CONVICTED (2024) | Kyle Vaughan, born 28 August 1997, of 100 Milltown Road, Lisburn BT28 3TZ – starved two dogs to a skeletal condition.
Vaughan, owner of vehicle valeting business K.V Carkleen, was convicted of cruelty to a Doberman-type and Husky-type dog.
The unnamed dogs were examined by a vet who found they were “suffering due to starvation”. Both had visible hip and rib bones and their spines were prominent.
The charges date back to September 2023 when a local authority animal welfare officer received a report of concern from council enforcement officers who had taken possession of the two dogs.
The dogs were taken into the care of a local animal sanctuary and nursed back to health. They have since been rehomed.
Sentencing | two-year conditional discharge; ordered to pay a total of £369 in legal costs and vet fees. Disqualified from keeping animals for five years (expires April 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | Leah Mae O’Connor, born 23 June 1999, of Summerfield Road, Todmorden OL14 – left two dogs to starve to death in an abandoned property.
Leah O’Connor left two dogs to starve to death in a filthy house
Bulldog Doris and Rottweiler puppy Rox were left behind when single mother Leah O’Connor moved out of a house on Melrose Street, Halifax, in February 2023.
The RSPCA were alerted after the property’s landlord discovered the abandoned pets.
Emaciated bulldog, Doris, had eaten plastic in desperation for food. Tragically she didn’t survive after her condition deteriorated
In written evidence to the court, Inspector Demi Hodby said: “The property itself was full of faeces and urine.
“Where there wasn’t faeces there was rubbish and other hazards on the floor and it was difficult to move around.
“It smelt strongly of urine and faeces and it was difficult to stay inside.
“The smell caused my eyes and nose to burn.”
The remains of Rottweiler puppy Rox were found in this cage
There was a dog cage covered with a blue blanket in the house and inside was the body of Rox.
Inspector Hodby said: “There was no food or water inside the cage and it looked as though the dog had been trying for some time to get out.”
She added: “The dog itself was in an emaciated condition.
“One of its legs was poked through the cage and wrapped around the bars.
“It was absolutely heartbreaking to think what this dog has gone through leading up to its death.”
Doris was barely alive – emaciated, shivering, and lethargic, the court heard.
She was rushed for veterinary treatment and found to be severely dehydrated, covered in fleas, and had to be carried into the room because “she was too weak to stand”.
It was found she had eaten plastic to survive.
The bulldog was there for more than a week but her condition deteriorated and she had to be put down.
The court heard O’Connor had “spun a web of lies” to neighbours and family members, telling them Doris and Rox had been rehomed to someone on a farm.
She told Inspector Hodby in an interview she had done this after leaving the address and claimed someone must have broken in, as she was not aware the dogs were there.
O’Connor had concealed the dog’s suffering and the state of the property, which she wouldn’t allow anyone to enter, before finally leaving the house and abandoning the dogs to die inside.
In mitigation, the court was told O’Connor had been diagnosed with low maturity.
She also struggled with alcohol and drug issues – which she was getting help for – as well as depression and anxiety.
The magistrates were told that the “prolonged neglect” and abandonment of the dogs by their owner for a long period of time could not be regarded as anything other than “a deliberate act, perhaps short of sadistic behaviour”.
O’Connor pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was ordered to undertake rehabilitation activities.
Speaking after the case, Inspector Hodby said: “The sight of Rox, who had wasted away in that filthy cage, unable to escape, is something that will stay with me, and those who discovered her, for a long time.
“Along with Doris, she’d endured unimaginable suffering over a prolonged period of time, having been abandoned and forgotten about.”
CONVICTED (2024) | Carrie Hansford aka Carrie Matthews, born c. 1980, of Wickham Court, Totton, Southampton SO40 3GJ – caused a 10-year-old dog “unimaginable suffering” after leaving him to starve to death in an abandoned flat.
Heartless Carrie Hansford left her dog behind to die after moving in with a new boyfriend
Hansford left Staffy Rocky alone in her property on Junction Road, Southampton, after she moved in with a new boyfriend.
The court heard she saw Rocky the day after he died – December 17, 2022 – but left him there to rot.
Rocky died a slow, painful death from starvation and dehydration and weighed only 6.75kg when he was found.
Eventually a dog warden found Rocky’s emaciated body surrounded by his own faeces.
A statement from an expert vet witness said: “In the kitchen area there were hundreds of faeces deposits.
“There were also a number of household items on the floor along with a deceased male brindle-and-white Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog. The dog was wearing a slack collar and the bony prominences were easily observed.”
The court heard that Rocky had died from starvation and dehydration. He weighed less than 7kg.
The vet’s statement explained the amount of faeces in the kitchen was consistent with Rocky having had access to food and water on a regular basis for a prolonged period.
It added: “However, at some point this must have stopped, and a lack of access to food caused Rocky to lose weight and arrive at an emaciated bodily condition.
“More importantly, at some point in time Rocky’s access to water must have also stopped, resulting in dehydration and death.
“In addition, Rocky would have been spending long periods of time in social isolation. As a social species, this would have affected the mental health of this animal.”
Hansford pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal between 7th August 2022 and 7th December 2022.
Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Mark Knight, the dog warden who discovered Rocky’s remains said it was one of the most distressing cases of animal abuse in his career.
The former veterinary nurse added: “It is clear the owner intended to leave the dog to die. She easily could have gotten assistance and help and that would’ve given the dog a chance.
“He had no chance being locked behind a door with no food or water.
“There were ripped packages, ripped everything, everywhere. The dog had been searching for food and trying to find a way to survive.
“As an animal warden, I am there for the welfare of animals. I felt raw emotion at that time.”
Mark described the punishment meted out to Hansford as “quite shocking”.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Dogs are completely reliant on their owners and to not provide for their needs is a breach of the law.
“Providing food, water and a suitable living environment are essential elements of that care.
“The vet highlighted that Rocky had been left without food and water for a prolonged period of time and the suffering Rocky endured as a result is unimaginable.”
Sentencing | four-month prison term, suspended for 12 months; 100 hours of unpaid work. A FIVE-year ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED | mother and son Susan Shaw, born 10 April 1964, and Jack Wynne, born 13 November 1993, of Blakehall, Skelmersdale WN8 9AZ – starved one dog to death and seriously neglected another.
The body of French bulldog Gucci was found in a mummified state in the bath. She weighed just 3.5kg – around a third of the average weight of a healthy dog of her breed.
Officers then found Violet, who was severely dehydrated and malnourished. At 7.6kg she was also significantly underweight.
The dogs’ feeding bowls were dry and there was no water for them.
An expert vet witness said in a statement read to the court that Violet “was shaking and when offered water drank it quickly.”
A second vet who examined Violet found that she was underweight and had issues with her eyes and skin.
Within three months of vet treatment she gained over 3kg (6.6lb) in weight and her eyes and skin started to improve.
Shaw and Wynne pleaded guilty to five animal welfare offences each.
A snake and a fish were also found at the property and were signed over to the RSPCA’s care.
Sentencing | Shaw: 26-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Wynne: three-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. They were both ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154. Both are banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | unlicensed backyard breeders Colin Williams, born c. 1977, and Ruth Williams ( née Ruth Sanders), born c. 1972, of Glanddu Road, Fleur de Lis, Blackwood NP12 3XT – for a catalogue of animal cruelty offences towards dogs and puppies they exploited for money.
The couple were prosecuted followed an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council trading standards.
Together with officers from Gwent Police, a veterinary surgeon, and officials from neighbouring councils, a warrant was executed at the Williams’ home address in June 2023. The premises was suspected of being used for unlicensed dog breeding.
Three French bulldogs, two British bulldogs and two cavalier King Charles spaniels were found severely confined in pens in one room with no access to water.
One of the pens, which housed two other dogs was in an alcove under the stairs. The conditions provided insufficient space with the animals having no stimulation and unable to show normal behaviour.
All nine dogs had conditions which caused them unnecessary suffering. The dogs were found to be suffering from skin, eye, ear and airway diseases.
The dogs were seized after being looked at by the vet and placed into the care of Hope Rescue. They have since been rehomed.
Colin Williams, who used to run a business called Valley Ultrasound and Microchipping and now works as a window cleaner, admitted 17 charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and one charge under Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not declaring he was a breeder when he advertised the dogs’ sale.
He also admitted a charge under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007 of the Animal Health Act 1981, for illegally taking two pregnant dogs to Heathrow Airport.
Ruth Williams admitted 15 cruelty charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and a charge under consumer protection law.
Lyndsey Smith, rescue and adoption manager of Hope Rescue Centre, said: “Many of the dogs arrived with health issues so we were shocked to hear they were still being bred from.
“Amongst the group of dogs were a very nervous duo of cavalier bitches. They moved out to foster care together and developed such a lovely relationship – we just had to find them a home where they could stay together.”
Sentencing | Colin Williams: jailed for four months. Indefinite ban. Ruth Williams: eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. 10-year ban. £12,000 costs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Siem Tamrat, born 9 September 2000, of Mereton Mansions, Brookmill Road, Deptford, London SE8 4HS – neglected a puppy until she almost starved to death.
Tamrat denied the animal cruelty charges against him but was found guilty after failing to provide a three-month-old American bulldog puppy, Nala, with adequate food and water.
The pup was presented to PDSA vets in “a state of emaciation” on November 29, 2022.
Nala had been taken to the vets on November 15, with a history of being underweight. At that appointment she weighed 10.6kg.
Tamrat was advised to feed an appropriate diet of complete puppy food three times a day and return two weeks later.
When she was taken back to the vets, Nala weighed just 7.7kg and was subdued, barely able to stand, with muscles shaking, and standing with her head down.
The bones of her head, limbs, spine, ribs and pelvis were easily visible, the RSPCA said.
Tamrat was advised by the vets that Nala required intensive supportive treatment given her very poor condition.
He initially refused but then left the vet surgery to withdraw funds for treatment and failed to return.
As a result, the RSPCA were called to seize Nala along with police and investigate animal welfare offences.
In mitigation, Tamrat’s defence lawyer said his client’s autism and ADHD adversely affected his thinking and reasoning skills.
RSPCA Inspector Harriet Daliday attended the vet practice and described Nala as: “curled in a ball, on a drip, in her kennel and did not respond to noise or my voice.
“She did not respond when opening up her kennel and I had to gently lift her out and get support to hold her up in order to photograph her as she could not stand unaided.
“She was extremely underweight with all her ribs, her pelvis and spine easily visible.
“She was very roach backed and unsteady on her feet swaying back and forth and shaking.
“She was extremely lethargic and struggled to keep her eyes open.
“Her entire demeanour was the opposite of what you expect from a three-month-old puppy.”
Since her traumatic start to life, Nala has now made a full recovery and has been adopted by a new family.
Sentencing | 10-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 30 days of rehabilitation activity; £154 victim surcharge. A five-year ban (expires April 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | Javel Pilgrim, born 14 November 1999, of Saint Gregory’s Crescent, Gravesend, but with links to the Hackney and Barking areas of London – caught on camera abusing his pet dog.
Pilgram, who according to his LinkedIn profile works as a “program development professional”, admitted the physical abuse and neglect of his pet dog, Tessa, in a case brought by the RSPCA.
The incident, which took place on January 25, 2023, saw Pilgrim, who at the time lived on Maybury Road, Barking, lift Tessa up before hurling her from height onto the ground.
A vet who viewed the video after it was reported to the RSPCA commented: “The person does not drop the dog by accident but throws it with intent and force enough to propel it a considerable distance from him.”
“The clip shows him positioning the dog behind him to enable him to throw the dog effectively. The energy required in my opinion and experience in handling dogs, was very large to throw the dog the distance seen, and the intent was to harm the dog.
“There is no sign … that the dog was trying to bite the person, or that the man was acting in self-defence. He is not seen attending to the dog immediately afterwards, suggesting that he failed to prevent further suffering by not checking for injuries.”
When RSPCA animal rescue officer Bryan Taylor visited Pilgrim, he discovered Tessa living in the garden. She was removed from the property with consent and taken for a veterinary examination on January 26, 2023.
The vet found her to be underweight at 15.9kg, scoring three out of nine on the body condition scale. She had sustained injuries, staining, and calluses on her lower limbs, as well as fractured teeth.
A vet stated: “This injury could have occurred when the owner threw her onto the ground- it is common for injuries to the carpus (wrist) to be caused by falling from a height. The graze on her carpus could have occurred at the same time.”
“The damage to Tessa’s teeth could also have occurred when she was thrown.
“We treated Tessa with a painkiller and a diet plan to help her gain weight.
“On February 2, her weight had increased to 16.7kg. Her cough resolved with this treatment and she is not showing any signs of lameness.”
“We also noted that while Tessa was very well behaved with female members of staff she showed signs of fear aggression (e.g. lunging when cornered) with some of our male staff members- suggesting that her previous mistreatment has made her fearful of men”.
Speaking about the case, RSPCA inspector Shahnaz Ahmad, who was in charge of the investigation for the animal welfare charity, commented: “Pilgrim inflicted appalling and totally unnecessary violence on Tessa. There is never an excuse for treating an animal in this way.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order, with 15 days of “rehabilitation”; £80 fine and £114 victim surcharge. Indefinite ban.
CONVICTED (2024) | Andrew Durkin, born c. 1992, of 4 Farndale Road, Scawsby, Doncaster DN5 8SH – left two starving dogs in a “cruel and nasty state”.
Andrew Durkin received an indefinite ban on keeping all animals
Father-of-one Andrew Durkin pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his two dogs: a black crossbreed called Bruno and an Akita cross named Cody.
Bruno was in an emaciated condition after being left to starve for months by twisted dad Andrew Durkin
The RSPCA began investigating Durkin in October 2020 after receiving a tip-off that two skinny dogs were being kept at his then address in New Street, Doncaster.
After Durkin failed to make contact with them, the animal charity enlisted the help of the police to enter and search the property.
Cody, who’d been locked in a barren cage with no food or water, was also very thin
Inspectors found both dogs in the kitchen, where the floor was littered with old pizza boxes, and the counters covered in mouldy food and rubbish.
Inspector Kim Greaves said: “A police officer opened the door to the kitchen and it was then that I first saw Bruno, a black crossbreed, male dog around six years old.
“Bruno was loose in the kitchen, and there was no bedding or water for him,” she said.
“Bruno was very friendly, eager and wagging his tail to greet us, but he was wobbly on his legs, and I could clearly see every rib. His spine and hip bones were all sticking up clearly from his fur which was oily with dry skin flakes all over his coat.”
Durkin with Bruno in 2017 photo
Tan and white Akita cross Cody was being kept in a dog crate at the rear of the kitchen. This had no base and only bare wires to stand on. There was no food or water inside the crate. Durkin later explained that Cody was kept in a crate because he was destructive. He too was found to be very underweight.
A vet report read to the court stated that the dogs were believed to have been starved for an extended period – possibly several months.
The report continued: “Any reasonable owner looking at these dogs must have noticed the advanced weight loss and either sought veterinary attention or increased their nutrition.
“The owner’s failure to act has undoubtedly caused a great deal of suffering in this case,
“Dogs experiencing food deprivation are likely to experience this in a similar way to people who suffer with extreme hunger, shakes, anxiety, distress and weakness and lethargy.”
Cody and Bruno were nursed back to health and adopted
Sentencing Durkin a magistrate said it was horrifying that he had put animals “into such a cruel and nasty state”.
Durkin was unrepresented and did not offer any mitigation, although the court heard that he had no previous convictions and was “of good character”. He had agreed to sign over both dogs to the RSPCA.
Cody and Bruno were rehabilitated by the RSPCA and are in loving homes.
Sentencing | 200 hours of unpaid work; £500 court costs. Indefinite ban on keeping all animals which he can’t appeal for at least 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Daryl Torrance, born 12 October 1989, of Sorn Street, Catrine, Mauchline – locked his dog inside a crate with “food out of reach and no water” for several days.
After receiving an anonymous complaint, Scottish SPCA officers who broke into Torrance’s home were met with “an overpowering stench of ammonia in the stairwell”.
The court heard that the officers discovered the dog “in an emaciated and collapsed state”.
The pet, a male brindle and white crossbreed, was locked in a crate lying on a blanket soaked in urine and covered in faeces.
In the opposite corner of the crate was a bowl of untouched dog food that he would have been “unable to reach” and no water.
The court heard that the dog was so weak he couldn’t lift his head and had to be euthanised due to extreme suffering.
A microchip revealed that Torrance – a self-employed painter and decorator – was the registered owner of the pet.
Alistair Duncan, assistant procurator fiscal for North Strathclyde, said: “This was an appalling example of animal cruelty. This poor dog was left abandoned for a significant period and suffered the terrible consequences of Daryl Torrance’s shocking neglect.
“The law protects animals from harm and COPFS will continue to work robustly to ensure anyone who breaks the law faces prosecutorial action.”
Sentencing | six months in prison. Banned from owning animals for ten years.
CONVICTED | Peter Enobong Akpan Esen, born June 1989, of Rosebud Close, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 3DF – neglected his elderly underweight dog and failed to seek veterinary care for her life-threatening uterine infection.
Esen had left the 13-year-old husky, Alex, unattended for at least 48 hours at his home.
She was suffering from pyometra – a life-threatening condition of the womb commonly found in older unneutered female dogs – and needed emergency surgery.
Her bottom incisor teeth were also worn down to less than half their normal height, which a vet thought could be attributed to her chewing empty cans of dogs food, which were found littered throughout the property.
Esen, who is thought to have links to Nottingham and Manchester, admitted three charges contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, following a prosecution by the RSPCA and appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates Court for sentencing on 2 April 2024.
The court heard how RSPCA inspectors had taped the front door and the back gate of the house on 14 February 2023 following reports that a dog had been abandoned at the property.
The seals were still intact when a further visit was made by Inspector Rachael Hurst the following day.
In written evidence to the court Inspector Hurst said: “There were empty cans of dog food strewn all over the floor, visible inside the property through the glass in the door and in the rear garden visible through the fence, some of them had been chewed up and teeth marks were visible in them.
“The rear door to the property was wide open. I knocked at the door and there was no response and a black and white husky type dog then appeared in the hallway behind the door. I made enquiries with local residents but nobody knew where the owner of the dog was.
“The following day I attended again. There had been no changes, the tape seals were still intact on the front door and rear gate and the same dog was visible inside so I contacted Northumbria Police for assistance.”
During an initial examination of the dog, the inspector could easily feel her spine, hips and ribs. Her nails were also overgrown and splaying in different directions.
The property was resealed before Inspector Hurst took Alex to a vet. There, she was diagnosed with pyometra and needed emergency life-saving surgery and overnight hospitalisation.
Weighing 20kg against a healthy weight for her breed of between 22kg and 25kg, Alex was given a body condition score of just two out of nine. The vet said it could have taken months for her to have lost so much body fat and muscle.
Her claws were also overgrown indicating inadequate exercise had been provided.
In written evidence the vet said: “The large amount of fluid and pressure in her uterus meant it was at risk of rupture at any time, Had the RSPCA not intervened when they did, the uterus would have ruptured leaving the dog to die a slow and painful death from sepsis.
“I estimate that the symptoms were likely present for one to three days prior to diagnosis. Had this dog lived in an occupied household they would have been identified by the owner so veterinary treatment could be sought. It is unacceptable that this elderly dog was left unchecked for this time period, allowing a serious and life-threatening disease to go unnoticed.”
The court was told that tape seals on the door were still intact when Inspector Hurst visited Esen’s home again on 18 March. There was still no-one at home and Esen couldn’t be reached by phone.
After speaking to someone who knew him, Inspector Hurst eventually met him at the house and an interview was carried out. He admitted that he had not cleaned up and that he’d been away. He said he had messaged a person to provide a tin of food, although he hadn’t checked that they’d done so. He said he didn’t think that Alex was underweight.
Alex was cared for at an RSPCA rehoming centre. Sadly her health deteriorated further and she was found to have mammary tumours, and she was put to sleep on veterinary advice at the end of last year.
Speaking after the case Inspector Hurst said: “Alex was an elderly dog who was being left unattended with a life-threatening condition in an unsuitable and hazardous environment.
“Sadly, she’d been let down by her owner and not been given anything like the care and attention she should have received in her twilight years. It illustrates how important it is to ensure the needs of animals you’re responsible for are always met and why it’s crucial to seek help and advice if you’re no longer able to provide for them.”
Sentencing | 18 month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work; £128.60 in costs. Ten-year ban on keeping animals which cannot be contested for five years.
