CONVICTED (2024) | Bogdan Gruia (aka Bogdan Gruya), born 28 June 1990, of 178 Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe DN15 7NN – part of a group of men that stole a pregnant ewe from a farm, slit her throat and left her to bleed to death.
Roma gypsy Gruia, who came to the UK from Craiova in Romania, indicated a plea of guilty to aiding and abetting “a person unknown” to cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by cutting her throat and leaving her to bleed to death.
The remains of the sheep and her unborn lambs were found in an alleyway near premises in the control of Gruia, a garage owner who gave the court an alternative address of Digby Street in, Scunthorpe
The sheep had been stolen from a farm near Epworth, and subsequently slaughtered in an inhumane manner.
Gruia was found not guilty of handling stolen goods.
Three other suspects are still being sought by Humberside Police who have released images of them.
Speaking after Gruia’s conviction, PC Grant of Humberside Police’s Rural Task Force said: “This is the first conviction for an incident relating to the theft of sheep in the North Lincolnshire area since it became a local problem in 2018.
“Operation Bo Peep has been running since 2021 to tackle this issue and has, over the last three years, reduced sheep theft by 80%.
“I hope this conviction gives the farming community confidence that the police take this matter seriously and will bring offenders to justice.
“Three suspects for this incident are still outstanding, so I appeal to the public again to identify them.
“Anyone who believes they can identify the outstanding suspects can call Humberside Police on 101 and quote investigation reference 22901960470. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Sentencing | fined £769, ordered to pay a £308 victim services surcharge and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
CONVICTED (2024) | Lauren Hatch, born c. 1977, of Ridgewood, Shard End, Birmingham B34 6TD – kicked a police dog in the neck because he was biting her crime-prone son’s leg.
Lauren Hatch
The court heard that Hatch ‘reacted like any other mother’ after being woken up by a commotion at her home.
She also kicked out at a police officer after being placed in handcuffs for lashing out at PD Jack, who was thankfully not injured.
PD Jack was uninjured due to the protective clothing he was wearing
Prosecutor Jonathan Purser stated police were called to an incident on March 6, 2024, where someone was lying injured in the road. He said: “The defendant was present and her son tried to make off on foot. As part of him being detained a police dog was used.
“The defendant was said to have kicked the dog to the side of the head which resulted in her being arrested and she was also said to have delivered a kick to the officer who detained her, resulting in temporary pain only.”
Hatch admitted assault by beating an emergency worker and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Hatch with son Jordan (surname tbc)
Mitigating, Shabana Sharif, defending, said her client “behaved as a result of hearing her son screaming and being bitten” adding that she had “reacted like any other mother.”
Sharif explained that Hatch had “mental health issues” and was engaging with support services.
District Judge Michelle Smith said she was “satisfied this was an isolated incident” and imposed a community order.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation days; £40 fine and £50 compensation to the officer.
CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeder Jodie Leanne Blezard, born 11 September 1987, of Gladstone View, Siddal, Halifax HX3 9DH – failed to keep her dogs under control with one attacking a woman to her severe injury.
The victim had called to visit Jodie Blezard at her home in Halifax when she was “viciously attacked” by a Staffy crossbreed named Cally, causing blood to pour out of her neck.
As she was dragged to the floor she banged her head and was knocked unconscious.
Her wounds were so severe that they exposed her windpipe and required surgery.
The result was described at Bradford Crown Court as “significant cosmetic disfigurement” that left her voice impaired and her throat susceptible to infection.
Cally, who had recently had a litter of 11 pups, was removed along with Blezard’s other dogs. Callie was destroyed a month later.
Single mother-of-six Blezard pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog following the incident at her home on November 10, 2022.
The court heard that she had four dogs, three of whom were in the kitchen on the day of the incident, but that Cally was allowed into the living room.
The attack happened when the victim, who had been outside briefly, came back into the house and a baby gate became dislodged.
Mrs Recorder Taryn Turner said: “Very unfortunately, and in circumstances that will remain unclear, Cally attacked [the victim].”
Blezard had not seen the attack and, in an interview with police, said her animals were not dangerous. However she was “immediately remorseful” and apologised to the victim.
The court heard that Blezard had been spoken to in the past by various authorities about other dogs in her control, but that Cally had not been one of those animals.
Recorder Turner said: “You have a lot of children to look after, and it seems to me that if I were to impose an immediately effective custodial sentence today that would deprive them of their mother.
“You are truly apologetic and full of remorse for what befell [the victim] on that day when she popped in with a friend just for a chat.
“There is every reason to hope that something like this will never happen again because you don’t intend to keep dogs again.”
Sentencing | 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years plus 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Banned from keeping dogs for life.
CONVICTED (2024) | Paul Desbro, born September 1965, of 58 Hall Broome Gardens, Bolton Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 8AJ – for cruelty to several sheep found starved and horrifically neglected on his smallholding.
Desbro was prosecuted by the RSPCA following an investigation into the welfare of the livestock in his care. Inspectors visited his smallholding in Mexborough Road in May 2023 following reports of a collapsed sheep.
Animal rescue officer Liz Braidley said that, when she arrived at the paddock, she found two sheep looking skinny and underweight and a third ewe collapsed against the fence.
The ewe was emaciated, with her bones clearly visible. Large sections of her fleece were missing and the skin underneath was red and sore and covered in scabs.
Her wounds were also swarmed with flies, fly eggs and maggots.
“She was trying to turn her head to groom herself and was clearly irritated by the flies around her which were relentlessly landing on her,” Ms Braidley said.
“At this point, I knew I needed further assistance so I contacted my colleagues, the police and a vet.”
Ms Braidley said she was then approached by a man claiming to be the friend of the sheep’s owner and explained that they were aware of her flystrike and had clipped some of her fleece.
However, Ms Braidley said: “…when I asked if they had contacted a vet, the man said no and stated: ‘We will have to call the knacker man tomorrow’.”
The RSPCA found the owner and the police seized three sheep. Sadly, the ewe was put to sleep by a vet to end her suffering.
RSPCA inspector, Jennie Ronksley, said: “This was a sad case involving the neglect of multiple sheep including an emaciated ewe who was so severely burdened with flystrike that her skin was absolutely crawling with maggots and clearly needed veterinary attention.”
Sentencing remarks referred to this as a “deeply concerning case” and called the photographs and video footage “disturbing”.
In mitigation, the court heard that Desbro entered an early guilty plea, that he shared the responsibility of the livestock kept on the smallholding with two other friends and was not experienced in keeping sheep so was ignorant of their welfare needs rather than malicious.
He was described as giving “well-meaning but incompetent care”. He had no previous convictions.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work; £114 victim surcharge and £2,000 in costs. He was disqualified from keeping livestock for ten years and cannot appeal this for a minimum of five years. A deprivation order was also made for the two living sheep and their lambs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Del Alan Midgley, born c. 1969, of Robin Hood Street, Castleford WF10 4AX – used his dog as a weapon, leading to the dog being destroyed.
Del Midgley, who has 48 previous convictions for 164 offences, including robbery, ABH and affray, lured a man to his home to attack him with a baseball bat, then goaded his dog into attacking him.
Midgley then allowed the Staffy to attack a police officer when they turned up to arrest him. He also racially abused officers and tried to bite them himself.
He admitted a raft of offences including GBH and allowing a dangerous dog to be out of control. The unnamed dog was ordered to be put down.
The incident took place on June 30, 2023, after Midgley swung a baseball bat at the man, who then tried to grab the weapon.
The man was able to get out of the home and into the street, followed by Midgley who continued to hit him. His dog was with him, and when Midgley relented, the dog pounced and mauled the man for around 40 seconds. The man suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung from the bat attack, and lacerations to his skull and ears from the dog.
After the police were called, they found Midgley in an irate state and he tried to shut the door on the officers, but they were able to force their way inside. The court was told that Midgley allowed the dog to intimidate the officers who had to withdraw, but not before he jumped at one officer and sank his teeth into her arm with such ferocity it left the muscle exposed.
Midgley was Tasered and brought under control, but after claiming he had a heart condition, the officers took him to hospital. However, he continued to struggle and be abusive. He racially abused two officers who had to restrain him when he tried to bite them. Finally, he urinated in the police van.
Held on remand since his arrest, he admitted section 20 GBH, two counts of being a a person with a dangerous dog that caused serious injury and two of racially-aggravated harassment.
An order was made to have the dog put down and Midgley was given a 17-year ban from keeping animals.
Mitigating, Chloe Hudson said that Midgley did not object to the dog being euthanised.
She said that on the day of the attack, Midgley had been drinking heavily and in relation to the dog, she added: “It was clearly very loyal and he [Midgley] should have intervened. He is beginning to realise that offending of this type will just end up in further custodial sentences.
She said of the relationship with the victim: “There’s a long history of knowing one another and there’s not always been a mutual liking, but it does not excuse what went on, it should not have happened.” Miss Hudson said Midgley was having drug counselling in prison and was enrolling in courses to better himself.
The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, jailed him for 45 months, and activated an additional two months of a suspended sentences he was on at the time for a driving matter.
Sentencing | 47-month custodial for non-animal welfare offences. Destruction order for the dog which Midgley didn’t object to. Banned from keeping animals for 17 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | illegal dog breeder Edith Nishanthy Nixon of Monkton Close, Stanhope, Ashford TN23 5ET – neglected multiple puppies in her care, leading to many dying through malnourishment.
Nixon was prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for illegally breeding dogs. The case was brought by Ashford Borough Council.
She was responsible for breeding at least 10 litters of Pomeranian pups between 2020 and 2022 without holding an animal activity licence for dog breeding.
She advertised her dogs through social media and also placed adverts on classified site Freeads.
After receiving a complaint from a buyer of one of the dogs, the council carried out an investigation.
Nixon admitted that a number of puppies had died due to a lack of milk, and demonstrated a lack of basic care or knowledge which could have prevented the suffering and deaths of the pups.
She failed to act promptly when the pups were first noted to be subdued and lethargic, with a lack of understanding of how to tell if pups were dehydrated.
There was also no process in place to monitor the pups’ healthy growth and food intake through regular weighing.
On 13 March 2024, Nixon pleaded guilty to the offences at Folkestone Magistrates Court.
Cllr Liz Wright, Cabinet Member for Communities and Health, said: “This case sends out a clear message that the council will not tolerate the flouting of licensing laws that regulate this sector.
“The checks, inspections, and monitoring associated with licensing help to ensure that premises are suitable for dog breeding, that the licensee is competent, and that the welfare of the dogs and pups is not compromised through the breeding activity.
“It also acts to give buyers confidence that the pets they purchase come from a reputable breeder, who is subject to routine and unannounced inspection.”
Speaking after the court case, RSPCA Kent Chief Inspector Nick Wheelhouse said: “Puppies have become a valuable commodity and, unfortunately, that has attracted people who want to exploit them in order to make profit.
“Sadly, some breeders do not prioritise the health and welfare of their dogs, and unsuspecting members of the public unknowingly buy puppies who are sick.
“We’d urge anyone who is thinking of getting a dog to consider taking on a rescue instead of buying a puppy. Anyone who is looking for a puppy can use The Puppy Contract to help them buy a happy, healthy dog.”
Sentencing | 100 hours of unpaid work; costs of £2,701.50 and victim surcharge of £114. No mention of a ban.
CONVICTED (2024) | Chad Kemp, who also uses the alias Joe Lawler, born April 1995, of Gilpin Court, Newton Aycliffe DL5 5EN – left two dogs unattended in a squalid flat.
Animal abuser Chad Kemp, who blamed “mental health issues” for his cruelty, only received a three-year ban despite sustained neglect of his dogs
Kemp ignored RSPCA warnings about the conditions at the property his two wolfhounds, Poppy and Marley, were living in and often left them unattended for several days at a time
The court heard that RSPCA Inspectors Gemma Lynch and John Lawson had gone to the ground floor flat in Gilpin Court on May 3, 2023, following reports that the pets had been left unattended.
Tapes had previously been placed over the door lock on a previous visit to check if anyone was entering the property but these were still intact.
In a written statement to the court, Inspector Lynch said: “We were informed that Mr Kemp had not been seen for some time. We returned with police and Mr Kemp was located.
“Strong advice was given to him in regards to not leaving the dogs unattended and to ensure they were not returned to the address until it was a suitable living area.
“Mr Kemp agreed and assured us he would take the dogs to his friends until the flat was cleaned and he removed the dogs while we were present.”
In his evidence, Inspector Lawson described conditions inside the flat as ‘hazardous’ and noted there was medication within reachable height of the dogs on the coffee table.
Three days later Inspector Lynch visited the flat again and spoke to someone there who knew Kemp. He told her the defendant had not returned to the address for days and that he was sitting outside because the smell of urine inside the property was giving him breathing difficulties.
On entering the flat the inspector found it covered in rubbish and faeces and smelling strongly of ammonia.
Poppy (left) and Marley will now be rehomed by the RSPCA after the court granted a deprivation order
Poppy and Marley were back living inside and were subsequently seized by police.
Both dogs, who were described as being in a ‘lean’ condition, were taken to a vet to be checked over before being transferred to a private boarding facility to be looked after on behalf of the RSPCA.
A further visit to the flat was made by inspector Lynch on May 25. Kemp was at home and was advised that an investigation was underway. He said he would consider signing the dogs over into RSPCA care, although this didn’t happen.
The passageway and bathroom appeared to have been cleaned up, the court heard, but there were still dog faeces stuck to the floor in various areas and the living room was full of rubbish and unsuitable for animals to be living in.
Repeated attempts were made to arrange an interview with Kemp in the months that followed but phone calls went unanswered and there was no reply at the property or at another address where he was said to be currently living.
Kemp admitted he had failed to meet his pets’ needs by providing them with a suitable environment.
In mitigation the court heard Kemp had been suffering from poor mental health.
Poppy and Marley are being cared for at the RSPCA’s York, Harrogate & District Branch rehoming centre and can now be rehomed by the charity.
Sentencing | three-year ban on keeping animals, except for cockatiels (expires March 2027). Deprivation order on Poppy and Marley.
CONVICTED (2024) | Steven A Jaye, born c. 1989, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham B23 but originally from Dudley – caught kicking and dragging his dog, before picking her up and dropping her on the ground.
Jaye was challenged by members of the public after mistreating the collie-type dog, known as Lelo, in a public place.
He was reported to the police and prosecuted by the RSPCA.
CCTV was obtained which showed him being cruel to the dog.
Victim Lelo is in a loving new home
Jaye admitted an animal welfare offence at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on February 28, 2024.
The court heard he felt ‘very sorry and ashamed’ of his actions.
RSPCA inspector Vicky Taylor, who investigated for the charity, said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a defenceless dog. It is completely unacceptable to treat any animal in this way and we will always look into reports of animal cruelty and, where necessary, seek justice for that animal.”
Lelo was signed over into the care of the RSPCA and has since been rehomed.
Sentencing | 100 hours of unpaid work, ten days of rehabilitation activity; £350 in costs and £114 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping animals for five years, but may appeal after three years (expires February 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | wildlife killers Thomas Graham Michael Lloyd, born 28 December 1986, of Slaidburn Drive, Lancaster LA1 4QX; Jay Stuart Jones born 5 March 1987, of Barley Cop Lane, Lancaster LA1 2PP; and Steven Dixon, born 9 November 1983 of 63 Keswick Road, Lancaster LA1 3LF – for sadistic cruelty towards multiple deer and at least one badger.
Tom Lloyd (left) and Jay Jones were both sent to prison for serious wildlife offences
The sadistic trio were all convicted of a range of wildlife offences, including cutting a deer’s throat and restraining a deer to enable dogs to attack it.
Tom Lloyd was the ringleader of the sick gang of criminals
Tom Lloyd pleaded guilty to four offences of causing unnecessary suffering to deer and a badger, with videos showing the deer’s neck being stood on to enable dogs to attack the animal, and the deer’s throat being cut repeatedly. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison and was disqualified from keeping dogs for life.
Jay Jones pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a deer by restraining the animal to allow dogs to attack it. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and was disqualified from keeping dogs for six years.
Steven Dixon pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a deer by repeatedly cutting its throat. He was sentenced to 17 months in prison which was suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days, a six-month mental health programme and 100 hours of unpaid work.
One man was caught on camera slashing a terrified deer’s throatOther videos showed dogs being set upon a badger and a deer
In February 2022, Lancashire Police seized a mobile phone from Jay Jones which revealed videos showing wildlife offences and the RSPCA were called to assist.
The charity’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) worked with police who executed warrants at premises occupied by all three defendants in May 2022.
Two dogs of the four seized from backyard breeders Tom Lloyd and Jay Jones were pregnant
Four dogs were seized: a black lurcher called Hector and a tan and white lurcher, called Chanelle from Lloyd; and a dark brindle lurcher, called Blaze, and a grey merle lurcher, called Dixie, from Jones.
Dixie and Chanelle were both pregnant and had puppies in the RSPCA’s care.
A number of videos showed the cruelty inflicted on deer and a badger.
A written statement, presented to the court in an expert witness report said: “The videos presented have been produced in darkness with the use of a lamp to illuminate the activity of a number of lurcher type dogs pursuing and attacking deer and a badger.
“Two videos indicate a male person to have repeatedly stabbed and cut the skin of the animal’s neck causing further suffering via the mechanism of pain while already being attacked by dogs.”
In one of the videos, Lloyd, who is filming, says: ‘Here we are lads, got a stag’, and shows a deer that has been caught being attacked by dogs.
Later in the video, one of the men can be seen holding the deer’s head while he cuts its throat with a knife.
RSPCA SOU officer Jason Bowles, who led the investigation, said, after sentencing: “We investigate some horrific cases and, sadly, see animals suffering truly gruesome acts at the hands of people.
“The videos in this case are yet another example of the barbaric torture that we regularly see being inflicted upon wildlife we should all be trying to protect and help.
“Sadly, people who enjoy these hideous pastimes continue to offend across the picturesque, rural countryside of England and Wales. “But the RSPCA will not rest in bringing people like these to justice.”
Tom Lloyd’s feral offspring are doomed to turn out just like their evil father
Sergeant James Pinder, who led the warrants and searches for Lancashire Police, said: “The guilty pleas in this case were entered/im after a two year-long, detailed investigation by the RSPCA and Lancashire Police’s West Division Rural Task Force. I’d firstly like to praise the thoroughness and tenacity of those investigators.
“The extremely graphic nature of the many videos recovered shocked all who worked on the case.
“I welcome the sentences imposed and hope they send a clear message to those people who would seek to commit similar offences. “I would encourage anyone with information about the illegal persecution of wildlife to report it by calling 1010, or anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Blaze, Chanelle (and her nine puppies), and Dixie (plus her seven puppies) can all now be rehomed.
Hector will remain in RSPCA care subject to a further court hearing regarding his ownership.
