CONVICTED (2022) | drug dealers Neil Coates, born 4 August 1971, and Vikki Hoyland aka Vikki Rafferty, born c. 1984, from Arthur’s Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne – kept three poorly dogs locked up in squalid conditions of neglect.
The RSPCA rescued Staffies Sox and Nelson and French bulldog Bella from a cramped bathroom with a mountain of faeces inside the home of their owners, Neil Coates and Vikki Hoyland. Four empty bowls were also found on the floor.
Two of the animals were so malnourished and suffering from serious underlying health problems that they were unable to stand. Bella had a severe skin infection, which had left her with red raw patches.
All three pets were taken to a vet for treatment but, sadly, Sox and Nelson had to be put to sleep.
RSPCA inspector Kirsty Keogh-Laws found the dogs “without adequate supplies of food” and in urgent need of veterinary treatment, at the property on Kingsley Terrace, in Arthur’s Hill, Newcastle, on February 6, 2022.
She said: “The bathroom was absolutely filthy. There was a very strong smell of urine and faeces covered the floor from one side of/ithe room to the other. There was a pile of around 30 faeces next to the radiator in the room. Some of these appeared to have been there some time as they were beginning to turn white.
“The faeces had been spread across the floor and ingrained into the flooring, there were paw prints set into the faeces as if they had been there for some time. There were four bowls in the room all of which were completely empty, the bowls had faeces stuck to the side of them. The flooring had been ripped up in places.”
The animals were also malnourished and dangerously underweight, particularly Nelson whose hips, ribs, and spine were “clearly visible”.
Sadly, Nelson was put to sleep after his condition failed to improve and he was suffering from pancreatitis. Sox was also unable to recover after suffering from a malignant tumour.
Bella’s fate, however, has been far more positive after her skin condition responded well to treatment. She is to be rehomed with a loving family after a stint at Felledge Animal Centre.
Coates and Hoyland pleaded guilty to two offences each under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and were given a custodial sentence.
Sentencing | 20 weeks in jail to run concurrently to prison sentences they are both already serving for drug dealing. and will have to pay a victim surcharge of £128 each on their release. No costs were awarded because the defendants are in custody. Banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
Additional Information
In October 2022 Coates and Hoyland, whose address was given as Kingsley Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle, were jailed after leading police to a £28,000 drugs haul when they fell asleep in a car with the engine running and half a kilo of heroin in the footwell.
The pair, described in court as “hapless and shambolic”, drew attention to themselves when they parked up and nodded off in a vehicle. Police officers attended the scene and found the pair, who appeared to be under the influence of drugs, with the £10,000 batch of heroin, 21g of cocaine, a knife and baton in the car.
This discovery, in Nottingham, led police to search their home in Newcastle, where another half kilo of heroin, worth more than £10,000, was found stashed in a safe, along with £1,500 in cash and weapons, including machetes, a crossbow and BB gun.
Tony Cornberg, defending, said Coates was a collector of weapons and there was no evidence of them being used. Mr Cornberg added: “People have cuckooed, taken advantage of someone who won’t rat on them and won’t fight back. Obviously this is a house where both of the people living there were taking drugs every day.”
Hoyland told the court she was a drug user and vulnerable at the time.
Coates was found guilty of possessing heroin with intent to supply after a trial and pleaded guilty to possessing the knife and baton found in the car. He was jailed for six-and-a-half years. Hoyland admitted possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply. She was jailed for 40 months.
In September 2019 the Chronicle reported that Neil Coates had been evicted from a housing association property in the Kenton area of Newcastle after a catalogue of incidents of anti-social behaviour and alleged drug dealing.
Neighbours next to the property on Banbury Road had to put up with discarded drug taking paraphernalia, car doors slamming, callers at all hours and disturbances after dark.
A communal area was splattered with blood, urine and vomit which cost £500 to clean up.
Absolutely Heart Breaking.
So sad for the Two Dogs that had to be Euthanized.
These people obviously cannot look after themselves.
With their serious drug issues. Let alone care for Pet Dogs.
How come if they were jailed in October ? Why didn’t the dogs get found u till feb?