CONVICTED (2023) | Jamey-Leigh McCusker, born c. 1999, of 79 Hebden Avenue, Longhill, Hull HU8 9LU – filmed herself verbally and physically abusing her dog
Jamey-Leigh McCusker subjected her terrified pet dog to repeated physical and psychological abuse.
McCusker admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a female chocclate brown bull-breed dog named Storm, after twice filming herself interacting with the dog in a very aggressive manner.
On the first clip she is seen shouting at Storm, who was backed up against a wall and cowering. McCusker then throws a wooden kitchen implement at the dog, striking her on her side.
McCusker’s lawyer told the court his client’s actions were “a cry for help” and that she “had reached the end of her tether”. Image credit: HullLive
The second clip showed an even more agitated McCusker kicking and stamping on the dog.
The footage was shown to a vet who said the dog’s body language was consistent with being fearful and in distress. The vet concluded that the defendant’s actions would have caused Storm pain.
Humberside Police assessed Storm and while she wasn’t inherently dangerous or aggressive, she was put down because she was a banned breed.
Mitigating, Richard Drew said McCusker had made multiple efforts to find the “big and powerful” dog a new home but she’d reached the end of her tether.
Image source: HullLive
The videos were “a cry for help”. She’d bought the dog from a friend and wasn’t aware of her true breed.
Chairman of the bench Lynda Carmichael said McCusker’s actions were “cruel, unnecessary and unprovoked”.
Sentencing | eight week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months; costs of £528. Banned from owning any animal for 10 years, but may apply for the order to be revoked after five years (expires April 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | June Kershaw, born c. 1945, of Harbour Lodge Farm, Haworth Moor, Haworth, Keighley BD22 9RQ – killed two of her neighbour’s cats using snares.
June Kershaw was fined after two pet cats died in snare traps on her moorland farm.
Kershaw was convicted under the Animal Welfare Act of using snares in an improper manner and knowing that they could have caused unnecessary suffering.
She was prosecuted by the RSPCA in relation to Bengal/Savannah cat Marley and tabby Frankie, who were killed by snaring devices in April and July 2021. Both cats belonged to her neighbour, Richard Russell, with whom she didn’t get on.
Kershaw told the court the three snares, which she said she checked every day, had been in the same positions every spring for the last 14/15 years and had only ever caught rabbits attempting to steal growing vegetables from her garden.
Kershaw’s neighbour finds his cat, Frankie, dead in a snare set on a fence line.
Marley’s body was found by Kershaw on April 26, 2021. She told the court she spotted the animal on the branch of a tree while she was hanging her washing out that afternoon and removed the snare.
In court, she said: “I glanced over thinking it was a fox, I was horrified to see it was a cat.
“I could have put it in a bin bag and put it in the bin but I never thought of that.”
Kershaw told the court she was too frightened of her neighbour to tell him or throw the animal over his fence, instead thinking he had a tracker on the cat.
Police attended Kershaw’s house on May 22, 2021, to view CCTV footage of the cat dangling from the tree.
When an RSPCA officer asked Kershaw about the incident, she replied by saying “It is only a cat”.
The second cat, Frankie, was found in a snare on July 28, 2021.
Prosecuting, Charlotte Kenny highlighted that one of her neighbour’s cats died in a mint trap on Kershaw’s land in April 2019.
She said: “That should have put her on notice. Despite that, she continued to set the snares.”
Kershaw and her defence insisted that she did not know her neighbour owned cats, something the magistrates refused to accept.
Following the verdict, Luke Steele, Executive Director of Wild Moors, said: “We cannot continue to ignore the suffering that snares inflict on our wildlife and the risk they pose to pets which may become entangled in them.
“It’s time for landowners to take responsibility and prohibit their use, and for governments to ban snares altogether.”
An RSPCA spokesperson said the charity is “opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all snares – which are sadly legal to catch certain wild animals such as foxes and rabbits – and any trap which causes suffering. Snares can’t distinguish between animals and it’s thought many victims are not the intended species.”
Sentencing | ordered to pay £300 per charge, plus prosecution costs of £1,300 and £34 victim surcharge.
CONVICTED (2023) | Derek Arthur Whittall, born August 1965, of Oaklands Farm, Weston-Under-Redcastle, Prees, Shrewsbury SY4 5LR – allowed his staff to kick, push and abuse calves at a livestock centre.
Whittall, co-director with wife Mandy Whittall, of Oaklands Livestock Centre Ltd, pleaded guilty to all six charges brought against him.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine calf whilst it was being unloaded from a trailer. He also admitted being responsible for two different people who repeatedly kicked, aggressively pushed or threw calves down a ramp whilst they were being unloaded from a trailer
In April 2021, undercover footage from animal rights organisation Animal Justice Project was released which showed animals being thrown down trailer ramps; kicked; pushed; dragged by their ears – and the charity said, being deprived of food and water for long periods.
Some of the calves came from farms contracted to the dairy giant Müller, whose headquarters are located nearby in Market Drayton. Müller released a statement saying that it had instructed farmers to cease supplying the centre with immediate effect.
The court documents also showed Whittall indicated pleas of guilty to removing ear tags from cattle without permission.
All of the charges Derek faced related to incidents that took place on October 10 and 11, 2020. The solicitor for Animal Justice Project said Shropshire Council pursued the charges against Whittall that resulted in a conviction.
A Shropshire Council spokesperson said Oaklands Livestock Centre Ltd is no longer in operation as a company.
Claire Palmer, director of Animal Justice Project, said: “The seriousness of Derek’s crimes cannot be overestimated.
“Not just the removing and inserting of the ear tags in the ears of calves – at a time when farmers are grappling with a Tuberculosis (TB) crisis – but allowing the abuse of calves on his holding. Our cameras showed vulnerable calves at Oaklands Livestock Centre, just a few days old, being treated like trash apparently because they were destined for the abattoir.
“This is indefensible and the sad, everyday, reality for so many farmed animals in this country. Consumers need to be aware so they can make informed food choices as, ultimately, the buck stops with them.”
Edie Bowles, Solicitor for Advocates for Animals said: “Following a hard-hitting undercover investigation by our client, Animal Justice Project, we are delighted that Shropshire Council pursued charges which resulted in a conviction, including a five-year disqualification order from keeping bovine animals. A recent report by The Animal Law Foundation revealed a systemic problem with violations of animal legal protections for farmed animals going unenforced.
“Shropshire Council’s decision to pursue this case should therefore be celebrated and we hope that more local authorities will follow this example and do more to protect farmed animals in future.”
Sentencing | 18-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days; ordered to pay the prosecution costs of £11,855.34 within 12 months. Disqualified for a period of five years from owning or keeping bovine animals (expires April 2028).
CONVICTED (2023) | John Holland, born 25 December 1966, of Tapmoor, Moorlinch, Bridgwater TA7 9BZ but with links to Green Acres travellers site Oxen Lane, North Curry, Taunton TA3 7NE – failed to provide adequate care for his horses.
Romany gypsy John Holland kept starving horses in a field full of hazards including ragwort, loose wire, nails and glass
Holland, a notorious rogue tradesman with a conviction for defrauding pensioners, was banned from keeping horses for 10 years following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
The animal welfare charity attended a field off Castle Hill in Banwell, North Somerset, on August 3, 2022 alongside equine charity World Horse Welfare (WHW).
WHW had previously left advice for Holland on July 29, 2022 and had ongoing concerns about the lack of water being provided for the horses.
Inspector Kim Walters, who investigated for the RSPCA, noted that there was no available water and no grazing left in the field, just the remains of dirty mouldy hay being eaten by the horses.
There were also numerous hazards in the field, ragwort, loose wire, nails and sharp edges of machinery, corrugated iron sheet, and broken glass surrounding the black water container.
Holland was told to make urgent improvements, including providing a constant supply of fresh drinking water and supplementary feed.
During follow up visits by inspector Walters, further concerns were raised for the horses.
On September 14, 2022, Holland signed an RSPCA animal welfare assessment warning notice, which advised him of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and that he must provide the basic needs or possible offences may be being committed.
Holland was said to have owned horses all of his life but failed to provide for the most basic needs of those in his care
On a follow up visit on September 23, inspector Walters observed that there was no further hay provided for them and they looked quiet and dull, with three of the horses in poor bodily condition with ribs and spines visible.
The horses were seized by police and examined by a vet, who deemed three to be suffering as a result of their treatment.
The vet concluded that a lack of feed provision led to hunger, muscle breakdown and lethargy for the horses.
A mare, named Girl, also had a foal at foot who was relying mainly on her mother for nutrition. Her poor body condition will have reduced milk quality and quantity, causing her foal to suffer from hunger additionally.
A vet’s report said: “The field contained minimal grazing which would not provide enough forage to sustain the number of horses present.
“There was no evidence of supplementary feed being given to the horses, which would have been required in order to meet their dietary requirements and prevent hunger.
“The pasture was contaminated with ragwort, commonly known by horse owners to be poisonous to horses and a threat to the horses’ health.
“There were objects in the pasture including wood with nails protruding, broken shards of hard plastic, machinery and wire mesh on the ground, which could easily cause injury to the horses.
“For these reasons, I do not believe that the environment was suitable for the horses.”
Sentencing | 150 hours of unpaid work; £400 in costs. Banned from keeping equines for ten years (expires April 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | Claire Wainwright, born c. 1982 and Tariq Ajmal, born 7 March 2002, both of Prince of Wales Road, Manor, Sheffield S2 1EX, and Adam Ajmal, born 7 March 2002, of Swales Gardens, Darnall, Sheffield S9 4LD – kept seven dogs and a parrot in disgusting conditions.
Claire Wainwright and twin sons Tariq and Adam Ajmal were prosecuted by the RSPCA for cruelty towards seven dogs, including two puppies, and a parrot found at their family home in Prince of Wales Road in the Manor area of Sheffield.
Wainwright pleaded guilty to two animal cruelty offences relating to a shepherd puppy called Hugo and a rottweiler puppy named Winnie.
Tariq Ajmal pleaded guilty to one animal cruelty offence relating to four other dogs, named Shotty, River and Vegas and Coco.
Adam Ajmal pleaded guilty to one animal cruelty offence relating to a dog called Shadow.
RSPCA inspector Leanne Booth attended the property with police on March 30, 2022, after concerns were raised about the animals.
Seven dogs and puppies plus a parrot, were found living in unsuitable conditions.
Inspector Booth said in a statement to the court she noted a strong smell of urine and faeces in the kitchen, where she found two puppies confined to a small wooden dog kennel placed with its door against a wall.
“The kennel was soaking wet and covered in faeces, while there was no bedding and nowhere dry for the puppies to lay down. Hugo’s coat was soaking wet with a mixture of urine and faeces dripping from him. It was difficult to hold him due to the smell,” said the inspector.
“Winnie was also wet and extremely smelly covered in the same unpleasant liquid as Hugo.”
There was also a small cage in the kitchen, housing a yellow parrot called Zara. Her cage was covered in faeces and old food and her drinking pot contained soiled water.
When the inspector heard the sound of barking from the garden, Tariq Ajmal led her to a fenced off area where the other dogs were running loose or tethered.
One of the dogs, a cane corso, needed to be restrained by the owner as she was attacking one of the tethered dogs, who was in pain.
“The dog had a small harness tightly fastened around her abdomen and to a chain on a metal ring on the floor, so her movements were severely restricted. She could not access water, she had no shelter or a comfortable rest area and she was limping in pain,” added the inspector.
“Another dog, Coco, had a choke chain around her neck attached to a very short chain, which meant the dog could only stand up in a crouched position. She had no access to water, shelter, or rest area. There was also a cane corso (Shadow), whose tail had been docked and ears cropped.
“The loose dogs in the garden had access to a large garage with three separate rooms which were in complete darkness with no natural light or ventilation. The floor was completely covered with faeces and there were no beds or bedding material, while there were maggots among the faeces and the smell within the garage was overpowering.”
All the animals were seized by the police and taken into the care of the RSPCA.
Wainwright told the inspector the dogs belonged to her two sons, Tariq and Adam Ajmal, and that she had helped care for the puppies, while the parrot was owned by the family as a whole.
A vet’s expert report concluded: “There are a number of huge concerns with the conditions these animals were kept in, most notably the poor sanitation in the garage and outside as well as on the young puppies’ fur.
“There was no suitable bedding or suitable-sized shelter and it is unacceptable to keep animals in conditions where there is no access to fresh water, while they are restrained and tethered for long periods with no bowls within reach. The suffering these animals faced was inexcusable and completely avoidable.”
In mitigation, the court was told Wainwright had suffered bereavement and physical illness at the time of the offence and it was said she had “too much on her plate” to be able to cope with the dogs.
For Tariq Ajmal, it was said he struggled after the loss of his father and he found it difficult to be at the house on a regular basis. Adam Ajmal was also badly affected by the death of his father and claimed he was not responsible for docking Shadow’s tail or cropping her ears and that he had “rescued the canine from abroad”.
The dogs and the parrot have been cared for by the RSPCA and will be rehomed when they are ready for adoption – the dogs will need suitable and knowledgeable owners as they are large, powerful canines.
Speaking after the sentencing, inspector Booth said: “The conditions in the garage at this property were horrendous, there was not one part of the garage floor that was not covered by faeces. The dogs did not have any dry space to lay in at all.
Sentencing | 12-week curfew; costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £95. Banned from keeping animals for a pathetic three years (expires April 2026).
CONVICTED (2023) | Kieran Hands, born 27 April 1989, and April Pearce, born 2 May 1990, of Calder Street, Colne BB8 0DG – kept 12 dogs in a room, of which eight were kept in cages with no food, water or bedding.
Pet rescue from hell owners Kieran Hands and partner April Pearce kept a dozen dogs in filthy crates – as well as numerous other neglected animals – at their disgusting home
Hands and Pearce, who ran Howls for Help Sled Dog Rescue, each admitted nine animal welfare offences following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Emma Dingley went to the couple’s home on Calder Street, Colne, on June 25, 2022, to investigate a report of concern about a dog with matted fur.
On arrival the inspector was met by Pearce and Hands who conceded that their dogs were “scruffy” but insisted there were no welfare issues.
Giving evidence, Inspector Dingley described conditions in the property as “very poor, very dirty [with] lots of hazards.”
She continued: “The smell of dog faeces and urine hit me as soon as I entered the property.
“There were dogs in the front room of the house and the kitchen and multiple dogs loose and caged in the living room.
“I could hear more dogs in the front room so asked if I could have a look at these. The conditions in this room were shocking.
“The smell of ammonia was so bad it made my eyes water and made me cough.
“There were crates on top of crates, all containing dogs. None of these crates had any bedding in them and all the dogs were standing on the wire base of the crates. There was no food or water in any of them.”
A bearded dragon called Mal was living in a vivarium on a counter in the kitchen, along with a large Malamute crossbreed called Tazz, who was confined behind a gate. Pearce and Hands had attempted to shave his heavily matted coat but had only done a small section on his back.
Tazz’s fur was yellow and the smell coming from him was described by inspector Dingley as “awful”.
When asked if they had any more animals both defendants said no. However, two cats called Thunder and Rain – both in poor condition with obvious skin issues – were found upstairs, along with seven pet rats in a bedroom.
A terrapin called Malibu was also living in a bath which had water but no dry resting area, heat or UV.
An empty bottle of a dog attack deterrent spray called ‘First Strike K9 spray’ was found in front of one of the crates and as soon as the inspector picked it up all the dogs stopped barking. Pearce and Hands told the officer they used the sprays to keep them quiet.
Police seized all of the animals and handed them into the care of the RSPCA, where they were transported to the charity’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for assessment.
The vet who examined the animals said all of the dogs – which included numerous male and female huskies, collies, a Staffordshire bull terrier and a chihuahua – had unkempt coats and flea infestations.
Six of them, as well as both cats, were in a suffering state at the time, the court heard.
Several dogs also had stiff and painful limbs which were causing them discomfort.
Apart from one dog, who was put down on veterinary advice due to severe leg and back issues, many of the rescued pets have already been rehomed by the charity.
In mitigation the court heard how the couple were animal lovers and had been accepting rescue animals and taken on too many.
Pearce had lost her job and her partner was working six days a week and the animals’ care had all fallen on her.
She said that she knew what she was doing but hadn’t noticed some of their ailments and she was treating them herself, rather than going to a vet.
Sentencing | 18-month prison sentences suspended for two years; two-year community order with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days; costs of £600 each and a victim surcharge of £154. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires April 2028).
CONVICTED (2023) | Aberdeenshire hare coursers Richard Hanratty, born 12 December 1993, of 23 Cardens Knowe, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen AB22 8PE, and Steven McDonald, born c. 1984, of Duff Drive, Oldmeldrum Inverurie AB51 0GW – used their dogs to chase and kill terrified wild hares.
Ricky Hanratty (left) and Steven McDonald used dogs to hunt terrified wild hares. Image source: Press & Journal
The court heard that on 21 August 2019 Oldmeldrum man Steven McDonald had allowed dogs to kill a brown hare in Mosstown Field in Udny, Aberdeenshire. A witness saw two dogs chase down and kill a hare.
The hare’s body was recovered from the field by police and the gamekeeper shortly after McDonald was arrested leaving the area.
In later incidents McDonald, in a distinctive blue jacket, was filmed hare coursing at Ardconnon Farm, Oldmeldrum on 11 February 2020. Hanratty, from Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, was also captured hare coursing at Milton-croft, Dumbreck on 16 February 2021.
Ricky Hanratty
The pair admitted being involved in the illegal blood sport on various occasions between 2019 and 2021.
They were both banned from keeping dogs and ordered to hand over all their animal collars.
Sentencing | McDonald: four-month restriction of liberty order; 200 hours of unpaid work. Eight year animal ban (expires April 2031). Hanratty: 100 hours of unpaid work. Banned from keeping dogs for three years (expires April 2026).
CONVICTED (2023) | Dylan Lockhart, born c. 1996, from Beraghvale, Londonderry/Derry – for cruelty to two emaciated Staffies kept in unhygienic conditions.
Lockhart was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and banned from keeping dogs for seven years (expires April 2030).
He was convicted after a case was brought against him by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
He was also ordered to pay costs totalling £1,325 for veterinary costs and care of the two dogs and legal fees of £226.
The Council successfully rehomed both of the dogs.
CONVICTED (2023) | Charlene Grant, born June 1982, of Yorkshire Road, Mitcham CR4 1PQ – allowed her elderly pet dog to suffer from disease and serious joint swelling.
Convicted animal abuser Charlene Grant from Mitcham, South-West London. Image source: Charlene Grant, Facebook
Grant, director of Judah Facilities Management, admitted failing to seek veterinary treatment for the tan Mastiff, known as Hera, who was suffering with obvious swollen and infected glands caused by mammary disease, and serious leg swelling.
RSPCA inspector Natalie Kitchin, visited Grant’s home in March 2022 to investigate a report of concern from a member of the public.
Hera was put to sleep on humane grounds after being left to suffer by her cruel owner Charlene Grant
She found Hera very thin with mobility problems and one leg painful to the touch. The elderly dog also had three large mammary tissue masses.
In her witness statement, Inspector Kitchin said: “Hera was very thin. Her hips, ribs and spine were easily seen. She had a pendulous lump hanging between her rear legs and her right hind leg appeared to be swollen.
“I asked Charlene when Hera was last seen by a vet and she told me that it was over a year ago.”
Grant told Inspector Kitchin that there was confusion about who should care for the dog between her and Hera’s previous keeper. She also said she thought she could not take the dog to the vet herself as the microchip was not in her name.
Inspector Kitchin said: “I told her this was unacceptable and that under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 she was legally responsible for ensuring that an animal in her care was not suffering.
“If she had taken Hera to any vet given her body condition, it was unlikely they would have turned her away.”
Hera was signed over to the RSPCA and taken to the charity’s Finsbury Park Animal Hospital.
Image source: RSPCA
On examination, the vet reported that Hera had multiple masses on her mammary glands and a very swollen and puss-filled right hind leg. The elderly dog also had very thickened elbows, severe arthritis and severely swollen lymph nodes.
The vet estimated that Hera would have been suffering for at least a couple of months but probably longer.
Sadly, it was decided that the kindest option for Hera was immediate euthanasia.
Inspector Kitchin said: “This was a tragic case and simply shouldn’t have happened. The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their pet to ask for help, rather than neglecting them and leaving them to suffer.”
Sentencing | banned from having any pets for five years (expires April 2028).
CONVICTED (2023) | Owen Rippon, born c. 2004, of Woodville Road, Sherwood, Nottingham NG5 2JS – subjected a dog to a frenzied beating and tried to poison her with chocolate – all for social media likes.
Rippon uploaded two videos depicting horrifying animal abuse to the social media platform TikTok. The dog involved in both videos was a nine-year-old Staffy cross named Sasha.
Rippon punched the elderly dog repeatedly after announcing that she gets the same treatment every day
In the first video Rippon announces to his social media followers that “she gets this every day” before he punches the petrified dog at least 35 times as she cowers on the sofa.
A second video shows him feeding Sasha highly toxic chocolate cake, while gloating about the fact that he no longer wants her. The as yet unidentified accomplice filming the abuse is unconcerned at the horrors he is witnessing and does nothing to intervene.
Both acts took place in Nottingham at some point between 20 March and 4 April, 2023 – when a video of the incident was reported to Nottinghamshire Police.
Owen Rippon pictured with Sasha
The two videos were widely shared across all social media platforms in early April 2023, sparking a public outcry.
Rippon initially went into hiding for his own safety, but was soon arrested and charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Tuesday 18 April 2023.
Various news outlets reported that Sasha, who belongs to a family in the Radford area of Nottingham, had been checked over by a vet and was assessed as “fit and well”.
Inspector Sharon Powar, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This video was particularly distressing, as it depicted a deliberate assault on a defenceless dog.
“Thankfully, Rippon’s actions didn’t cause severe lasting damage and the animal is now safe and well.
“We are pleased to see that measures have now been taken that will prevent him from ever owning or keeping an animal in the future.
Sasha
“Nottinghamshire Police will not tolerate acts of animal cruelty and will always look to put anyone involved in this behaviour before the courts.
“Likewise, any acts of violence or threatening behaviour will never be tolerated in our communities and will also lead to anyone who acts in this manner getting themselves into trouble too.”
Sentencing | 26-week custodial suspended for two years; 31-day accredited programme, 10 rehabilitation activity days; £85 in costs and victim surcharge. Lifetime ban on owning animals.
