Allenton, Derby: Sophie Baker and Tommy Johnson

CONVICTED (2024) | Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, born 26 March 1999, and Tommy Lee Johnson, born c. 1993, of 95 Grosvenor Street, Allenton, Derby DE24 8AT – abandoned their dogs in a garage, leading to the death of one.

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

Johnson and Baker, who have three children, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare act offences in relation to bull breeds Buster and Layla.

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

At the time the pair were living at an address in Thackeray Street, Sinfin, Derby, but moved in with Baker’s mother, Jackie Elton, leaving the dogs behind in their garage.

Johnson said he had initially visited the dogs every day to feed them – but this dropped to every few days.

When the RSPCA attended, on 27 January 2024, the emaciated body of Buster was found in the garage – with Layla refusing to leave his side.

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

In a statement presented to court, RSPCA Inspector Louise Marston said: “Layla looked incredibly sad and it was clear that she was very attached to Buster.

“In my 12-year career, I have never seen a dog act like this and it was painful to witness, especially given the environmental conditions and the physical conditions of both dogs.”

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

Describing the conditions inside the garage, Inspector Marston stated: “I could see that the ground was littered with rubbish which was filthy and covered with dog faeces.

“There was dog faeces everywhere – it was covering rubbish and offcuts of material/blankets, it was smeared around empty food bowls and a white bucket and it was smeared all over a leather sofa and electrical white goods.”

“In the far right corner was a large accumulation of faeces and empty sacks of dog food.

“On the far side was a broken glass window and a wooden door laid on its side, leading out to the rear garden. I couldn’t step anywhere where there wasn’t dog faeces.”

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

Layla and the body of Buster were taken by Inspector Marston to the RSPCA’s Birmingham Animal Hospital to be examined.

She said in her statement: “Layla was found to be very underweight. She was dehydrated and extremely thirsty; a veterinary nurse put some fresh water in a bowl and at the sound of the water running,

“Layla went to the sink with her ears pricked. She drank continuously for approximately 40 seconds, to the point where we had to remove the bowl from her before it made her sick.”

An examination of Buster’s body found he may have suffered from a kidney disease which can cause symptoms such as increased thirst and urination, poor appetite, vomiting or diarrhoea and weight loss.

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

In an interview with Inspector Marston, Johnson said the dogs had lived in the house until 30 December, when Johnson and Baker moved out and Layla and Buster were moved into the garage. When asked why they didn’t take the dogs with them, he said they didn’t have an “adequate” place to put them.

When asked when he was last at the address prior to 27 January, he said: “I can’t be certain, a couple of days, the last couple of visits were at night time.”

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

Asked if Buster had been alive on his last visit, he said: “I can’t be certain. I’d just leave the food out and do a quick inspection.”

The court heard that when Sophie Baker was interviewed, she told Inspector Marston that “it was Tommy’s job to go down and sort them out – feed them, water them, take them out” – and that no one else had helped with attending to the dogs. She added that she was “worried about them being left on their own for that length of time”.

RSPCA prosecution of Derby couple Sophie Baker, aka Sophie Elton, and Tommy Johnson, who abandoned two dogs in a garage.

Both Johnson and Baker pleaded guilty to two offences each of causing unnecessary suffering to Buster and Layla.

Layla has since made a full recovery and has been rehomed.

Sentencing Baker and Johnson, the District Judge said this was ‘one of the worst animal welfare cases’ in his career as a judge.

He added: “The facts and the photographic evidence are disgraceful and stomach churning. Each of these dogs was caused considerable suffering. They were in agony, starving and neglected. They had been, to all intents and purposes, abandoned.”

In mitigation, the court heard that they suffered from poor mental health and had experienced a family bereavement.

Sentencing | Johnson was given a 20-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and Baker was given a 12-month community order. They were both ordered to pay costs of £200 each. Lifetime ban on keeping animals, which they can appeal after five years,

Derbyshire Times
BBC News
DerbyshireLive

One thought on “Allenton, Derby: Sophie Baker and Tommy Johnson”

  1. Those 2 poor furbabys RIP buster these pair don’t even deserve to keep there children the way they treated them two furbabys disgusting pair of scum

Leave a Reply