

The RSPCA said the fact that there was no faeces there appears to suggest that Shadow had either eaten it due to hunger or that she had not been fed and therefore there was no food going through her to produce faeces.

Shadow was discovered in an emaciated condition in the kitchen of the property. Her food and water bowls were empty. A lack of faeces indicated that she had eaten them in desperation.

In his defence, Exall said he was very sorry and he should have done better for Shadow.

Speaking after the case Inspector Stubbs said: “Shadow’s owner had failed in the most basic needs, of supplying appropriate food and water, for a prolonged time.

Despite her ordeal Shadow, who was “skin and bone” greeted her rescuers enthusiastically. As well as emaciation, she was suffering from hair loss likely related to lack of nutrition.

“Shadow, was a particularly friendly dog, absolutely craving attention.

“She was left for days, with no exercise, no interaction with human or another dog, and had nothing to do in a small, bare kitchen.

“She was signed over and has been doing well in RSPCA care and has now been rehomed.

“I would like to express my thanks to the members of the public who had done all they could to help Shadow.”

Sentencing | 180 hours of unpaid work; costs and charges totalling £495. Disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years.

Peterborough Telegraph

Additional Information

Josh Exall is originally from Harlow in Essex.

Dogs, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers

Kings Langley, Hertfordshire: Tyreicke Williams

2 Comments

CONVICTED (2022) | Tyreicke Williams, born 20 August 1994, originally from Brixton but currently of Home Park Mill Link, Kings Langley WD4 8FW – threw a wooden stick so hard at his dog that it snapped.

Williams was caught on camera attacking bull terrier Nova in his garden in September 2021.

Nova was curled up by a fence when a half-naked Williams is seen launching a piece of wood.

RSPCA inspector Stephen Reeves said sound from a video captured by a neighbour indicated Nova was hit multiple times.

He said: “The video started out of shot of the incident, but you could hear something being hit twice, the video then pans to a male.

“The male hit the dog so hard with the wooden pole that the wooden pole broke on what appeared to be the third strike and he then threw the other part of the wooden pole at the dog.”

The video of the attack on September 9 in Home Park Mill Link Road was sent to the RSPCA in October, with the dog subsequently seized from Williams by police.

Nova remains in the care of the RSPCA and is said to be doing “really well”, but the animal welfare charity said a vet wrote in a report it was their opinion Nova “experienced significant fear and pain”.

The vet added: “Nova’s body language is submissive. He has positioned himself to make himself as small as possible, his tail is tucked between his legs and his head carriage is low with flattened ears. These are classic signs of fear in dogs.”

Sentencing | 18-week suspended prison sentence; 100 hours of unpaid work; costs totalling £4,762, Disqualified from keeping dogs for five years.

Herts Advertiser
Watford Observer

Additional Information

Alternative address for Tyreicke Williams: 55 Wiltshire Road, Brixton, London SW9 7NE.

Williams is a ‘drill’ rapper and performs under the name Stickz or Stizzy Stickz. Instagram profile here. YouTube channel here.

Cats, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Bargoed, Caerphilly: Tristian Pearson

1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Tristian Paul Pearson, born 2 April 1978, of 69 West Street, Bargoed CF81 8SA – poisoned two cats belonging to his neighbours.

Victims Bailey and Luna
Victims Bailey and Luna

Pearson admitted causing cats Luna and Bailey to take ethylene glycol, a substance which is highly poisonous to felines. The poisonings took place in early September 2021.

Vet statements supplied to the court confirmed the kidney tubules of both cats were consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning.

The cats belonged to a father and daughter who lived in two separate properties near Pearson’s West Street home.

Bailey’s owner reported that his cat, a Persian named Bailey, became unwell on 3 September, and appeared weak and wobbly. He was due to attend a vet but died before this took place.

On 7 September, Luna, a female domestic short hair, appeared very wobbly on her back legs. Her symptoms escalated, and vets found her to also have a high heart rate while her muscles were twitching. Sadly, vet tests confirmed Luna had kidney failure and she was put to sleep on humane grounds.

Following the deaths of their pets, the owners looked in the rear garden of their neighbour’s property and spotted two pots. One contained a bright blue liquid, and the other a food mix, including meat. These were retrieved, and passed to the RSPCA.

Some of the meat-type substance found in one of the pots was also found in the garden of Luna’s owner.

Tests later confirmed substances found in the pots contained a high concentration of ethylene glycol, one of which appeared to have been mixed with tuna fish.

An expert veterinary witness report concluded that it is “very highly likely that this was the source of ethylene glycol that caused the death of Luna and Bailey”.

The report said that the “effects of ethylene glycol poisoning cause a cat to suffer via the mechanism of dehydration with subsequent headaches, nausea, disorientation, weakness and collapse”.

Tubs containing the poison ethylene glycol which were found at the bottom of Pearson’s garden.
Tubs containing the poison ethylene glycol which were found at the bottom of Pearson’s garden.

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Simon Evans, who investigated, said: “These poor cats were deliberately tempted into digesting a substance that is incredibly dangerous for cats and ultimately proved fatal to them both.

“One cat died before he could even be taken to the vets, while another had to be put to sleep to prevent suffering. Vets found clear evidence of the harm the ethylene glycol had done.

“The two dishes found in the defendant’s garden contained a high concentration of the dangerous substance – and he admitted in court that he caused them to consume it, causing them to suffer unnecessarily.

“We hope this shocking, landmark case sends a clear message to anyone thinking of targeting cats in this way – this is wrong, illegal and will not be tolerated.”

The case had originally been heard at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, where Pearson pleaded guilty – but was referred to Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing. The RSPCA believes this is the first such case to be referred in this way, following the coming into force of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 last year; demonstrating the seriousness of the offence.

Sentencing | eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months; 150 hours of unpaid work; £2,000 in costs. Disqualified from keeping all animals for five years but may appeal after four years.

Wales247
ITV News

Dogs, ear cropping and tail docking, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Plymouth: Jamie and Adrian James

Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2022) | backyard breeders Jamie James, born 10 June 1995, of HMP Channings Wood & his father Adrian James, born c 1971 of Devonport Road, Plymouth – cropped puppies’ ears to make more money.

Jamie James, a habitual criminal who can now add animal cruelty to his list of previous convictions.

Jamie James, a cocaine addict with previous convictions for Class A drug dealing and domestic violence, admitted three animal welfare offences following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. His father, Adrian James, was convicted alongside him although, it was claimed in court, played a “lesser role” in the cruel profiteering. The pair traded under the name Southwest Dogfather.

RSPCA officers visited in September 2021, after police obtained a warrant to search for puppies with illegally cropped ears.

During the visit, a female grey merle pocket bully with cropped ears and a tan and white male pocket bully with cropped ears were discovered.

RSPCA Inspector Pippa Boyd noted that bleeding indicated that the cropping had been done recently and was not fully healed.

Dog passports were provided by the men, but these did not contain the necessary vaccination stamps or details to support that the dogs had been legally imported. The date of birth also appeared to have been doctored on the passports to show a different date.

Evidence gathered by the charity from phone records showed dogs were being sold for commercial gain through Gumtree, with a business logo shared between the two men.

Whatsapp messages and videos shared between father and son also proved the dogs had been born under their care and their ears had been cropped.

In messages sent to his father on August 8, 2021, Jamie James shared videos of puppies with freshly cropped ears – just hours after sharing clips showing the same dogs with their ears intact. Earlier messages showed he had travelled to Gloucestershire with the dogs before returning to Plymouth that day.

Additional messages see the two men discussing the dogs’ ears and showing a tool to remove staples. There were also discussions about giving the dogs a substance to allow them to remove the staples, with comments and videos showing the effect the substance had on the dogs and a picture showing a staple that had been removed.

Sister Beth James also appears to be involved in backyard breeding and owns a dog with cropped ears.

They also discussed pictures for online selling sites and how much had been made from the sale of other dogs.

In another conversation between the two men, Jamie James is seen saying: “You get top money if you get their ears done. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Sentencing |
Jamie James: 12-months in prison; £756 in costs and charges. 20-year disqualification from keeping animals but may appeal after 15 years.
Adrian James: 120 hours of unpaid work; £695 in costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years but can appeal after seven years.

Plymouth Live

Dogs, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Dagenham, East London: Raimundas, Edgaras and Sigitas Pazdrazdis

2 Comments

CONVICTED (2022) | Lithuanians Raimundas Pazdrazdis, his son Edgaras Pazdrazdis* and Raimundas’s brother Sigitas Pazdrazdis all of 100 Sterry Road, Dagenham RM10 8NT – ran an illegal puppy farm and kept dogs in appalling conditions.

Sigitas Pazdrazdis (left) with father and son Raimundas and Edgaras pictured together

Officers from Barking and Dagenham Council found nine dogs including huskies, pit bull terriers – who were being sold as Staffordshire bull terriers – and a French bulldog, all living in “terrible conditions”. This included dogs that were chained up or left in cages so small they were surrounded by their own excrement, while other dogs were kept in a “dirty bathroom”.

Raimundas, Edgaras and Sigitas Pazdrazdis pleaded not guilty to a string of animal cruelty charges but were convicted after a trial.

The council was alerted to the farm after a complaint was made in October 2019 relating to a purchase of a puppy whose health deteriorated quickly after he was taken home. The complaint led to an investigation into unlicensed dog breeding activity.

Raimundas was convicted of 16 charges. He was given a 12-month community order with 300 hours unpaid work, banned from keeping dogs for seven years, and given costs of £75,000 to be paid in 12 months. His six dogs were removed. Due to his three pit bulls being classed as unsafe, they will be put down.

Sigitas, who owned two of the dogs, was convicted on 13 charges. He was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work and banned from keeping dogs for five years. His two dogs were removed with one of those, a pit bull, to be put down. He was given costs of £7,500 to be paid at £200 per month.

Edgaras was given a 12-month community order with 60 hours unpaid work and banned from keeping dogs for three years. He was also given costs of £2,500 to be paid at £50 per month.

Yahoo
Barking & Dagenham Post
My London

*Update | February 2024

Following an appeal hearing on 19 February 2024 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Edgaras Pazdrazdis’ conviction was overturned. Pazrazdis, a teacher by profession and now of Siviter Way, Dagenham, was represented in court by Alex Weller of Nigel Weller & Co.

Animal Torture, Birds, Cats, Multiple Species, Serial Animal Abusers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Great Horton, Bradford: Akeel Bavington-Allen

2 Comments

CONVICTED (2022) | Akeel Bavington-Allen, born c. 2003, formerly of Great Horton, Bradford, West Yorkshire – tortured the family cat and stabbed a chicken to death.

Bavington-Allen’s animal cruelty came to light after one of his family’s chickens was found dead. When CCTV was checked the teenager could be seen chasing after the animals with a garden fork and stabbing one of the chickens several times. When questioned, Bavington-Allen showed no empathy and said he didn’t feel anything at the time.

His mobile phone contained a video of him stabbing the family cat with the footage posted on Snapchat. It’s not known if the cat survived.

Bavington-Allen was said to have been showing a fascination for knives, gang culture and drill music when he was caught with a knife on him while he was attending Shipley College in April 2021.

He admitted having “a shank” on him when he was challenged and claimed he was carrying the knife because he had been assaulted by a group from Leeds.

Bavington-Allen, who had stopped taking his ADHD medication, also poured bleach into the family toothpaste tube at his home, but the corrosive substance was discovered before it caused any harm to anyone.

While on remand at HMP Doncaster Bavington-Allen made threats to kill his parents accusing them of being “snitches”.

Bavington-Allen admitted a series of offences including threats to kill, possession of a bladed article, animal cruelty and attempting to administer a noxious substance.

Sentencing | 42 months in a young offenders institution. Banned from going within 100 metres of his family home for the next five years. Banned from having direct or indirect contact with his mother. Five-year disqualification on keeping animals.

Telegraph and Argus