CONVICTED (2026) | backyard breeder Alan Crawford, born 9 April 1997, of South Kinmel Street, Rhyl LL18 1BU – starved and neglected a dog, leading to his death.
On an unknown date Crawford, who goes by the nickname ‘Spud Crawford’, was handed a suspended 26-week prison sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to a dog called Pablo. The charges were that he failed to provide the dog with a suitable diet and failed to protect him from pain, suffering, injury, or disease.
The dog did not survive.
Pablo
Crawford then breached his suspended sentence by committing further crimes.
Crawford pleaded guilty to assault by beating against a woman, believed to be his own mother, on Vale Road, Rhyl. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of Class A drugs (cocaine and cannabis).
The court activated his original 26-week animal cruelty sentence and added 10 consecutive weeks for the new offences, resulting in a total jail term of 36 weeks. He has been banned from owning animals but the duration of this isn’t known.
CONVICTED (2026) | Amy Ashbrook, born 15 February 1990, of Sandown Road in Shotton, Deeside CH5 1PB – starved and neglected a French bulldog, a kitten, and five hens.
In a statement provided to the court, RSPCA Inspector Mark Roberts described his visit to the home of mother-of-two Amy Ashbrook.
He wrote: “On arrival I noticed the garden … was full of junk and rubbish including an overflowing skip. There was also a very small chicken coop on the ground containing five adult chickens.
“These birds were in very cramped conditions with very little room to move around or spread their wings. There was no food or water available and the base of the coop was covered in a thick layer of faeces.”
He said: “On entering the kitchen I saw a tan coloured French bulldog in a cage to the left of the door. The cage didn’t have a base in it, just bare wire and the dog was lying on a tea towel.
“This dog was in very poor body condition with one out of nine body condition score (with 4 to 5 being healthy) and had open pressure sores on his back end and another open wound on his spine just forward of his hips.
“Also of concern was the fact that this dog did not react when we entered the kitchen, he just lay there curled up.”
Inspector Roberts said: “My immediate concern was for Reggie. He was still not showing any interest in what was going on around him.”
Ashbrook agreed that Reggie and a “lethargic kitten” called Baguette could be taken to a vet.
Veterinary examination found the kitten was anaemic due to a large flea infestation.
Reggie was found to be emaciated and had untreated open pressure sores, an open wound on his spine and discharge from both eyes.
The chickens were also examined and were said to be “very underweight” and infested with mites but otherwise “bright and alert”.
All animals were signed over to the RSPCA and have since been happily rehomed.
Following sentencing Inspector Roberts said: “Every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and if you have a pet you are responsible for making sure they are happy and healthy.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 20 days of ‘rehab’; ordered to pay a £200 fine and a £ 114 victim surcharge.Banned from keeping all animals for TWO years (expires May 2028).
CONVICTED (2026) | Deivadas Plioplys, born 10 July 1996, of Flat 3, 4 Mitre Terrace, Pwllheli LL53 5HE – punched and kicked a cat.
Lithuanian Plioplys pleaded guilty to “inflicting physical abuse upon” a white and ginger male cat called Bully by “punching and kicking him” in Pwllheli on 27 August 2025.
He also “failed to provide parasitic control or adequate nutrition” to the cat.
No details of Bully’s condition have been published.
Sentencing | 40 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation; prosecution costs of £400 and a £114 surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for just five years (expires March 2031).
CONVICTED (2026) | Christopher Jones, born c 1986, with a most recent reported address of Cae-Pen-Ty Road, Cefn-y-Bedd, Wrexham LL12 9TH – kept a vast menagerie of over 130 exotic and common pets in poor conditions, with many having to be euthanised.
Following an RSPCA investigation and prosecution, Jones admitted six welfare offences relating to 71 rats, 22 snakes, including two royal pythons, 18 mice, seven rabbits, four Chinese hamsters, two African pygmy hedgehogs, three tortoises and a ferret.
Magistrates were told that between April and August 2025 he failed to provide a ‘suitable environment’ for the animals, which he kept in his scruffy semi-detached home.
He also failed to properly care for or get suitable veterinary treatment for seven rats with respiratory issues, a poorly African pygmy hedgehog, who was so weak he could not walk, a royal python with a mouth abscess, and two other snakes with neurological issues.
He also failed to investigate why a reticulated python, a juvenile corn snake and three tortoises, were underweight and in a poor condition.
In mitigation, it was heard that Jones – a convicted stalker – had “suffered a psychotic episode” and was hospitalised for ten days. His lawyer added that his client – “an animal lover with a particular interest in reptiles” – was “struggling to cope”.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said many of the surviving animals had since been ‘happily rehomed.’
‘Every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and you must make sure their needs are met and that they receive the appropriate care and veterinary treatment when needed,’ he said.
‘It is very sad that a number of rats had to be euthanised due to respiratory issues, however, other animals involved in this case have been happily rehomed.
‘Reptiles may look resilient and tough on the outside but they are actually completely reliant on their owners to provide the correct environment for the species, including heating and lighting, and an appropriate diet – all of which are essential to keep them healthy and allow them to carry out their natural behaviour. Without proper care they become ill or suffer and, in severe cases or if left untreated, they can die.’
Sentencing | 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months; 10 rehabilitation activity days; £500 in costs. Five-year ban from keeping all animals (expires March 2031).
CONVICTED (2025) | Edward Caulfield, born c. 1981, currently of Bryn Place, Llay, Wrexham LL12 – starved and neglected multiple horses.
Caulfield, who with wife Sarah Caulfield buys and sells horses and is well-known to the RSPCA, admitted three offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and three of failing to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal.
RSPCA inspectors visited the Caulfields’ stables on Dark Lane, Rossett, Wrexham, 10 times in six years, but identified a significant deterioration in the condition of their horses between November and December 2024.
During a visit on December 4, inspectors noted the stables to be “dirty” and had concerns about the animals’ health.
The following day, a vet and RSPCA officer attended to examine all of the horses.
A number of the animals were found to have overgrown hooves, with other issues such as ulcers, respiratory conditions, scabby skin and evidence of parasitism.
Following the examination, some of the horses had to be euthanised.
During interview, Eddie Caulfield accepted he was the owner of the animals, and said he was the sole person responsible for them.
He indicated the condition of the horses was ‘his fault’ and due to his “own stupidity” claimed he “had a lot of family stuff going on.”
RSPCA prosecutor Peter Mitchell told the court the animals had been neglected over a prolonged period of time. The situation was aggravated by the fact that so many animals were involved and that Caulfield had ignored offers of professional advice.
Alun Williams, defending, said his client now “has no involvement with horses.”
He added that his client “got completely overwhelmed” and said: I could not cope with too many horses.”
The Judge told Caulfield: “The offences you have accepted are that between November 20 and December 6 2024, you caused unnecessary suffering to a number of horses by failing to take adequate steps to ensure you addressed the poor body conditions and obtain veterinary support regarding those animals.
“It is clear the deterioration happened very quickly.
“I’m no expert on the management of stables, but the photograph [I have seen] clearly indicates those horses were in stables which had not been cleared over a significant period of time.
“That adds to the fact you have failed to have regard to the condition of the animals; you didn’t have the farrier coming to check their hooves.
“It is clear those animals would be suffering.
“I have been assisted by a detailed report from the probation team in that you were dealing with personal issues with regard to your wife’s care which led to the horses being significantly neglected.
“Because of this failure, harm has been caused which has led to horses having to be put down.”
The Judge remarked that Caulfield had been “buying and selling horses” with a view to make profit on a “commercial basis.”
Sentencing | 16-week custodial sentence on each offence, to run concurrent – but suspended for 18 months; 10 days of rehabilitation activity and 230 hours of unpaid work; £154 victim surcharge.
Caulfield was disqualified from owning, participating in the keeping of or being party to the management or dealing of horses for a period of 10 years. No application to review that order can be made until six years have passed (expires October 2035).
CONVICTED (2025) | Andrea Parry-Jones, born c. 1990, of Carreg Y Gad Estate, Ffordd Penmynydd, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll LL61 5QF – left a pony in so much pain with a facial fracture he had to be put down.
Parry-Jones, a conservation adviser with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the bay Welsh stallion called Ross, who she kept at her smallholding in Llangaffo on Anglesey.
Trading standards officers visited the smallholding on February 14, 2024 to investigate concerns that animals were being neglected. It was padlocked but they walked down a footpath and got into the yard.
It was very untidy, with litter, feed bags, rubbish, discarded horse rugs and wooden pallets .
Ross was attached to a gate in a muddy field. The court heard that the pony seemed weak but “pleased to see some people”. He was underweight, there was a green discharge from his nose and his eyes were runny. He had a hole to the right of his eye which looked infected.
There was water but a nearby bale of hay had mould and fungus on it.
The inspectors also noticed a strong smell of decay . Looking in a trailer in the yard they found several sheep carcasses under feed bags.
The pony was taken for treatment by equine veterinary surgeon Sarah Green. She found he had various problems and was malnourished with a prominent spine and ribs.
On a scale of one (emaciated) to five (obese) the pony was assessed to be at 0.5. A CT scan found a facial fracture to the front sinus with an open hole.
The pony also had open and bleeding sores from rain scald, a condition caused when skin gets repeatedly wet which allows natural bacteria to cause an infection. Ms Green said the owner should have sought veterinary help.
During questioning, Parry-Jones said the pony had gone into a quarry in December 2023 and come out with “cuts to the legs and face”. She treated him with a spray and antibiotics.
She hadn’t noticed the hole in his face as she only checks on him “in the dark” in the morning and at night. But prosecutor Simon Rogers said: “If that’s true one wonders how she was able to treat him.”
Mr Rogers also said Parry-Jones had minimised allegations about her. He said that she had said: “It’s upsetting to hear (she) is a victim of malicious lies of neglect.”
In March 2023, animal abuser Andrea Parry-Jones was interviewed for BBC Countryfile
Richard Edwards, defending, said Parry-Jones has a degree in Zoology and works for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. She travels around the country teaching conservation.
She has led horse-riding sessions for adults with additional needs. She “genuinely regrets” not noticing the facial injury and taking “further steps”, he added.
She helps look after other owners’ animals as she has grazing land.
The judge His Honour Timothy Petts said: “Sadly his (Ross’s) injury and overall condition were such that he had to be euthanised.”
He said the defendant had been providing “some care but incompetent care”. She had failed to treat the facial fracture and failed to treat the rain scald.
The judge decided not to ban Parry-Jones from keeping animals, believing there was a low risk of her reoffending. He said if she were banned some of the animals she looks after would have to be euthanised so a ban would have “fatal consequences for them”.
Sentencing | six-month custodial term, suspended for 12 months; 20 days of rehabilitation activity; £2,000 towards prosecution costs. No ban.
CONVICTED (2025) | Jack Tyler, born c. 2001, of Tyn Celyn Fedw, Carrog, Corwen LL21 9LA but originally from Torpoint, Cornwall – filmed himself raping and abusing his two pet dogs.
Sadistic sexual deviant Tyler admitted a string of disturbing offences including sexually abusing two family dogs.
For many years he anally raped, beat up and strangled a black spaniel and a Jack Russell terrier to such an extent that the dogs gave up their ability to fight back from the extreme abuse they received.
The spaniel had to be put down after losing control of her bowels while the terrier was removed from the home by veterinary services and later died from liver failure.
Last year, Tyler pleaded guilty to offences that included causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and sexual activity with an animal.
He also admitted possessing and distributing indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of a child and possession of extreme pornographic images.
A total of 1,857 images were found on a computer tower, 463 images on a hard drive and 91 on his mobile phone. They included images across all three categories of severity, including sexual abuse of a baby.
This unnamed family pet reportedly died after being repeatedly raped by Jack Tyler.
Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police also found eight files containing videos of Tyler sexually abusing the family dogs, including by raping them with his penis and with sex toys, punching them and suffocating or strangling them into submission when they tried to get away.
The offences took place in 2020 and 2021 while Tyler was living in Bodmin, Cornwall.
In messages on an app, Tyler talked to others about sexually abusing the dogs, as well as sexually pleasuring himself in a family member’s underwear and sharing a wish to rape a friend’s dog.
Prosecutor Lewis Aldous said that a vet report concluded that the two dogs had suffered so much physically, mentally and sexually that they had lost their fight-or-flight ability. He said Tyler’s behaviour had been sadistic and prolonged with no care for the welfare of the animals and for the impact the indecent images in his possession have on children.
The court was told that Tyler was arrested in October 2021 in relation to the images found on his devices, but when the National Crime Agency discovered that more indecent images were being uploaded to the internet from an address linked to him, police searched his house and discovered more devices included phones that he had been using.
Mr Aldous said he had been given the new devices by his parents without any parental control on them.
Christopher Cuddihee, representing Tyler, said his client had been living in a largely “virtual existence.”
“He’s become utterly desensitised to what he’s observing on the internet. There is clearly a long journey to come back from the very dark places he’s gone to in his teens and early adulthood,” said Mr Cuddihee.
“This is a grim modern tale of a young person being lost in the darkest parts of the internet.
“He doesn’t have significant parental oversight. He hasn’t had a structured educational history or experience.
“He doesn’t seem to engage in the real world with real people.
“He has become completely and utterly lost.”
Mr Cuddihee added that Tyler did not appear to have received support for his autistic spectrum disorder and was “crying out for treatment.”
He had meningitis at 18 that had caused a significant hearing impairment.
Judge Simon Carr said this was the most disturbing list of sexual offences he had to sentence someone for. He said the abuse the dogs had received had been the most “horrific” he had seen.
“It’s as bad a case of animal cruelty and bestiality you can imagine. There is only one reason for recording the offences, that is so you could watch and relive and masturbate over the images again and again, impervious to the pain the animals were experiencing.”
He said Tyler had shown no empathy for any of the animals and children being abused in the photographs and videos found on his computers. He added: “You have no empathy or remorse or understanding of the harm that you have caused.”
Judge Carr said Tyler presents a great risk of reoffending if left out of prison and would pose a risk of harm to other people and animals.
“It’s clear that you understand how others see what you did as wrong”, Judge Carr told him. “But in truth you do not think that what you have done is wrong. You do not think you need help.”
Despite taking into consideration the fact that Tyler would certainly be at risk of falling prey to others in prison, Judge Carr sentenced him to three years in prison. He must serve at least 40% of the time before being eligible for release on licence. Tyler is also banned from having animals for life with a minimum of 10 years. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for life and has a 10-year order ban on accessing the internet imposed on him.
Sentencing | three-year immediate custodial; 10-year sexual harm prevention order. Lifetime ban with 10-year minimum preventing Tyler from owning or having any contact with animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | Ryan Brennan, born c. 2000, of Kennel Cottage, Pen Y Lan, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6HD – interfered with a badger sett.
Wildlife criminal Ryan Brennan – a terrierman with the Wynnstay Hunt, which terrorises foxes in the Flintshire, Shropshire and Cheshire countryside.
In January 2024, Brennan, who is employed as a terrierman with the Wynnstay Hunt, interfered with the sett by filling it in, which can cause the animal unnecessary harm and suffering. The intention behind this practice, which is commonly used by ‘trail’ hunts, is to prevent foxes being illegally hunted from taking refuge in a sett.
Brennan with Holly Webster, who is also involved with the Wynnstay Hunt
West Mercia Police PC Jono Lightfoot, who led the investigation, said: “At West Mercia we take wildlife crime very seriously and will investigate any reports we receive of people interfering with protected animals, such as badgers.
“We are pleased with the sentence handed to Brennan by the judge, and we hope this sends a strong message to anyone who plans on carrying out wildlife crimes.”
Sentencing | 10-week custodial sentence suspended for one year.
CONVICTED (2024) | Anthony Lloyd Wilkinson, born 10 October 1995, of Rhedyw Road, Llanllyfni, Caernarfon LL54 and Stephen Lee Jones, born October 1991, of Bro Rhos, Bethel, Caernarfon LL55 – for interfering with a badger sett.
Badger baiters Anthony Wilkinson (left) and Stephen Lee Jones who are both from Caernarfon, North Wales
Wilkinson and Lee Jones caused a dog to enter a badger sett, which resulted in it being damaged.
Appearing at Llandudno Magistrates Court on 16 October 2024, they pleaded guilty to the charges of interfering with, and damaging a badger sett.
The incident happened in Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd, on January 7, 2024.
Enquiries by North Wales Police identified two suspects and search warrants were later carried out in partnership with the RSPCA on two addresses under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, resulting in two dogs being seized under the Animal Welfare Act.
The badger is a protected species, and it is illegal to kill, injure or capture them, or to interfere with their setts.
Sentencing | 12-week prison sentence, suspended for a year; ordered to pay £600 each towards the RSPCA’s costs. Disqualified from keeping dogs for four years (expires October 2028).
CONVICTED (2024) | James Owen, born c. 1990, of Nant-y-Mynydd, Llanfechell, Amlwch LL68 0SS – found with pornographic material depicting sex acts with animals including a tortoise, a horse and a dog.
Pervert James Owen, from Amlwch, Anglesey, Wales, was caught with videos depicting bestiality and an image of child abuse.
Videos and images of people having sex with animals were discovered on Owen’s phone after he was arrested by North Wales Police in 2022. An image of a young girl no older than 10 being abused was also found.
In court Owen pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornographic videos and images portraying intercourse with an animal and making an indecent photograph of a child.
The court heard Owen came to the attention of North Wales Police officers while the force was conducting inquiries into other suspects.
After Owen’s devices were seized police found four images and 24 videos of a person conducting sex with live animals.
Sentencing | six-month custodial, suspended for 18 months; 100 hours of unpaid work; 45 sessions of a programme for sex offenders; alcohol treatment requirement; 45 days of rehabilitation activity.
