CONVICTED (2026) | farmer Martin Beattie, born c. 1967, of Shantonagh Road, Fivemiletown BT75 – kept cattle and goats in atrocious conditions and breached farming regulations.
Beattie admitted 21 offences relating to animal welfare, animal by-products and veterinary medicines legislation.
The case followed a series of welfare inspections carried out by DAERA officers between January 2022 and January 2024.
Investigators described the environment as “breathtakingly incompetent,” noting that Beattie repeatedly ignored expert guidance on how to fix his holding.
Fields were severely poached (ruined by deep livestock trampling) and the main housing was poorly maintained with heavily soiled bedding.
Livestock had minimal access to food and water. What little feed was available was heavily contaminated with animal dung and urine.
Due to the levels of prolonged neglect, 29 cattle had to be euthanised on-site by veterinary officials to prevent further pain.
Inspectors also discovered approximately 33 animal carcasses and a quantity of animal bones on the farm.
Sentencing | six-month custodial suspended for two years; ordered to pay a fine of £2,100 and £15 offender levy. Disqualified for life from keeping, owning or participating in the keeping of animals, being party to any arrangement under which animals are kept, and from transporting or arranging the transport of animals. A deprivation order was also granted.
CONVICTED (2025) | puppy dealer Sean McDonagh, born c. 1999, from Omagh – sold ill and dying dogs from the back of a van.
Irish traveller Sean McDonagh had lived in his transit van for two months while selling ill golden retriever and labrador puppies to unsuspecting buyers he targeted online.
The court heard one dog vomited, passed blood and foamed at the mouth after being sold by McDonagh, while others were described as lethargic and lifeless or shivering with the cold. One tiny pup he’d sold was so unwell he had to be put down.
None of the puppies were vaccinated.
McDonagh was finally apprehended in September 2024 after Police Scotland received a report that he was selling puppies from the back of his van in a public car park in Renfrew. Police officers attended the scene with Scottish SPCA investigators where they found three labrador puppies in two carriers in the rear of the van in conditions detrimental to their health.
One of the puppies was severely underweight and lethargic. No water had been provided and bedding was insufficient.
An SIU inspector said: “Upon arrival, it was clear the puppies were being kept in poor and unsafe conditions. One of them was visibly underweight and appeared to be significantly ill. It looked like McDonagh has been living in the van.
All three puppies were removed from McDonagh’s care and taken for urgent veterinary treatment. All were found to have low body condition scores. Two were microchipped but had not been registered.
Tragically, one could not be saved
Three other puppies purchased from McDonagh by members of the public were also underweight, and tested positive for serious and often deadly illnesses including Giardia, severe enteritis, ear infections and Parvovirus.
Two of the dogs were nursed back to health and have since been rehomed into loving families. Sadly one was put to sleep on welfare grounds.
McDonagh, who has links to other puppy rings within the Northern Irish travelling community including a notorious one led by the extended Mongan family from Dunmurry, Belfast, pleaded guilty to five animal welfare charges and one licensing regulations offence.
These were that he caused unnecessary suffering to three golden retriever puppies by failing to seek urgent veterinary care, ultimately leading to the death of one. He also sold labrador puppies without holding a valid pet-selling licence.
All the puppies had been separated prematurely from their mothers and not provided with appropriate vaccinations.
It is suspected that they originated from low welfare puppy farms in Ireland, where hundreds of dogs are routinely bred in unsafe conditions.
Sentencing McDonagh, Sheriff Clare Arias told him: “I was thinking of custody due to the seriousness of this.
“I think a very heavy fine would hurt more than a 100-hour order.
“You pleaded guilty to a number of charges – six in total in respect of your animal welfare offences.
“This was an organised business and was all about making money, to the detriment of these animals.
“One of the animals died as a result of your actions, of the lack of actions of you.
“These were the actions of a conman, selling sick, poorly cared for puppies to members of the public, who were paying hundreds of pounds for sick dogs, one of which had to be put down.
“This was cynical and cruel and entirely motivated by greed.
“You have convictions in Northern Ireland for receiving stolen goods and attempted fraud.
“I have seriously considered custody in relation to this but your agent has persuaded me there is an alternative.”
Speaking after the sentencing hearing the SSPCA inspector added: “We are pleased with the outcome of the court’s decision. This was one of the most harrowing cases I worked on. The dogs were in terrible conditions and deeply distressed. The back of that van is an image that will forever stay with me.
“McDonagh caused huge pain to the puppies and left the owners who went on to purchase them heartbroken.”
Sentencing | £4,800 fine. Banned from owning, keeping, selling and transporting animals, or working with them in any way, as well as from running a service where he’s in charge of any animals, for six years (expires December 2031).
CONVICTED (2024) | notorious puppy farmer Eugene Daly, born 6 April 1982, of 88 Derryfubble Road, Dungannon BT71 7PW – transported very young and unwell puppies from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
Company director Eugene Daly, operator of a dog breeding establishment (DBE) licensed for over 200 dogs by Mid-Ulster Council, was fined after admitting to a charge of ‘transporting a dog not fit for the journey’. The paperwork held by Daly was also inaccurate and fraudulent.
Daly, sole director of Hillside Kennels Ltd and Daly Transport Ltd, was prosecuted after a consignment of his puppies was stopped and examined at Belfast Port.
Puppy farmer and transporter Eugene Daly is pictured with dog groomer girlfriend Sandra Millar who is alleged to sell puppies on his behalf
The case arose as part of Operation Paws for Thought, a multi-agency initiative led by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) aimed at clamping down on the low-welfare trafficking of puppies between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Checks carried out on exports made by Daly discovered that destination addresses held for the puppies were false.
Veterinary examination of the puppies found that some of them were not eight weeks old.
Many seemed poorly socialised, had extended tummies and a pot-bellied appearance consistent with worm infestation.
The bedding in the cages appeared wet and quite heavily soiled. This contradicted Daly’s assertion that the puppies had only been loaded less than two hours previously.
Daly pleaded guilty and was fined £400 plus £15 offender levy.
Daly’s partner is Sandra Millar of Stiloga Road, Eglish, Dungannon BT71 7QH. According to the anti puppy farming campaign group Do Better DoneDeal Millar, a dog groomer trading under the name Happy Tails, sells farmed puppies on her boyfriend’s behalf, while lying that they are home-bred.
Gannon, who was previously convicted of running an illegal venison supply plant, was prosecuted following a police investigation into his activities initiated in January 2020.
Searches were carried out at a property in the Castlederg area and in two food processing plants in Coalisland and Scotland. This led to a further investigation into money laundering.
In court Gannon pleaded guilty to various charges in relation to the possession of criminal property.
Detective Chief Inspector Wilson said: “We welcome the outcome and want to remind the public and any business owners that we will continue to tackle all types of criminality including wildlife crime such as deer poaching and money laundering, investigating reports accordingly.
“The investigations into Mr Gannon’s unlawful activity, were conducted collaboratively with partners from the Food Standard Agency, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, and Derry City and Strabane Environmental Health Council, which highlights our shared determination and commitment to disrupting these types of crime.
“Going forward, the local community is encouraged to report any similar incidents of deer poaching to police, to prevent this illegal activity taking place. I would also like to add that when investigating officers are considering wildlife crime other offences may be identified”.
Sentencing | 200 hours of community service; confiscation order for £6,000.
CONVICTED (2024) | serial animal abuser Liam Reece Aiden Swift, born c. 2001, of McCrea Park, Clogher BT76 0AE – killed two dogs and is suspected of the brutal slaying of a third.
Violent career criminal Liam Swift admitted cruelty offences after two dogs were found dead.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on October 5, 2023, then to another dog on November 12, 2023.
Swift was under investigation for the death of a third dog who had been found with “horrific injuries” several months beforehand.
Dungannon Magistrates Court heard how Swift was arrested over a bail breach on November 11 and, because police knew he owned a dog, they attended his home to ensure she had food and water.
Officers found faeces everywhere and, when the dog didn’t appear, they began checking rooms.
The dog was discovered dead on a pile of rubbish in a cupboard, a chain tightly wrapped around her neck, cutting into the skin.
Then on November 15 police learned there was a second dead dog hidden in a hedge near Swift’s home.
A search revealed the decomposing body of a small dog wrapped in a blanket and placed in a bag.
Swift’s partner confirmed the small dog was hers and she had brought her to Swift’s home on September 23 while staying with him.
She claimed on October 5 another male arrived at the property and ecstasy tablets were produced, which fell on the floor, with her unnamed dog ingesting them.
The dog “became hyper” then fell asleep. However, she later noticed the dog was very wet and asked Swift if he had thrown water over her, which he denied.
The partner left the house for a time but later received a call from Swift claiming he couldn’t waken the dog and she “was in a bad way”.
On return she found the animal “cold and dead”.
She wrapped the dog in a blanket and the pair went outside to bury her. They had no shovel, however, so left the body in the hedge.
Two weeks after the death of this dog, the defendant purchased another dog, but contacted his partner on November 10 claiming he had run away.
The court heard: “This was the death of two dogs killed inside a month and the third dog within a year.
“There is already a live investigation into the death of another dog he allegedly killed in January 2023. Its injuries were horrific.”
A defence barrister said his client had a troubled and complex background. He said that while Swift had some family support, “that has been significantly displaced, particularly as a result of the visceral reaction from the community to these charges”.
“Those who operate outside the law have indicated to the defendant, in no uncertain terms, that he is not to return to his property in light of the views taken.
“Offending of this type will follow him around for the rest of his life.”
The defence conceded Swift is in breach of two suspended sentences but pointed out that neither relate to animal cruelty.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan remarked: “These dogs died horrible and potentially prolonged deaths. It was extreme cruelty to animals who do not deserve to be treated by anybody like that. Cruelty at its most apparent. It was appalling behaviour.”
The judge concluded: “It is my understanding that I can make the disqualification order banning owning any animal for life and that is what I will do. This man should not be around any animal going forward.”
Sentencing | eight-month custodial for the animal cruelty offences with a further two months added for the previously suspended sentences. Lifetime ban in relation to all animals.
Facebook animal welfare group Northern Ireland’s Voice for the Voiceless were contacted late last year by a Clogher resident after they published details of the Liam Swift’s prosecution. The resident set out in detail the nature of Swift’s cruelty to dogs.
#MostEvil | horse trader Mark McGurk, born c. 1998, of Glenpark Road, Gortin, Omagh – stabbed a horse in a revenge attack against traveller Harry Evans
Paedophile Mark McGurk is currently serving a prison term for sexual activity with a child. He was on bail for the horse cruelty matter when he sexually assaulted the child, after a cocaine and alcohol binge at a birthday party on October 5, 2019.
Despite previous denials McGurk ultimately admitted deliberately causing unnecessary suffering to the horse on June 10, 2019.
The court heard police were advised of the horse being stabbed at premises in the Gortreagh Road of Cookstown and on arrival McGurk identified himself as the owner.
An on-call vet was treating the horse and a number of puncture wounds were observed.
McGurk said he has been drinking with a fellow horse trader, traveller Harry Evans (an abuser in his own right albeit not yet convicted) and claimed that Evans had stabbed the horse after becoming “agitated”
Police were told Evans may still be in the area but they found him at his Magherafelt home, where he showed them a video sent to him by McGurk, via Facebook.
The distressing footage clearly showed the horse being stabbed.
McGurk was arrested and interviewed, but with the exception of claiming to own the horse, thereafter made no comment.
A vet provided a report on the severity of the injuries, confirming the horse had to be put down.
McGurk’s defence barrister said: “[He] expresses guilt, shame and remorse, in the strongest possible terms. He was behaving erratically, unpredictably and irrationally at the time. He describes the act as a moment of madness and can give no other explanation. He got emergency assistance from a vet and tried to stop the bleeding.”
Traveller Harry Evans, a horse trader and, like his former friend Mark McGurk, a pervert with a conviction for voyeurism
Asked why the attack was filmed, the defence said the two men had a disagreement to which Judge Ranaghan remarked: “I can’t see it as anything but revenge. Repeatedly stabbing that totally innocent animal which had the misfortune to be in the defendant’s care, was a profoundly evil act.
“I cannot begin to imagine the level of what that defenceless horse suffered involving extreme pain, fear and distress. One cut was very deep and probably caused its death. This wasn’t a moment of madness. It was at least four moments of madness. Blood was pooling around that defenceless animal’s feet. That level of evil cruelty is disturbing.”
Sentencing | jailed for seven months. Seven-year ban on owning any animal.
