Two dogs, Lola and Reggie, were found in an emaciated state after prolonged neglect by Kieran Dunkley, 21, of Hockley, Birmingham. The RSPCA became involved after a vet raised concerns when Dunkley’s partner’s mother brought the dogs in for emergency assessment.
Lola, nine months old, collapsed from starvation. She was so severely emaciated that vets had no choice but to put her to sleep.
Lola, a nine‑month‑old Labrador cross, had collapsed by the time she reached the vet in January 2025. Her condition was so severe that she had to be euthanised.
Reggie, a two‑year‑old bull cross, was also extremely underweight and suffering from a painful, untreated ear infection. He had pressure sores on his hocks, indicating long‑term lack of proper bedding and an unsuitable living environment.
Reggie, two years old, found emaciated with a painful untreated ear infection and pressure sores. Now fully recovered and rehomed.
A veterinary report stated that both dogs had not had their needs met, with clear failures to provide adequate nutrition, veterinary care, and protection from pain, suffering, injury, and disease. The vet noted that any reasonable owner would have recognised the visible inflammation, discharge, and weight loss, and sought treatment.
Dunkley admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering between December 2024 and January 2025, and one count of failing to meet an animal’s needs. He was already serving a prison sentence at HMP Brinsford for unrelated offences at the time of sentencing.
Reggie was signed over to the RSPCA and has since been rehomed.
Sentence
Court: Birmingham Magistrates’ Court
Penalty:
Six months’ additional imprisonment
£350 fine
10‑year ban on keeping animals (no appeal for five years)
Offender Status: Already serving a custodial sentence at HMP Brinsford for unrelated matters.
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Laura Brewerton said: “It is heartbreaking that Lola and Reggie suffered in this way. Pet owners have a legal responsibility to ensure that the welfare needs of their animals are met, including protecting them from pain, suffering, injury and disease.”
Farmer Richard Goode shot two German Shepherd dogs in Malvern and then attempted to cover his tracks by staging a false shooting scene in a nearby field. After killing the dogs, he moved their bodies to make it appear as though the shooting had been lawful and justified.
The offences took place in April 2025.
Goodelater admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and criminal damage. At a further hearing, he also pleaded guilty to committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice.
Goode appeared at Worcester Crown Court on October 8, 2026, where the judge heard how he had deliberately manipulated the scene to mislead investigators. His actions were described as a calculated attempt to justify the shooting after the fact.
West Mercia Police confirmed they were unable to provide a custody photo of Goode.
Polish national Bartosz Poklek was convicted in London for running an international monkey‑torture network.
Bartosz Poklek, a 30‑year‑old Polish national living in Bexley, south‑east London, was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court after admitting to running a large‑scale international monkey‑torture network between June 2023 and September 2025.
He pleaded guilty to commissioning, scripting and distributing videos depicting the torture and killing of baby monkeys in South‑East Asia, as well as publishing obscene videos for gain, possessing indecent images of children, and possessing ketamine.
Judge Christopher Grout described the case as the worst example of animal abuse he had encountered and imposed a sentence of three years and three months, of which Poklek will serve roughly one third under the Sentencing Act 2026.
Bartosz Poklek was not an outlier but a central node in the Global Monkey Torture Network — a sprawling, transnational web of online zoosadists whose appetite for cruelty has pulled in offenders from Scotland, England, and the United States.
Police mugshot of Peter Stanley alongside a social‑media photograph of Natalie Herron. Both have convictons related to the global monkey‑torture network.Police mugshots of Holly Le Gresley (left) and Adriana Orme (right), both convicted for their roles in the global monkey‑torture network.
Poklek’s role was unusually active. Operating from a rented room in Bexley, he commissioned, scripted, distributed and profited from videos depicting the torture and killing of infant monkeys in South‑East Asia. He was not merely a consumer but a facilitator — a man who wrote instructions for how the animals should be harmed, who liaised with perpetrators abroad, and who curated a vast personal archive of abuse.
Saving Mini: Inside the global network torturing baby monkeys – BBC World Service
Within the online groups he frequented, he was treated with reverence and known by titles such as “The General” and “The Boss”, a status that seemed to compensate for the reality of his life: an isolated, drug‑dependent loner living in an HMO.
The footage he collected and circulated was sold for hundreds of pounds to members of Telegram and Discord groups that numbered in the hundreds.
These groups were not fringe corners of the internet but thriving, international communities whose members discussed torture with chilling casualness. Investigators described conversations in which participants moved seamlessly from planning abuse to chatting about gardening or family errands. One British woman ended a discussion about torture by announcing she needed to pick up her grandchildren.
Poklek’s offending was uncovered after he attempted to obtain court documents from a related monkey‑torture case in the United States — a move that drew the attention of Homeland Security Investigations and triggered a joint operation involving the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the Metropolitan Police, West Mercia Police, and US federal agencies. When officers examined his devices, they found around 3,000 videos of extreme physical abuse, alongside indecent images of children.
Judge Christopher Grout, sentencing him at Woolwich Crown Court, described the case as the worst example of animal abuse he had encountered in his career. He noted that Poklek would serve only around a third of his three‑year‑three‑month sentence under the Sentencing Act 2026 and stated plainly that the statutory maximum for animal cruelty — currently five years — is “too low”.
The CPS called Poklek a “key cog in a vile trade” and emphasised the need to root out the enablers of online animal torture wherever they are found.
Poklek may be deported to Poland after release. Even that feels insufficient. His crimes were not impulsive acts of cruelty but sustained, organised, deliberate sadism.
The monkeys he targeted were babies: intelligent, social, sensitive animals whose suffering was turned into a commodity for an international audience of zoosadists. Poklek revelled in their pain. The law, as it stands, barely registers it.
Metadata
Full Name: Bartosz Poklek
Born: circa 1996
Address: Bexley, South‑East London
Case Location: London, England
Conviction Date: October 2026
Court: Woolwich Crown Court
Offence: Commissioning, scripting, distributing and profiting from videos depicting the torture and killing of baby monkeys; publishing obscene videos for gain; possession of indecent images of children; possession of ketamine
Animal(s): Baby monkeys (primates)
Outcome For Animals: Tortured and killed in commissioned videos
Investigating Bodies: National Wildlife Crime Unit; Metropolitan Police; West Mercia Police; US Homeland Security Investigations; US Fish and Wildlife Service
Sentence: 3 years 3 months imprisonment; eligible for release after serving approximately one third
Previous Convictions: Not publicly reported
Additional Notes: Revered within the monkey‑torture community; known as “The General” and “The Boss”; possessed approximately 3,000 videos of extreme abuse; attempted to obtain US court documents relating to a connected case; part of the same organised network as UKACF‑documented offenders Natalie Herron, Holly Le Gresley, Adriana Orme and Peter Stanley
Reporting Gaps: Exact number of animals harmed; identities of overseas perpetrators; full extent of Poklek’s communications with other UK‑based offenders
Travellers Hames and Price, who are based in Raglan, Monmouthshire but have links to Derby and Hereford, were convicted of multiple animal welfare offences after prolonged neglect at a property in Leominster.
The case involved dogs, cats, horses, a duck and a guinea pig, all kept in conditions that failed to meet even the most basic welfare standards.
Both initially denied the allegations but changed their pleas to guilty on 1 September 2026.
The couple were found responsible for depriving the animals of adequate food, fresh drinking water and a suitable living environment.
Several of the animals were underweight, living in poor conditions and suffering from a lack of appropriate care.
Price also admitted separate offences relating to two horses — Moonshine, a piebald cob mare, and Mimi, a bay Dartmoor-type mare — whose welfare needs were not met due to inadequate hoof and dental care, parasite issues and malnutrition.
The prosecution was brought by the RSPCA, who described the animals as having suffered “significant neglect” while in the couple’s care.
Sentence
Court: Hereford Magistrates’ Court — 29 September 2026 Hames: 10‑year ban; community order (10 days of rehab); £50 fine; £114 surcharge; £350 costs; deprivation order for all five dogs. Price: 10‑year ban; 150 hours of unpaid work; £114 surcharge; £350 costs. Ban Expiry: September 2036 (no appeal for five years) Prosecutor: RSPCA
At a Glance
Defendants: Joeline Cathlyne Violet Hames (born c. 1980), Noah Hendri Amos Price (born c. 1983)
Address: Abergavenny Road, Raglan, Usk NP15 2AA
Occupation: Price — scrap‑metal collector, gardener and home improvements
Roxy’s face showed the untreated injuries that caused her prolonged suffering.
On 7 January 2026, Roxy, a female Rottweiler, was taken to a veterinary practice in Stafford with multiple untreated bite wounds, including a deep, necrotic gash to her chest measuring 6cm by 4cm. Her owner, Qadeer Ahmed, 35, of Hartland Road, West Bromwich, had delayed seeking treatment for days despite the severity of her injuries.
A dog groomer in Birmingham had already told him to go to a vet immediately, but he failed to act.
By the time Roxy was finally examined, her condition had deteriorated so badly that euthanasia was considered the only humane option.
A post‑mortem examination later confirmed that Roxy’s injuries had been inflicted at different times. In addition to the chest wound, she had bite wounds to her legs and ears, all at varying stages of healing. The examining vet estimated the chest injury had likely been present for six to eighteen days before Ahmed sought help. The vet concluded that Roxy’s suffering would have been reasonably foreseeable and avoidable with timely veterinary intervention.
Ahmed told investigators that another dog had bitten Roxy two to three days earlier, but this was contradicted by the veterinary evidence. He chose to travel 25 miles to Stafford rather than attend a local vet, further delaying treatment.
Roxy’s death prompted an RSPCA investigation, which resulted in Ahmed being charged with two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Sentence
Court: North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court Date: 24 September 2026 Penalty: 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months Ban: 10‑year disqualification from owning animals (expires September 2036) Costs: £350 court costs; £154 victim surcharge Mitigation: Not reported
At a Glance
Defendant: Qadeer Ahmed Born: April1991 Age at Conviction: 35 Address: Hartland Road, West Bromwich B71 3DB Occupation: company director – Velor Vehicle Rental Ltd Previous Convictions: Not reported Additional Information: Ignored advice from a groomer to seek urgent veterinary care; travelled 25 miles to a vet despite local options; provided an inaccurate account of the injury timeline Animal Victim: Roxy (Rottweiler) Victim Fate: Euthanised due to extensive suffering and poor prognosis Evidence: Post‑mortem findings; necrotic chest wound; multiple injuries at different healing stages; veterinary timeline estimate Case Type: Neglect; failure to seek veterinary treatment; bite‑related injuries Locality: West Bromwich Photos: RSPCA images Reporting Gaps: No information on earlier incidents or other dogs involved
RSPCA Statement
Deputy chief inspector Tom Hall said the chest wound would have been obvious and required immediate veterinary attention. He noted that Ahmed ignored clear advice from a groomer to seek urgent treatment, resulting in prolonged suffering and Roxy’s eventual euthanasia. He reminded owners that prompt veterinary care is essential when an animal shows signs of injury or distress.
Robert Walker and Lynne Chetter, operators of MHS Horse Disposal, convicted of multiple Animal Welfare Act offences.
Case Summary
Sick, elderly and vulnerable horses sent to MHS Horse Disposal for humane euthanasia were instead left to suffer in appalling conditions.
Environmental health officers and the RSPCA found carcass bins overflowing, equines left loose in fields in distress, and other animals — including a blind duck with a broken leg and an injured turkey — kept in filthy, untreated conditions.
Underweight pony seized from MHS Horse Disposal alongside other neglected equines.
Several horses were so underweight and neglected that vets ordered immediate euthanasia.
The business operates from Streetway Farm in Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire, a site already known for serious animal welfare concerns due to its long‑standing association with circus big cats kept in cramped, inadequate conditions.
The defendants’ neglect occurred in a commercial setting where animals should have had a dignified end.
Offender Overview
Robert Walker
Name: Robert Walker
Born: 10 October 1946
Age at Conviction: 79
Last Known Address: Friezland Lane, Brownhills, Walsall WS8 7DA
Investigations by Animal Defenders International documented big cats confined to grubby transport containers, limited exercise, muddy quagmire conditions, and inadequate space — all while the site also hosted an abattoir marked “MHS Horse Disposal.”
This background reflects a pattern of poor welfare standards at the premises.
On 5 July 2024, environmental health officers and the RSPCA attended the knacker yard and found:
Blind duck left in a filthy hutch with a broken leg at MHS Horse Disposal
Body bins overflowing with carcasses, forcing horses intended for euthanasia to be left loose on fields in distress.
Ernie, a dark bay stallion, severely underweight, suffering hoof issues, and with no teeth — euthanised immediately.
Beach, another stallion, extremely thin with ribs and spine visible; later diagnosed with motor neuron disease and euthanised.
Four more underweight equines left grazing in fields:
Elizabeth (elderly mare)
Buttercup (bay filly)
Two Shetland ponies with severe hoof deformities
One Shetland’s back hooves had twisted like corkscrews, spiralling around despite her still being mobile.
A blind duck with a broken right leg left in a filthy hutch.
A turkey with a large untreated wound on its back.
Both birds were euthanised at the scene.
A vet concluded all equines had suffered due to inadequate environment, diet, body condition, dental neglect, hoof neglect, parasitic issues, and lack of timely euthanasia.
The sentencing judge described the conditions as “appalling” and the neglect as “prolonged”, occurring in a commercial setting where animals should have had a dignified end.
Animal Victims
Ernie — dark bay stallion; underweight; hoof issues; no teeth; euthanised immediately.
Beach — stallion; extremely thin; motor neuron disease; euthanised.
Elizabeth — elderly mare; overgrown hooves; dental issues left untreated for two years; euthanised after a year in RSPCA care due to lameness.
Buttercup — bay filly; underweight; lameness; euthanised months later.
Two Shetland ponies — severe hoof deformities; both euthanised.
Fate of animals: Multiple equines euthanised due to suffering; others died or were euthanised after rescue due to chronic neglect.
Sentence
Court
Stafford Crown Court
Date
17 September 2026
Penalty
Robert Walker:
15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
12‑year disqualification from owning all animals except dogs
15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
£187 victim surcharge
£200 costs
Lynne Chetter:
10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
12‑year disqualification from owning all animals except dogs
15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
£187 victim surcharge
£200 costs
Mitigation
Walker: elderly, poor health. Chetter: limited mitigation noted; responsible for birds found suffering.
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Laura Baker described the scene as “horrifying”, with vulnerable horses left alive and suffering despite being sent for humane euthanasia. She emphasised that knacker yards must be held accountable for the way they conduct their business and cannot leave animals waiting to be dispatched in pain. She thanked Cannock Chase District Council and West Midlands Police for enabling the prosecution.
World Horse Welfare Field Officer Charlotte Melvin said the case “really stands out” due to the heartbreaking discovery of horses trusted to the yard for humane euthanasia who were instead left alive and suffering considerably.
Tom and Lauren Rice, who were banned indefinitely from keeping animals after dogs were found living in filthy conditions at their Lichfield home.
Case Summary
A couple from Lichfield have been banned indefinitely from keeping animals after dogs were found living in filthy conditions at their home on Reynolds Close.
Body‑worn camera footage from Lichfield District Council showing a dog confined inside a small metal cage during the inspection.
The investigation began following a tip‑off about the property, leading to the discovery of severe neglect and unsanitary living conditions.
Offender Overview
Names: Tom Rice and Lauren Rice
Age at Conviction: not known
Last Known Address: Reynolds Close, Lichfield, WS13 7NY
Previous Convictions: None known
Additional Information: Investigation initiated by Lichfield District Council’s environmental health team after reports of animal neglect.
Incident Details
Council officers attended the property with a veterinary surgeon and found dogs confined in cages covered in faeces, with mouse droppings in and around them.
Footage recorded by Lichfield District Council shows the filthy conditions inside the Reynolds Close property, where dogs were found confined among faeces, mouse droppings and with no access to water.
Dog faeces were also discovered in a box on the kitchen worktop and across several downstairs rooms. The animals had no access to water and were living in conditions described as “completely unacceptable.”
Two dogs were removed from the property and taken to kennels for care and rehabilitation.
Animal Victims
Species: Dogs
Number: Two
Condition: Underweight, dehydrated, and living in unhygienic surroundings
Fate: Safely removed and received veterinary care
Sentence
Court: Cannock Magistrates’ Court
Date: 8 September 2026
Penalty:
12‑month Community Order
10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
Fines and costs totalling £734 each
Indefinite disqualification from keeping animals
Mitigation: None reported
Council Statement
Cllr Richard Cox, cabinet member for community and public protection at Lichfield District Council, said:
“The conditions these dogs were living in were completely unacceptable. Our officers worked with a veterinary professional to ensure they were safely removed and cared for, and this prosecution demonstrates that we will act where animal welfare laws are being broken.”
This case exposes a deeper problem within local authority enforcement — the uneven approach to animal welfare across the UK.
Lichfield District Council acted decisively: they investigated, prosecuted, and secured an indefinite ban. But many councils do not.
Across England and Wales, enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 depends almost entirely on local priorities and resources.
Some authorities treat cruelty reports as serious criminal matters; others dismiss them as “civil issues” or pass them to charities already stretched thin. The result is a postcode lottery for animal protection — where the fate of a neglected dog can hinge on which council boundary it happens to fall within.
Lichfield’s environmental health team deserves credit for taking action. Their response shows what can be achieved when councils treat animal welfare as part of community safety, not an optional extra. But the wider picture remains troubling: many councils still fail to investigate or prosecute, even when evidence is clear and suffering is severe.
Until enforcement becomes consistent nationwide, cases like this will continue to depend on luck — on whether the right officer, in the right district, happens to care enough to act.
A Birmingham man has been banned from keeping animals for 25 years after starving one dog to death and severely neglecting another.
Zakar Ahmed, 32, of Foley Road, Washwood Heath/Ward End, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act. He received eight months’ custody, suspended for two years, along with 250 hours of unpaid work.
Mishka’s emaciated body was taken to the vet after she died from weeks of starvation — a direct result of Zakar Ahmed’s prolonged neglect and failure to provide even the most basic care.
The case began when Ahmed took the emaciated body of his shepherd dog, Mishka, to a veterinary practice after allowing her to die of starvation.
Offender Overview
Name: Zakar Ahmed Born: circa 1994 Age at Conviction: 32 Last Known Address: Foley Road, Washwood Heath / Ward End, Birmingham B8 2JT Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: None stated Additional Information: Claimed he had taken the dogs from a homeless person; said he was experiencing personal difficulties; expressed remorse during mitigation. Ahmed lived with other adults at the property.
Incident Details
Ahmed brought Mishka’s significantly underweight body to a vet after she had died from prolonged starvation. Veterinary evidence stated that Mishka would have endured 9–10 weeks of severe hunger, weakness, pain and mental suffering before collapsing and dying.
Zeus was left chained in Ahmed’s garden, underweight, neglected and forced to survive in squalor with nothing but a plastic kennel and no bedding. This is the environment Ahmed chose to keep him in.
Following Mishka’s death, RSPCA officers attended Ahmed’s home. In the back garden they found another shepherd dog, Zeus, tied to a fence with a heavy 2.4 kg metal chain around his neck. He had access only to a small plastic kennel with no bedding inside. Zeus was underweight, scoring 2 out of 9 on the body condition scale, and was suffering due to Ahmed’s failure to provide adequate food, protection, and care. He also displayed concerning behavioural issues.
Zeus’s physical condition improved in RSPCA care, but his behavioural deterioration continued. Due to ongoing mental suffering and the inability to rehabilitate him, Zeus was humanely euthanised.
Animal Victims
Mishka, a shepherd dog, died of starvation after weeks of prolonged suffering.
Zeus, a male shepherd dog, was found underweight, chained, and distressed. Although his physical health improved in RSPCA care, he was euthanised due to severe behavioural decline and mental suffering.
Sentence
Court: Birmingham Magistrates’ Court Date: 6 August 2026 Conviction: Four offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Penalty: Eight months’ custody, suspended for two years 250 hours of unpaid work 25‑year disqualification order (no appeal for 15 years)
Mitigation: Ahmed claimed he was suffering personal difficulties and said he had taken the dogs from a homeless person. He expressed remorse.
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Ben Jones said: “Ahmed’s offending involved multiple animals. This was prolonged and avoidable suffering which resulted in the death of an animal.”
Oliver Turiccki and Sarah Pearce let their beautiful dog waste away while doing nothing to help him.
Case Summary
Two-year-old bull terrier type dog King was found in an emaciated condition at the home of Oliver Turiccki, 29, and Sarah Pearce, 34, of Eccleshall Road, Stafford.
An RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer discovered King with all ribs, vertebrae and pelvic bones protruding, widespread muscle wastage, pressure wounds, and a body condition score of 1/5.
King in the final days before rescue — starved to skin and bone, forced to drink from a concrete block while his body shut down. This is what Oliver Turiccki and Sarah Pearce left him to endure.
The couple admitted failing to meet King’s needs. Both received 12-week custodial sentences, suspended for 12 months, and were disqualified from owning animals for 10 years. They must each complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and pay £504 in costs.
Offender Overview
Oliver Turiccki
Born: 11 May 1997
Age at Conviction: 29
Last Known Address: Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16
Claimed King had lost weight rapidly over three weeks
Said they sought puppy supplements from the PDSA
King was not registered with any local vet practice
Sarah Pearce
Born: 23 February 1992
Age at Conviction: 34
Last Known Address: Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16
Occupation: Unknown
Previous Convictions: Not reported
Additional Information:
Jointly responsible for King’s care
Signed King over to the RSPCA
Incident Details
On 2 September 2025, an RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer attended the couple’s address following welfare concerns. Upon seeing King, the officer immediately noted:
All ribs, vertebrae and pelvis bones protruding
Sunken skull, tucked abdomen
No visible muscle mass or body fat
Pressure wounds on legs and pelvic area
Fur missing from the tail
King was taken to a local vet, where he was found to have:
Widespread muscle wastage
Body condition score: 1/5 (severely underweight)
At least four weeks of inadequate food
When offered food and water, King ate and drank continuously until the bowls were empty.
Turiccki claimed King had lost weight rapidly over three weeks and that they had sought supplements from the PDSA. However, checks with three local vet practices confirmed King was not registered anywhere.
King, safe and recovering — finally able to rest without hunger or pain. After everything he endured, this is the peace he always deserved.
Staffordshire Police seized King, who was placed into RSPCA care. The couple later signed him over.
Animal Victim
King (bull terrier type dog)
Age: 2 years
Condition on discovery:
Emaciated; bones visibly protruding
Muscle wastage
Pressure wounds
Missing fur on tail
Body Condition Score: 1/5
Cause of suffering: Prolonged inadequate food intake (minimum four weeks)
Outcome:
Rapid weight gain after rescue
Rehomed by the RSPCA
Found a loving new home before Christmas 2025
Sentence
Court: North Stafford Magistrates’ Court Date: 12 August 2026
Penalty:
12 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months
10-year disqualification from owning animals (expires August 2036)
£504 costs each
10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
Mitigation:
Claimed rapid weight loss
Claimed attempts to seek supplements
Signed dog over voluntarily
Additional Notes:
RSPCA confirmed King had been affected for at least four weeks
Officer described the case as “frustrating and sad”
RSPCA Statement
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Thomas Hall said:
“This was a really frustrating and sad case as poor King had been really let down by his owners. He gained weight in just a few weeks after being rescued, and I’m delighted that we found him a loving new home last year, just in time for Christmas.”
Andrew Willshaw pictured outdoors with a dog prior to his conviction. The image was publicly posted on social media.
Summary
Two Rottweiler‑cross Bulldog puppies, Dave and Trigger, suffered severe neglect at the hands of former publican Andrew Courtnay Willshaw, of Marston Road, Stafford.
Dave, the puppy fatally injured through neglect by Andrew Willshaw.
In May 2025, both dogs were found abandoned and tied to a bin. Dave had catastrophic injuries to both hind legs caused by inappropriate tethering and prolonged lack of veterinary care. He endured days of extreme pain before being euthanised.
Trigger survived and was rehomed.
Willshaw initially denied ownership but later admitted responsibility. He received an 18‑month community order and a 10‑year ban on keeping animals.
Offender Overview
Name: Andrew Courtnay Willshaw
Born: August1964
Age at Conviction: 61–62
Last Known Address: Marston Road, Stafford, ST16 2BY
Occupation: Former publican (The Tap and Spile, Peel Terrace, Stafford)
Previous Convictions: None known
Additional Information: Willshaw claimed overwhelming financial pressures and long working hours contributed to the neglect. He initially denied owning any dogs when approached by investigators and attempted to explain the injuries as the result of a lead entanglement.
Summary of Offence
In May 2025, two young Rottweiler‑cross Bulldog puppies — Dave and Trigger — were found tied to a bin in Stafford. A member of the public reported them as strays, prompting involvement from Stafford Council and Noah’s Ark Environmental Services. Both dogs were collected and taken for urgent veterinary assessment.
Dave’s hind‑leg injury, blurred as published.
Dave, approximately six to nine months old, was found with catastrophic injuries:
A deep lacerating wound exposing bone on the left hind limb
A ruptured cranial cruciate ligament and septic arthritis in the right hind limb
Evidence of a previous ligature injury on the right leg
Widespread infection consistent with terminal septicaemia
The vet concluded that Dave had suffered prolonged severe pain and distress, with injuries assessed as subacute to chronic, indicating at least five days of suffering — and likely longer. Dave was euthanised on welfare grounds.
Trigger, Dave’s littermate, was found in good body condition and later rehomed after being rescued from the same property.
Trigger, the second puppy, survived and was rehomed.
A press appeal issued by the RSPCA led to identification of the owner: Andrew Willshaw, who initially denied owning any dogs and claimed he had not kept animals for 25 years. He later admitted responsibility, suggesting the injuries were caused by the dog becoming entangled in a long lead he had purchased online.
Further investigation revealed that Willshaw had been repeatedly urged by others to return home and check on the dogs while he was working at his pub. He failed to do so.
The puppies had been kept in a shed in his garden, where neighbours reported hearing persistent crying and whimpering.
Their breeder, concerned for their welfare, attended the property and discovered Dave unable to bear weight, with severe injuries to both hind legs.
Sentence
Court: North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court Date: 3–4 August 2026 (sentencing) Conviction: Causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal; failing to meet the needs of a protected animal
Penalty:
18‑month community order
160 hours unpaid work
15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
£1,080–£1,194 costs
£114 victim surcharge
10‑year ban on owning or keeping animals (expires August 2036)
Mitigation: In mitigation, Willshaw’s representative stated that he had been under severe financial pressure while attempting to run a failing pub business, was working long hours, and lacked experience caring for dogs. He was described as previously of good character.
Additional Notes
Dave’s injuries were extensive, infected, and indicative of prolonged suffering.
Veterinary evidence confirmed both historic and recent ligature injuries, septic arthritis, and terminal septicaemia.
The suffering was entirely avoidable through appropriate tethering, regular checks, and prompt veterinary care.
Willshaw’s initial denial of ownership and the extreme nature of the injuries were significant aggravating factors.
Financial pressures and workload did not mitigate the severity of the neglect or the suffering caused.
Trigger survived and was successfully rehomed.
The 10‑year ban reflects judicial recognition of the seriousness of the harm inflicted.
