Lewis Orchard admitted attempting to burn an American Bulldog with a spray can and lighter.
Incident Details
Orchard was banned from owning or dealing with animals after attempting to set a dog on fire using a spray can and a lighter.
He appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on 1 October 2026 having previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an American Bulldog in Taunton on 17 April 2024.
The court heard that Orchard used a spray can and lighter to create a flame and directed it towards the dog.
Magistrates found that he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the flame would cause unnecessary suffering or was likely to do so.
Sentence
Orchard was made subject to a 10‑year disqualification order, with a minimum of five years before he can apply to have it lifted. The order prevents him from owning, keeping, transporting, dealing with, or influencing the care of any animal.
He was also ordered to pay £200 in costs, £80 in fines, and must complete a community order with a probation requirement.
At a Glance
Name: Lewis Jack Orchard Date of Birth: 11 April 2004 Last Known Address: Most recently of Norton Fitzwarren; previously linked to an address in Priory Avenue, Taunton TA1 1XX Crime Summary: Attempted to set an American Bulldog on fire using a spray can and lighter Outcome for Victim: Dog survived; no confirmed injuries reported Sentencing: 10‑year ban (expires October 2036), community order, probation requirement, £200 costs, £80 fine.
Cases like this highlight a recurring and deeply frustrating problem: when prosecutions are handled outside the RSPCA, the level of detail released to the public is often minimal. We are told what happened in the most basic terms, but not how, why, or under what circumstances an animal ended up in danger. That lack of transparency does nothing to protect animals and leaves serious gaps in public understanding.
What we do know is stark enough. Orchard attempted to ignite a spray can at an American Bulldog, an act that could have caused catastrophic injury or death. The dog survived, but survival does not erase intent. It does not erase fear. And it does not erase the reality that someone chose to carry out an act of cruelty that could easily have escalated into fatal harm.
The 10‑year ban is appropriate, but bans alone do not tell the full story. Without clear reporting, we are left with unanswered questions about the dog’s background, living conditions, and what led to this incident. These gaps matter. They matter for safeguarding. They matter for prevention. And they matter for ensuring that no other animal ends up in the same situation.
UKACF will continue to push for full disclosure in all animal cruelty cases, regardless of who brings the prosecution. Animals deserve better than partial narratives and missing context. The public deserves better too.
If you have any information about this incident, Orchard, or the dog involved, you can contact us in confidence. We protect our sources, and your information may help us build a clearer picture of what happened and ensure the dog’s story is fully told.
Convicted drug courier Paul Lord was jailed for beating his dog with a pole and spraying him with water while he was tethered and unable to escape.
A distressing RSPCA investigation revealed that Paul Lord, 46, repeatedly beat his mastiff, Ace, with a pole while the dog was tethered in a garden and unable to escape.
Lord approached Ace carrying a pole-like object, took it from behind his back, and struck the dog multiple times with considerable force. Ace can be heard yelping during the blows.
Further footage showed Ace being sprayed with water for a prolonged period, leaving him cowering, terrified, and unable to move away due to being tethered.
Ace the mastiff, shown after being rescued from Paul Lord’s violent abuse. Now safely rehomed.
Inspector Richard Carr described both videos as deeply distressing, highlighting Ace’s fear, pain, and inability to flee.
Lord pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court to causing unnecessary suffering.
Magistrates said the offence was so serious it warranted immediate custody. Lord was already a serving prisoner at the time of sentencing.
Ace was seized, signed over to the RSPCA, and has since been successfully rehomed.
Sentence
Court: Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court Date: 14 September 2026 Penalty: 18 weeks’ imprisonment; 10‑year ban on keeping animals (expires September 2036) Mitigation: None reported Notes: Cannot appeal ban for 7 years
At a Glance
Offender: Paul Lord
Born: 18 June 1980
Age at Conviction: 46
Address: First Avenue, Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4NW
Previous Convictions:
In March 2026, Lord was jailed for three years after crashing his Range Rover on the A30 while travelling with his partner and two children, leading police to discover a kilo of cocaine worth £80,000 in the boot. He first claimed it was for personal use before admitting he was a courier, with the judge noting his previous drug convictions and limited role in a wider operation.
Animal Victim: Ace (mastiff)
Victim Fate: Rehomed
Evidence:
Video of Lord beating Ace with a pole
Video of prolonged water‑spraying while Ace cowers
Injuries: Distress, pain; no veterinary report published
Former dog walker Ellen Gibson permitted the prolonged suffering that led to the death of a dog and cat.
Case Summary
Ellen Gibson, 24, was convicted for her role in the prolonged suffering and eventual deaths of a Labrador‑type dog named Chance and a cat named Casper.
Although not the primary perpetrator of the violence, Gibson permitted the abuse to occur, failed to prevent it, and failed to obtain prompt veterinary treatment for Chance’s catastrophic head injuries.
Chance sustained multiple traumatic head, throat, and spinal injuries over several months. He’d also had his whiskers burned off.
She later acquired Casper despite ongoing RSPCA involvement, and he too died from severe, repeated trauma.
Her offending is linked to the case of Jordan Wood, who inflicted the physical violence that caused both animals’ deaths. Wood was jailed for 18 months and banned for life in August 2026. Gibson was sentenced separately in September 2026.
Offender Overview
Name: Ellen Gibson
Born: 26 June 2002
Age at Conviction: 24
Last Known Address: Ropery Close, Kilham, Driffield YO25 4SZ
Occupation: Former professional dog walker
Previous Convictions: None known
Additional Information:
Changed plea to guilty at Bodmin Magistrates Court
Subject to mental‑health treatment requirement
Co‑offender: Jordan Wood (sentenced August 2026)
Incident Details
Between December 2024 and April 2025, Gibson was responsible for Chance and Casper while living at Trekenning Tourist Park, Newquay. During this period:
Chance (Labrador‑type dog)
Sustained multiple traumatic head, throat, and spinal injuries over several months
Whiskers burned off
Suffered repeated blunt‑force trauma
Gibson failed to obtain prompt veterinary treatment for severe head injuries
Seized by police following vet concerns
Despite weeks of RSPCA care, Chance had undetected internal injuries including:
Crushed trachea
Fractured hyoid bone
His trachea collapsed while running in a field, causing respiratory failure and death
Casper (cat)
Acquired by Gibson after Chance’s seizure, despite RSPCA involvement
Plan was in place to remove him for safety
Gibson posted online that Casper had died before removal could occur
RSPCA intercepted his body prior to cremation
Post‑mortem revealed:
Catastrophic chest trauma
Multiple rib fractures across three timelines
Severe head injuries
Blindness
Organ damage
Injuries consistent with prolonged, repetitive violence
Fate: Died from respiratory collapse following undetected internal injuries
Casper
Species: Cat
Sex: Male
Age: Unknown
Injuries: Catastrophic chest trauma; multiple rib fractures across three timelines; severe head injuries; blindness; organ damage
Fate: Died from inflicted injuries
Photos: ✘ None available
Sentence
Court: Bodmin Magistrates Court Date: 24 September 2026
Penalty:
23‑week prison sentence, suspended for two years
15‑year ban on keeping animals (expires September 2041)
Mental‑health treatment requirement
£1,000 costs
£154 surcharge
Mitigation:
Guilty plea
Mental‑health factors considered by the court
RSPCA Statement
RSPCA Inspector Jack Alderson said:
“The cruelty inflicted upon innocent animals like Chance and Casper is an unforgivable betrayal of trust. Every living creature deserves a life free from suffering and filled with compassion.”
Linked Cases
This case is directly linked to the conviction of Jordan Wood, who was jailed for 18 months and banned for life for inflicting the violence that caused Chance and Casper’s deaths.
Alex Oakley — banned for five years after neglecting a cat and parakeet while living in squalor at the Ruardean property.
Case Summary
A man from Ruardean has been banned from keeping animals for five years after causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and a parakeet. Alex Oakley, of St Johns Road, Ruardean, GL17 9UU, was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court following a prosecution by the Forest of Dean District Council under the Animal Welfare Act.
Deborah Oakley — previously convicted for related neglect offences at the same filthy Ruardean address.
The case is directly connected to the earlier prosecution of Deborah Oakley, who lived at the same property and was sentenced in August 2026 for neglecting multiple pets. Officers found the animals living in disgusting conditions, with poor hygiene and accumulated waste throughout the home.
Offender Overview
Name: Alex Oakley Born: Unknown Age at Conviction: Unknown Last Known Address: St Johns Road, Ruardean, GL17 9UU Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: Linked to co‑defendant Deborah Oakley (same property) Additional Information:
Co‑defendant Deborah Oakley previously convicted for related offences
Property found in unhygienic, waste‑filled condition
Animals suffered prolonged neglect
Bird found with irritation to head and missing tail feathers
Incident Details
On March 26 2025, officers from the Forest of Dean District Council’s street warden team, assisted by the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit and Gloucestershire Police, executed a warrant at the Oakleys’ address.
Inside, they discovered:
Poor hygiene and waste throughout the property
Animals confined in neglectful conditions
Evidence of prolonged suffering
A dog, three cats, three fish, and a bird were seized due to welfare concerns.
One of the animals found living in disgusting, unsafe conditions inside the Oakleys’ home — confined in filth until officers intervened.
Deborah Oakley surrendered ownership of the dog and two cats but refused to sign over the male cat and the bird, which belonged to Alex Oakley.
The bird was found with visible irritation to its head and missing tail feathers. A Deprivation Order was granted for both the cat and the parakeet.
Animal Victims
Cat: Suffering due to neglect and poor living conditions
Parakeet: Found with irritation and missing tail feathers
Other animals (dog, cats, fish): Seized under related case (Deborah Oakley)
Sentence
Court: Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court Date: 16 September 2026
Penalty:
10 weeks’ custody, suspended for 2 years
Five‑year ban on owning or keeping animals (exires September 2031)
£500 costs
£154 victim surcharge
Deprivation Order for cat and parakeet
Mitigation: None reported
Council Statement
Cllr Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council, said: “With the second part of this prosecution now complete, I would like to thank the officers, partners and staff involved in investigating this case and bringing this successful prosecution.
“The scale of the investigation, as well as the sentence handed down by the court, shows just how seriously we treat these types of cases.”
Jordan Wood and Ellen Gibson let a dog and cat suffer months of violence, fractures, blindness and agony until both animals died.
Case Summary
Labrador‑type dog Chance and cat Casper suffered months of brutal, repetitive violence at the hands of Jordan Wood, culminating in catastrophic injuries that led to their deaths.
Chance
Wood, aged 25, formerly of Trekenning Tourist Park, Newquay, pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences following an RSPCA investigation.
His co‑defendant, Ellen Gibson, aged 24, formerly of Cornwall and now living in Kilham, Driffield, also admitted causing or permitting unnecessary suffering.
Casper suffered catastrophic chest trauma, multiple rib fractures across three timelines, severe head injuries, blindness, and organ damage. Both animals died as a result of the violence inflicted upon them.
Jordan Wood inflicted months of violence that left Lab-cross Chance broken, strangled and dying, and left Casper the cat blind, crushed and fighting for breath.
Wood has been jailed for 18 months and banned from keeping animals for life. Gibson will be sentenced separately in September 2026.
Offender Overview
Name: Jordan Wood Born: 22 December 2000 Age at Conviction: 25 Last Known Address: Trekenning Tourist Park, Newquay; family home at Hillside Park, Bodmin PL31 2NB Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions:
Possession of a throwing knife (blade over three inches), Bridlington, Yorkshire — January 2025
Community order
£120 fine
£85 costs
Additional Information:
Defence cited PTSD and depression
Known to have moved between Cornwall and Yorkshire
Offender Overview (Co‑Defendant)
Name: Ellen Gibson Born: 26 June 2002 Age at Conviction: 24 Last Known Address: Ropery Close, Kilham, Driffield YO25 4SZ Occupation: Former dog walker — Happy Hippy Pet Services Previous Convictions: None known
Additional Information:
Responsible for Chance and Casper during periods of injury
Pleaded guilty to causing or permitting unnecessary suffering
Returned to family home in Kilham, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire
As of August 2026, she is reportedly employed in a care home where she works with vulnerable adults
Incident Details
Concerns were raised in April 2025 when Chance was taken to a vet with severe injuries.
The RSPCA were alerted and attended Wood’s address. Chance was seized by police and placed into RSPCA care, where further examinations revealed:
Multiple traumatic head injuries
Skull fractures on both sides of the frontal bones
Sagittal crest fracture
Strangulation injuries and altered airway size
Windpipe compression consistent with repeated collar tightening
Spinal fracture from high‑level blunt force
Burned whiskers
Swelling, bruising and abrasions around eyes, ears, face and neck
Chance was euthanised due to complications from his pre‑existing throat fractures.
Ellen Gibson — a former professional dog walker – admitted causing or permitting the violence that left Chance and Casper dead.
In August 2025, Casper was found dead with catastrophic injuries from at least three separate timelines of blunt‑force trauma:
Casper’s cause of death was severe blunt‑force trauma to the chest, resulting in respiratory failure.
Every mark on Chance’s body, including the cigarette burns on his ears, tells the story of the torture he endured.
Veterinary evidence confirmed both animals endured prolonged physical pain and mental torment.
Animal Victims
Chance (Dog)
Male Labrador‑type
Suffered repeated blunt‑force trauma
Skull, throat, spine and facial injuries
Whiskers burned off
Euthanised due to complications from injuries
Chance was joyful. He was trusting. He was failed.
Casper (Cat)
Male
Suffered catastrophic chest trauma
Rib fractures across three timelines
Severe head injuries
Blindness and extensive eye damage (his eye was reportedly gouged out while he was still alive)
Died from lung collapse and respiratory failure
Sentence (Jordan Wood only)
Court: Truro Date: 6 August 2026
Penalty:
18 months; imprisonment
Lifetime ban on keeping animals
Guilty of three animal welfare offences
Mitigation:
Defence cited PTSD, depression, and difficult childhood
RSPCA Statement
RSPCA Inspector Jack Alderson said:
“The cruelty inflicted upon innocent animals like Chance and Casper is an unforgivable betrayal of trust. Every living creature deserves a life free from suffering and filled with compassion.”
Chance was removed from Jordan Wood and Ellen Gibson along with several rats and rabbits. The smaller animals were unharmed.
Chance was immediately placed under the care of the RSPCA Cornwall Branch, where he received repeated health checks, veterinary treatment and daily monitoring. A member of staff fostered him to ensure he had stability, safety and comfort while the investigation progressed.
Despite weeks of dedicated care, Chance had suffered internal injuries that were not initially detectable. Unknown to the team and the attending vets, he had a crushed trachea and fractured hyoid bone caused by strangulation.
While running in the field at the centre, his damaged trachea suddenly collapsed, causing respiratory failure and his death.
His passing occurred despite every possible intervention, and only because of the violence inflicted on him before rescue.
Unbeknownst to the RSPCA, Gibson later acquired another animal — Casper the cat. As soon as this was discovered, a plan was put in place to have him removed. Before this could happen, Gibson posted on social media that Casper had died.
Casper’s body had already been sent for cremation, but the RSPCA were able to intercept it in time.
Both Chance and Casper were sent to a forensic pathologist. The examinations revealed the full extent of the injuries suffered by both animals, confirming prolonged, repeated, non‑accidental trauma.
UKACF Commentary
Jordan Wood’s case is one of the clearest examples of prolonged, escalating violence against companion animals that we’ve seen in recent years. The veterinary findings alone — multiple skull fractures, throat and windpipe compression injuries, spinal trauma, and repeated blunt‑force blows — show a pattern of deliberate harm inflicted over months, not moments. Chance’s injuries were so severe and so varied that they could not be explained by any accidental cause, despite Wood’s claim that the dog “ran into a fence.”
Casper’s post‑mortem findings were even more disturbing: fractures healing at different rates, catastrophic chest trauma, skeletal injuries, and internal organ damage, all pointing to repeated episodes of violence across at least three separate timelines. His cause of death — extensive lung collapse and respiratory failure due to blunt force trauma — reflects sustained suffering rather than a single fatal incident.
The RSPCA’s own inspector described the cruelty as an “unforgivable betrayal of trust,” and it’s difficult to disagree. These animals were not only harmed — they were harmed repeatedly, severely, and in ways that demonstrate intent, force, and a complete disregard for pain, fear, and vulnerability.
The lifetime ban imposed on Wood is both appropriate and necessary. Cases like this highlight why lifetime bans exist: to prevent individuals who have demonstrated a capacity for extreme violence from ever having access to animals again. The 18‑month custodial sentence, while welcome, inevitably feels small compared to the suffering endured by Chance and Casper — a recurring issue in UK sentencing for animal cruelty.
Ellen Gibson’s involvement, while different in nature, still reflects a failure to protect animals in her care. Allowing suffering and failing to seek veterinary treatment are not passive oversights — they are active breaches of duty that enable harm to continue. Her sentencing will determine whether the courts recognise the seriousness of enabling or permitting cruelty, not just inflicting it.
This case is a stark reminder of how vital community vigilance is. It began because a vet recognised that Chance’s injuries did not match the explanation given. Without that intervention, both animals’ suffering might have continued unnoticed. It also underscores the importance of robust enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, particularly Section 4(1), which exists precisely for situations where unnecessary suffering is inflicted or permitted.
For UKACF, this case stands as a deeply troubling example of sustained violence, preventable deaths, and the need for stronger deterrents. Chance and Casper deserved safety, care, and compassion — not months of pain followed by fatal injuries. Their story must be remembered, not only to honour them, but to reinforce why reporting concerns, supporting the RSPCA and Scottish SPCA, and demanding stronger sentencing all matter.
Additional Photos of Jordan Wood and Ellen Gibson
Update | 24 September 2026
Ellen Gibson, 24, has now been sentenced for her role in the prolonged abuse suffered by Chance the dog and Casper the cat. Gibson admitted allowing the violence to continue, failing to protect the animals, and failing to obtain urgent veterinary care for Chance’s catastrophic head injuries.
She received a 23‑week prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with a 15‑year ban on keeping animals, a mental‑health treatment requirement, and £1,154 in costs and surcharges. Magistrates stated that her failure to act contributed directly to the suffering and deaths of both animals.
A woman from Ruardean in the Forest of Dean has been banned from keeping animals for five years after neglecting multiple pets in her care. Deborah Oakley, of St Johns Road, Ruardean, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to one dog and three fish, and failing to meet the needs of other animals in her home.
Officers from the Forest of Dean District Council’s street warden team, supported by the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit and Gloucestershire Police, executed a warrant at Oakley’s address on 26 March 2025.
One of the animals found living in squalor inside Oakley’s home — confined, neglected and surrounded by filth.
They found poor hygiene, waste throughout the property, and animals confined in neglectful conditions that had caused prolonged suffering.
A dog, three cats, three fish and a bird were seized. Oakley agreed to sign over ownership of the dog and two cats but refused to surrender the male cat, the bird and the fish.
Offender Overview
Name: Deborah Oakley Born: Unknown Age at Conviction: Unknown Last Known Address: St Johns Road, Ruardean, GL17 9UU Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: None reported Additional Information:
Refused to sign over all animals despite clear welfare concerns
Property found in unhygienic, waste‑filled condition
Second defendant in the case awaiting sentencing
Incident Details
On 26 March 2025, council officers and police executed a warrant at Oakley’s home following welfare concerns. Inside, they discovered:
Poor hygiene and waste throughout the property
Animals confined in neglectful conditions
Evidence of prolonged suffering
The following animals were found:
Dog — suffering from neglect
Three cats — two surrendered, one retained
Three fish — suffering due to poor conditions
One bird — confined in poor environment
A Deprivation Order was later granted for the fish remaining in foster care.
Animal Victims
Dog: Neglected; suffering from poor living conditions
Cats (3): Two surrendered; one retained by offender
Fish (3): Suffering due to inadequate care; deprivation order granted
Bird: Confined in poor environment
Sentence
Court: Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court Date: 18 August 2026
Penalty:
12 weeks’ custody, suspended for 24 months
Five‑year ban on owning or keeping animals
£500 costs
£154 victim surcharge
Deprivation Order for fish remaining in foster care
Mitigation: None reported
Council Statement
Cllr Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council, said:
“We must all do everything we can to prevent animals from being subjected to such suffering. The owner, or person caring for an animal, has the responsibility to ensure the animal is protected, kept free from pain and nurtured in a safe environment. Today’s sentencing should stand as a testament to this.”
Police mugshot of Billy Banks, jailed for abusing a live rabbit and posting the footage online.
Summary
Billy Banks, who has a long criminal history, was jailed after filming himself abusing a live rabbit and posting the footage to a public hare‑coursing group on Facebook.
He received six months for the animal cruelty offence and a further sentence for Class A drug supply and possession of criminal property, bringing his total prison term to six years and one month.
Offender Overview
Name: Billy Banks
Born: circa 1993
Age at Conviction: 33
Last Known Address: Fraser Road, Poole
Previous Convictions Banks has a long criminal history including burglary, money laundering, drug supply, and animal cruelty.
Additional Information Official court documents do not confirm Banks’ ethnicity or community affiliation. However, several of his offences intersect with criminal subcultures commonly monitored within rural and travelling networks — including illegal hare coursing and rogue trading.
Summary of Offence
On 3 October 2025, Banks filmed himself abusing a live rabbit at Broadstone Recreation Ground, Poole. He uploaded the footage to an open hare‑coursing Facebook group, enabling officers to identify him.
The video shows Banks:
pulling a live rabbit from a bag
setting a young lurcher‑type dog on it
kicking the rabbit repeatedly to force it to run so the dog could continue chasing it
Police arrested him in November 2025. He pleaded guilty at Poole Magistrates’ Court on 28 May 2026 and was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on 7 August 2026.
Sentence
6 months’ imprisonment for causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal
10‑year ban on owning or keeping dogs, rabbits, or hares
Further sentence: Banks also received additional prison time for Class A drug supply and possession of criminal property, bringing his total sentence to 6 years and 1 month
Police Statement
Police Constable Chandler Organ said Banks’ actions were “unacceptable” and confirmed that officers will continue to investigate similar reports.
Related Criminal History
2024 – Money Laundering Linked to Rogue Trading
Banks (then aged 30) and his brother Jake Holland were sentenced for laundering over £50,000 stolen from an elderly dementia patient in Corsham.
Billy Banks: 18 months’ imprisonment
Jake Holland: 9‑month suspended sentence + 200 hours unpaid work
The victim was manipulated by rogue traders into believing his roof required urgent repairs. He paid out large sums in cash and cheques, two of which were written directly to Banks and Holland. Both men admitted laundering the money.
CONVICTED (2026) | James Andrew Marchant, born c. 1984, and Claire Yvonne Malik, aka Claire Hurst, both of Privet Drive, Bishopsworth, Bristol BS13 9RN – starved and physically abused a young terrier.
The RSPCA launched an investigation after a neighbour filmed James Marchant grabbing the dog, Boomer, by the neck, carrying him across the garden and throwing him over the gate onto paved flooring.
The neighbours who were filming him shouted at him to stop. Police were contacted and Marchant was arrested.
The vet who viewed the footage told the court that Boomer would have experienced pain and anxiety while being held by the neck and immediate pain from the impact of landing.
He added: “The callous manner in which he threw Boomer over the fence, compounded by the failure to have him then checked by a vet, illustrates that he failed in his duty to protect him from pain, suffering, injury and disease.”
Boomer was also found to be malnourished, weighing just 2kg (4.4lb) when vets examined him.
He gained weight while in RSPCA care and was re-homed by the charity a month later.
Marchant pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences, for throwing Boomer over the fence and failing to meet his need for a suitable diet. Malik admitting not properly feeding the dog.
Source: Daily Mail
RSPCA inspector Kim Walters said: “Animals feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion.” She thanked the neighbour for reporting the incident, adding that the public act as the charity’s “eyes and ears”.
Sentencing | Marchant: ordered to pay £400 costs. A 10-year ban (expires June 2036). Malik: fined £120 and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £40 victim surcharge. A 5-year ban (expires June 2031).
CONVICTED (2026) | animal hoarder Anik Sexton, born c. 1955, of West Parley, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 – kept suffering animals in poor conditions.
Anik Sexton, has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years and ordered to pay over £79,000 in fines and costs for her abuse of multiple cats.
Sexton was convicted of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to chickens and cats after a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.
Charity officers first visited Sexton’s home in 2020 and offered her advice on improving conditions for the animals in her care.
In September 2021 officers reattended the location and found widespread suffering, with chickens having untreated ailments related to their inadeuate housing and lack of bedding.. Thirteen birds had bumblefoot, respiratory disease, mite infestations and other preventable conditions.
Two cats were found in cages with no access to food and clean water. Both were underweight and suffering from severe dental disease.
A kitten named Timothy was found with a fractured spine, complete hind limb paralysis and infected wounds to her hind paws.
A vet concluded he was suffering from severe, continuous pain and recommended euthanisia.
Six cats were discovered living in small crates without food, water, or bedding.
Three of them, Boris, Dillon, and William, were in dirty cages with no bedding and little ventilation, showing signs of significant distress.
Cats Paul and Nell were underweight, with unkempt coats and severe dental disease, and blood tests confirmed dehydration and malnutrition.
Despite repeated warnings from the RSPCA, Sexton continued to deny any wrongdoing, later insisting in court that she had cared for animals for 15 years and attributed their poor health to age or breeding.
Sexton also told the court she kept the cats in crates because they hadn’t been neutered yet and she didn’t have the money yet to do so.
Following the sentencing hearing, RSPCA inspector Patrick Bailey said: “This was a large investigation involving a significant number of animals.
“Prior to the legal proceedings, my colleagues and I visited Miss Sexton on a number of occasions and each spent a considerable amount of time trying to educate and encourage her to make improvements to the way she kept her animals.”
He added: “It was distressing to see so many animals in small, dirty, unsuitable environments.
“We talked at length, offered help, practical advice and guidance [in 2020] and issued various improvement notices and warning notices requesting changes be made, yet we failed to see any significant improvement in the welfare of her animals and action needed to be taken.”
Sentencing | ordered to pay a fine of £8,000, costs of £71,720.28. 10-year ban which she can appeal after six years (expires June 2036).
CONVICTED (2026) | Tara Louise Myles, born c. 1993, of Golf House, Berkshire Close, Weymouth DT4 0SD – starved and neglected a French bulldog until she was so unwell she had to be put to sleep.
Mother-of-two Myles pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence, following an investigation by the RSPCA.
Her victim was a seven-year-old French bulldog called Mali, who became severely malnourished and dehydrated after being denied food or water over a prolonged period.
Myles’ partner eventually took the stricken pet to a vet by which time she was in a collapsed state, emaciated and doubly incontinent. The vet had no option but to put Mali to sleep to end her awful suffering.
Mali was denied even the most basic care by her callous owner, who blamed her “mental health”.
In their report to the court, the vet wrote of Mali: “’On initial observation, it was clear that she was moribund … and very weak. We had to double check she was still alive.
“Mali was very quiet, depressed and only able to lift her head slightly, she was dull but seemed aware of her surroundings and appeared fearful.
“She was emaciated with a body condition score of 0-1 out of 9 (the lowest possible rating) and her mucous membranes were very pale white in colour and dry to the touch.
“The claws on all four of her feet were very overgrown and one of them had actually grown into her digital pad by approximately 1cm – this was surrounded by a purulent discharge.
“In my professional opinion, Mali had been in this state for some time. Whilst dehydration can occur fairly rapidly, the reduction of her weight and muscle mass is a chronic change.
“Similarly, it would take months for claws to become that overgrown that they impinge on the soft tissues of the foot.
“There was sufficient evidence from the physical exam to state that Myles had not met the basic welfare needs of her dog for a duration of months.
“There was also no clear reason as to why Mali had been left this way and no reasonable effort to prevent it.
“In my opinion, this situation could have been completely avoided if Myles had taken her responsibility as a pet owner properly and provided for the welfare needs as directed by the Animal Welfare Act.”
Mali in healthier times.
In mitigation, Myles said she was “struggling with difficulties in her personal life and her mental health”.
Following the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Patrick Bailey, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “The circumstances surrounding Mali’s death are tragic, and were caused because her owner showed shocking disregard for her welfare. Anyone could tell just from a glance that she was in desperate need.”
Sentencing | ordered to pay a £200 fine, £400 costs and a £80 victim surcharge. 10-year ban (expires May 2036).
