Category Archives: horse traders

Equine Abuse, horse traders, Lifers, riding stables, stud farms and livery yards, Worst of the Worst

Ditton Fields, Cambridge: Sam Duckworth

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CONVICTED (2022) | grand prix dressage rider and horse breeder/trader Sam Duckworth, born July 1980, director of Five Star Stud Ltd, 589 Newmarket Road, Ditton Fields, Cambridge CB5 8PA – convicted of multiple counts of cruelty in relation to five young horses.

Grand prix dressage rider Sam Duckworth was jailed and banned from keeping all animals for life after showing a "cavalier" attitude to animal welfare.
Grand prix dressage rider Sam Duckworth was jailed and banned from keeping all animals for life after showing a “cavalier” attitude to animal welfare.

Duckworth was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to the three fillies and two colts by failing to investigate and address the cause of their poor body condition and weight loss, and for failing to take steps to meet their needs. He was also found guilty of failing to provide an adequate parasite control plan, required farriery and a suitable diet, and failing to seek veterinary attention in respect of the animals’ poor condition.

Horses abused by dressage rider Sam Duckworth from Cambridge

The charges applied from December 2020 to January 2021, when the horses were seized by the RSPCA from a site in the village of Wichenford, Worcestershire.

Horses abused by dressage rider Sam Duckworth from Cambridge

Prosecutor Sara Pratt said that of the five horses, one was owned by Duckworth while the others were entrusted to his care. Sadly, one of the seized horses died in RSPCA care, having become unwell.

Ms Pratt said: “The prosecutions says Mr Duckworth ignored warnings and professional advice given to him.

“He was dismissive of the RSPCA and the advice he was given by RSPCA vets and his own. We find he failed properly to follow advice on feed and worming.”

Ms Pratt said Duckworth also ignored warnings about the horses’ welfare from the provider of the premises where the horses were kept, Melvin Sanders, and part-time employee Lauren Ball.

Horses abused by dressage rider Sam Duckworth from Cambridge

District judge Ian Strongman said that Mr Sanders was “put upon” by Duckworth to care for the horses.

“[Mr Sanders] did so because he felt for the animals and didn’t want to see them without,” Mr Strongman said.

He added that Ms Ball was highly experienced but only employed for an hour each day, “but she did an awful lot of extra work because she was concerned for the horses’ welfare, and ignored instructions from Mr Duckworth about feeding them,”

Mr Strongman said. “She felt they needed more feed, and but for her, the animals could have been in a worse condition.”

The court heard the horses’ body condition scores were one at 0.5 on the 0-5 scale, three at one and one at 1.5.

Sam Duckworth - horse abuser

Ms Pratt said that Duckworth “displayed what might be called a cavalier attitude to these horses in his care and failed to follow advice given by professionals. ”

She added that his behaviour appeared to be “bordering on arrogance, of knowing better than anyone, so we feel this likely to extend to other animals in his care. He’s simply unable to see his own failings or follow advice.

She concluded: “According to him, he had the financial means to look after the horses but simply chose not to.”

Horses abused by dressage rider Sam Duckworth from Cambridge

Duckworth’s lawyer, Stuart Jessop, argued that the case was serious but not as serious as many that come before court and that his client was “a man of good character” .

He said his client’s neglect of the horses was not prolonged and there was evidence of “ample hay, bedding and feed”.

He conceded that Duckworth “didn’t attend much” but said this was during Covid, which limited his ability to be on the premises.

Jessop said Duckworth’s only income was less than £1,000 per month from his parents, but Mr Strongman rejected this. He said: “I understand … he had about 100 horses and breeding 60-80 foals a year, which he presumably sells. I find him an unreliable witness and I don’t think anything he could say would change my mind.”

There was dispute over the ownership of the horses but Mr Strongman said that as he had not seen sufficient evidence to suggest otherwise, he ruled that all belonged to Duckworth so a deprivation order was made on them.

Horses abused by dressage rider Sam Duckworth from Cambridge

Jailing Duckworth, Mr Strongman said: “It’s one of those cases where appropriate punishment can only be achieved with an immediate custodial sentence.”

Speaking about the case, RSPCA inspector and equine officer Suzi Smith said: “As an experienced horsewoman, it is very difficult for me to see any horses in such poor condition, especially for these youngsters who have been given such a poor start in life, when they should have been receiving professional care.

“It is always frustrating when a horse owner does not follow veterinary advice. It’s unacceptable for anyone to cause an animal to suffer, and particularly someone who is responsible for animals in a professional capacity.”

Sentencing | immediate 18-week prison sentence; ordered to pay £68,860 in costs, including the care of the horses since the seizure. Banned from keeping all animals for life and cannot apply to reverse this for five years.

Horse & Hound

Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies

Bardney, Lincolnshire: Davina Leedham

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CONVICTED (2022) | Davina Ann Leedham, born c. 1960, currently of no fixed abode – for cruelty to 13 horses.

Horse neglected by Davina Leedham, Lincolnshire. Image source: Lincolnite

Horse trader Leedham failed to explore and address the poor condition of 12 equines, and caused unnecessary suffering to a 13th horse by failing to seek appropriate professional veterinary care to address an infected wound to his leg. She also failed to meet the needs of two horses.

She appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on October 25, 2022, for sentencing after a trial – heard in her absence in July 2021 – found her guilty.

An arrest warrant without bail was issued following the trial and Leedham was arrested by police in October 2022 and held in custody before being sentenced via video link.

RSPCA inspectors and officers from Bransby Horses attended a location in Branston Fen, Bardney in July 2019, following concerns raised by the police who were in the area dealing with an unrelated matter. A vet was also in attendance.

Horse neglected by Davina Leedham, Lincolnshire. Image source: Lincolnite

There they discovered a large number of horses with many in poor body condition.

Many of those found outside were kept in areas where there was little to no grass available in any of the enclosures and there was no shelter.

Inside a barn were three penned areas housing two ponies and a horse.

A small enclosure housed a chestnut pony in poor bodily condition, with the equine’s spine and pelvis clearly visible and hooves overgrown. The pen was very small and was constructed from a combination of metal gates and wooden pallets, measuring approximately 8ft by ft.

Further into the barn was a slightly larger enclosure with fencing approximately 6-7ft high, giving the pen the appearance of a cage.

Horse neglected by Davina Leedham, Lincolnshire. Image source: Lincolnite

A bay coloured horse in poor bodily condition with ribs, spine and pelvis clearly visible was housed in this pen. This horse stood in the same position throughout, weaving his head from side to side. His hooves were also overgrown.

One horse had an untreated wound on his right quarter.

One colt was in discomfort and pain due to persistent lameness. Very sadly, an independent vet advised he should be put to sleep on welfare grounds.

In mitigation the defendant said that she had failed to attend the trial as her mother had been ill. She claimed that the horse with the leg wound had been under vet treatment.

Speaking after the case, RSPCA inspector Kate Burris said: “The conditions which these horses had been kept in were unacceptable and so many of them were in such poor bodily condition with their ribs visible and overgrown hooves – it was heartbreaking to see.

“We are so very grateful to Bransby Horses for taking on such a large number of horses and I am so pleased that they have all thrived since being in their care.”

Rachel Jenkinson, external welfare manager at Bransby Horses said: “Bransby Horses were able to provide the specialist care and attention these horses needed thanks to the fantastic support we receive from the public and we thank them unreservedly – it doesn’t bear thinking what would have happened were it not for charities like us and the RSPCA.

“Following a long road to recovery 14 of the horses we took in that day have recovered well but the trauma they endured cannot be ignored.”

Sentencing | 20 weeks’ immediate custody; £500 costs. Banned from keeping all animals for 10 years.

The Lincolnite

Animal Abandonment, Cats, Dogs, donkeys and mules, Equine Abuse, farms / smallholdings, Food Production, horse traders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Multiple Species, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders, Serial Animal Abusers, Traveller Animal Crimes, Worst of the Worst

Brierley Hill, West Midlands: John and Lisa Evans

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CONVICTED (2022) | John Jason ‘JJ’ Evans, born 23 November 1976, and wife Lisa Evans, born 26 April 1977, of Hurst Lea, Pedmore Road, Brierley Hill, Dudley DY5 1TP – starved almost 30 neglected animals and left them trapped in squalid conditions on a scrap yard.

Lisa and John Evans starved their animals and kept them locked up in faeces-ridden dilapidated enclosures.

On 29 July 2021 RSPCA inspectors supported by officers from West Midlands Police raided a property occupied by gypsies JJ Evans and wife Lisa Evans where they found a large number of animals “in a state of neglect and malnourishment”.

With no food or water, the animals were abandoned and left to live in their own filth.

Two vets were at the scene and at least five RSPCA vehicles were sent to take the animals into care, with officers from the police and animal charity seen taking several dogs into the back of vans.

Hurst Lea is a residential property with the animals being kept in kennels, sheds, shipping containers, horse boxes and vans within a scrap yard to its rear
Satellite image of Hurst Lea, which is home to gypsy travellers JJ and Lisa Evans and their offspring

The area was cordoned off as dogs of different breeds and sizes were taken from the yard, with many of their rib cages visible through their skin.

A total of 18 dogs, three cats, six horses and a donkey were removed after being found shut in dilapidated kennels, sheds, shipping containers, horse boxes and vans within a scrap yard behind the house the couple share with their various offspring, including adult son Blake Evans, and extended family members.

Initially it was reported that three men, aged 44, 41 and 20, had been arrested but ultimately only JJ Evans and wife Lisa Evans ended up in court.

Surrounded by hazards such as old washing machines, tyres and gas canisters, none of the animals had bedding and very few had access to water or food.

Some animals were so malnourished their ribs and hips could be seen poking through their skin. Others were so ill they were in desperate need of veterinary help.

A dead kitten, the body of a decomposing puppy and the skull of another animal were also uncovered.

The case has since been dubbed one of the worst animal welfare cases the RSPCA has dealt with.

The court heard how rescuers were forced to use head torches as they searched for animals and initially discovered six horses – including three foals curled up together in a heap on the floor.

RSPCA inspector Jack Alderson said: “This enclosure was too small for this number of animals. There was no hay or any other food available and although there was a large black trough in front of me, it contained nothing.

“The floor was completely sodden with a large build-up of faeces and the roof wasn’t large enough to cover the animals inside. This was compounded by the numerous hazards dotted around the enclosure including gates and ladders on the floor.”

Another horse was found in a pen with its ribs and hips ‘clearly visible’. There was no food or water in the pen, the floor was covered with faeces and there was a strong smell of ammonia.

Inspectors noticed the only access point to the pen had been blocked with car doors, pallets, a car engine, a large white box, and other large objects. Two kittens were also found inside a shed, along with another dead kitten with a hole in its abdomen exposing flesh and bone.

There was also a skull of another animal, the RSPCA said. Mr Alderson added: “Upon opening the door to the shed, both live kittens rushed to get out.

“Both were in very poor body condition and were calling frantically to show they were very hungry.” A horsebox inside the yard had no food or water and was covered in a build-up of faeces and contained another horse with visible ribs and hips.

The horse was also caked in faeces around his legs and feet. Two lurchers were discovered in ‘poor bodily condition’, tethered to their kennels with no food, water or bedding.

Six more dogs were found in an outdoor kennel – which had dried faeces and old bedding on the floor – without suitable access to water. The body of a decomposing puppy was also uncovered in the back of a white transit van, while a blue horse box-style container nearby had a horse with its ribs and spine visible inside it.

Three dogs were found in a garden and two puppies were uncovered in crates stacked on top of each other within the house. A collie-type dog and a long-haired terrier were also within a crate, which had no bedding, food or water. It contained children’s toys, urine and faeces. The dogs did not have space to sit down or rest comfortably.

Inspectors went on to find a shipping container split into two compartments housing a male German shepherd and female mastiff.

Both dogs were lethargic with their bones visible, while the female dog had a swollen eye which was discharging a large amount of green fluid.

Mr Alderson said: “The conditions in this enclosure were also horrendous.

“The floor consisted of animal faeces and there was no comfortable rest area. The mastiff was in a concerning state, clearly suffering from a painful eye issue, a lack of adequate nutrition, and living in filth.

“This was one of the worst animal welfare situations I have ever been faced with.”

Sentencing | John Evans was jailed for 16 weeks while Lisa Evans was handed a 12-week sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also given a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. £500 costs and victim surcharge. Lifetime ban on keeping animals but may appeal after 10 years.

Dudley News
Birmingham Live

Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies, Paedophiles / Sex Offenders, Traveller Animal Crimes, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Gortin, County Tyrone: Mark McGurk

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#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.

Armagh I

Dogs, Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies, Multiple Species, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders, Traveller Animal Crimes

Coundon, County Durham: Shaun Brownless

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CONVICTED (2022) | backyard breeder and horse trader Shaun Edwin Brownless, born 27 February 1985, of 2a Well Chare, Coundon, Bishop Auckland DL14 8PF – neglected multiple animals in his care.

Brownless, a traveller and violent criminal, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The court heard he caused suffering to dogs and horses by failing to explore and address the causes of the animals’ poor condition.

The animals in his care, which included several litters of puppies, have been taken off him.

These included

  • A chocolate-coloured female bull breed
  • A white brindle male lurcher
  • A tan male lurcher
  • A black and white female lurcher
  • A black and tan female rottweiler
  • A litter of spaniel puppies
  • A tan male cocker spaniel
  • A female pregnant tan and white cocker spaniel,
  • A red female labrador
  • Horses
Shaun and Lyndsey Brownless

The defendant’s guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence.

Sentencing | 250 hours of unpaid work; costs of £4895 to CPS and £95 victim surcharge.

Northern Echo

Additional Information

Shaun Brownless, director of a construction company named H&B Screeders Ltd, is a prolific dog breeder and, along with his wife Lyndsey Marie Brownless (née Lyndsey McKerry), regularly advertises litters of puppies on Facebook.

He has been known to offer puppies as a raffle prize to fellow travels, which is illegal.

He is also a horse trader.

Animal Abandonment, Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Tarleton, West Lancashire: Jack and Barbara Carter

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#MostEvil | Jack Carter, born c. 1946, and wife Barbara Carter, born c . 1948 of Bank Bridge, Liverpool Road, Tarleton, Preston PR4 6HJ – for the prolonged mistreatment and neglect of nine horses, eight of which had to be put down.

The Carters admitted "barbaric" cruelty to nine horses.
The Carters admitted “barbaric” cruelty to nine horses.

Jack and Barbara Carter, who bred, showed and kept horses for 60 years, both pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences when they appeared before Lancashire Magistrates in a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.

The charity said the pair neglected “every basic aspect” of care for the nine horses and kept them in a “barbaric” state.

RSPCA inspector Vicki McDonald and Lancashire Police officers went to the couple’s home on Bank Bridge in April 2021 after they had previously avoided inspections, “citing various reasons”.

Jack Carter denied there were any ponies or horses on site, but “reluctantly agreed” to show Inspector McDonald the stable behind the house.

She told the court of her shock from what she found in this stable and a further three ramshackle stables which she checked, and discovered a further three stabled ponies in a yard area directly behind the house.

Inspector McDonald said: “Inside the first stable I found a grey pony in horrendous environmental and physical condition. I had never seen anything like it in my entire career. The pony was stood on top of deep rotting litter that had built up so much that it reached the top of the stable door. The pony was unable to fully stand up and its back protruded through a hole in the stable roof.

“In addition to that, I saw that the pony had severely overgrown feet beyond anything I had seen before. The hooves extended out and corkscrewed. Further rotting litter was piled up in front of the stable preventing the stable door from opening.

“The next stable I saw housed a chestnut and white pony and across from that were two further grey ponies. The two grey ponies’ behaviour was particularly disturbing. They seemed very stressed and erratic. I noticed that all the ponies had matting to their coats. They also had patches of sore skin, most likely from having no option but to lie in their own filth.

“To say the physical and environmental conditions of these ponies was shocking is a gross understatement. As with the first pony I had found, these were also stood on deep rotting litter piled as high as the stable doors inside and also in front of the doors preventing any possibility of the stable doors opening. They all had horrendously overgrown hooves that had started to corkscrew. There was very little room for them to move around or even stand normally. Again their backs reached the stable roofs.

“It was obvious that none of these ponies had been out of their stables or been seen by a farrier for a very considerable amount of time, if at all. It was my opinion that based on what I had seen it was highly possible that these ponies had been in these stables all their lives.”

The inspector called for an independent vet to attend the site and sadly the vet advised that all four ponies would need to be put to sleep to end their suffering.

The ponies couldn’t get out of their stables due to their ill health and the build-up of filth meaning staff had to dig their way in and break down a wooden wall to get to them.

The equine veterinary surgeon said in her report that the horses were neglected in every aspect of basic requirements and stated the conditions they were kept in were “extremely barbaric”.

Inspector McDonald added: “The severe lack of care and level of suffering endured by these ponies was prolonged, wholly avoidable and totally inexcusable. It was heartbreaking to find them in such a neglectful state and for them, after such an awful life, to be beyond saving.

“These ponies were kept stabled within a few feet of the back door to the Carter’s home address. They would have seen them daily and their plight would have been ignored daily. The extreme level of neglect I witnessed, in this case, is unlikely to ever be surpassed and will remain with me.

“They were imprisoned in cramped, ramshackle and rotting conditions, forced to live and lie amongst their own faecal matter. They could not stand naturally, they could not behave naturally, graze, exercise or socialise amongst others of their kind, they were not provided with any of the necessary veterinary or farrier care they urgently required and they could not escape their confines or be accessed in an emergency.

“In my opinion, the neglect of these ponies was physically, environmentally and psychologically cruel and this had clearly been their existence for a considerable period of time.”

Jack Carter then told the RSPCA that they had two more ponies stabled a short walk away on Liverpool Road but another five ponies were found there.

They had access to food and water but they were also in a neglected state and had a range of health problems.

The horses found there were signed over to the RSPCA and were taken for an emergency veterinary examination. Four out of the five were found to be suffering to the point where the vets decided the kindest thing to do was put them to sleep.

The remaining pony was rehabilitated and will now be found a new home.

Sentencing: 12-week suspended sentences; £500 costs. Banned from keeping animals for life.

BBC News
Liverpool Echo

Dogs, donkeys and mules, Equine Abuse, farms / smallholdings, Food Production, horse traders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Multiple Species, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders, Traveller Animal Crimes

Ripley, Surrey: Geoffrey Bennett

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CONVICTED (2021) | puppy farmer/horse dealer Geoffrey John Bennett, born c. 1954, of Hurst Farm, Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Woking GU23 6EY – kept dozens of animals in squalor on his puppy farm; some found collapsed and dying in filthy conditions.

Geoffrey Bennett pictured outside court
Geoffrey Bennett

Geoffrey Bennett, a dealer of low value horses and donkeys with strong links to the travelling community, was jailed for 19 weeks having pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to two horses and one goat, failing to meet the needs of 171 animals, and six offences of failing to properly dispose of animal by-products.

Bennett “accepted no responsibility nor expressed anything resembling remorse” in relation to the charges, Recorder Darren Reed told the court.

A total of 204 animals were discovered and tragically two starving horses and a collapsed goat had to be put down at the scene to prevent them from any more suffering.

The 201 others were taken for appropriate care, including 129 horses and donkeys, 59 dogs, three alpacas, five goats, four chickens and one duck.

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

Some of the sickest animals received immediate veterinary care while others were taken for treatment nearby, and those that were considered fit to travel by on-site vets were transferred to various charities and sanctuaries.

Bennett and partner Christine Kelly went on trial, accused of 24 counts, most of which were related to animal cruelty. The case against Kelly was later discontinued although she went on to be prosecuted for other animal welfare offences*.

Inspectors found a scene of horror at Hurst Farm with dogs, horses, goats and other animals living in squalor.
RSPCA rescuers worked with Bransby Horses, Redwings, The Horse Trust, The Donkey Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare in “one of the biggest coordinated rescue missions the UK has ever seen”.

Rescuers discovered two starving ponies, suffering from cyathostominosis, in one pen and a goat collapsed in another. Sadly these animals couldn’t be saved.

Herds of ponies, many riddled with worms, were living out in fields with hazardous metal and broken fencing sticking up from the thick mud.
Inside two barns were pens full with donkeys, goats, alpacas and ponies, many of them standing on top of 2ft to 3ft of months’ worth of waste and faeces.

Dogs crammed together in cages at Hurst Farm

Bennett failed to provide drinking water, parasitic treatment, adequate nutrition, dental care, hoof and nail trimming, veterinary treatment for infections, disease and lameness, clean and dry resting places and living space.

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

The charity also found dogs, some heavily pregnant, chained and tethered in a filthy yard, with others shut inside small cages or makeshift kennels.

During the raid, “bones and carcasses” were discovered wrapped in horse rugs on a muck heap including “one equine [carcass]”, prosecutor Hazel Stevens told the court.

Bone samples were collected for analysis and according to Ms Stevens, a goat leg was also found.

A video showing upsetting scenes of what the RSPCA discovered upon executing the warrant was played in court as Bennett watched on.

Twenty foals were born in charity care, two of which were stillborn, as well as six goat kids, one alpaca and nine puppies – but two died shortly after birth.

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

Defending, Michael Fullerton said Bennett was retired and had “no intention” of going back to farming.

He added: “In respect of the general condition of the farm, December 2018 and January 2019 were particularly wet.

“The areas with significantly muddy tracks, that was because tractor would go through to spread the hay for the horses. Muddy yes, but food was available for those in the field.”

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

Bennett was sentenced for causing unnecessary suffering to two horses and one goat, failing to meet the needs of 171 animals and six counts of failing to properly dispose of animal by-products.

Speaking about the case, RSPCA Special Operations Unit case officer Kirsty Withnall said: “The RSPCA and World Horse Welfare officers had received complaints about the farm and had been looking into these concerns and gathering evidence.

“This was a huge multi-agency rescue mission which was the culmination of weeks of planning and evidence gathering. In total, there were 100 staff from different agencies working on the case to help round up the animals.

“It took almost 12 hours on the day to assess all of the animals, load them into horse boxes and animal ambulances, and move them off-site; making it one of the biggest coordinated rescue missions the UK has ever seen.

“We had to have a plan in place that would allow us to remove a large number of animals on the day but we hoped that wouldn’t be necessary and had no idea what action would be taken until vets were able to assess all of the animals.”

She added: “The reason I do my job is because I care passionately about animals and I’ll be overjoyed when all of these animals are in loving homes being given the care, love and attention they deserve.”

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

PC Hollie Iribar from Surrey Police commented: “As a Rural and Wildlife Crime Officer for Surrey Police, I have witnessed some devastating acts of animal cruelty over the years.

“This was one of the most difficult cases I’ve seen, and I am grateful to the RSPCA and our other partner agencies for the hard work put in to bring this case to trial.

“I’m very glad that this heartbreaking case has seen a resolution in the courts, and that the animals involved were rescued and given a second chance at a happy and healthy life.”

Images from Hurst Farm show the true extent of the terrible conditions experienced by more than 170 animals in the care of Surrey horse dealer, Geoff Bennett.

A spokesperson from World Horse Welfare described the case as “challenging”, and added: “We are relieved that we were able to help remove so many horses from these conditions so they could have a better life and receive the care they deserve.”

Sentencing: jailed for 19 weeks and disqualified from keeping all animals for life.

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Surrey Live

*Update 26 August 2022

Christine June Kelly was found guilty of 15 offences under the Animal Welfare Act after a trial over dates in June and August 2022.

Christine Kelly pictured outside court
Christine Kelly

Kelly was found guilty of failing to meet the needs of 131 equines by failing to provide a suitable environment, a water supply, adequate nutrition, routine dental or farrier care, or adequate parasitic treatment or control and treatment for prevention of illness and disease.

She was also convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a number of horses, dogs and goats.

She was handed a 26-week prison sentence – suspended for 18 months – as well as being disqualified from keeping all animals for life. A deprivation order – relating to 12 dogs and seven horses – was also issued, meaning the charities can now rehome them.

All other animals had previously been signed over for care by the charities or to be rehomed.

Surrey Live

Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies

Kintore, Aberdeenshire: Margaret Greaves

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CONVICTED (2021) | Margaret (Margie or Margs) Greaves, born 8 September 1955, of Balbithan, Kintore, Inverurie AB51 0UQ – allowed a pony to suffer in severe pain for at least a week.

Animal abuser Margie Greaves from Inverurie and the young horse in her care who had to be put down


Greaves, who breeds and shows Shetland ponies under the name ‘Chapelhill’ delayed having Il-month-old Zafira put down, even though the animal was unable to walk and had a wound that was worn down to the bone.

Greaves told the court she did so in the hope it would remedy itself, despite vets saying the pony should be euthanised.

The court heard how between June 28 and July 4, 2020, Zafira had suffered an injury caused by fence wire.

Zafira was eventually put down, but only after ‘at least seven days’ of suffering, having endured necrosis and infection.

Animal abuser Margie Greaves from Inverurie

Greaves admitted allowing the pony to ‘suffer unduly’ in her care at a farm steading at Balcraig, near Kintore, Aberdeenshire.

Sheriff Graeme Napier told Greaves that in light of the pain and suffering she caused Zafira he would fine her £3,375. However, he did not disqualify her from working with horses.

Press Reader

Animal Abandonment, Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies, Traveller Animal Crimes

Limavady, County Londonderry: Francis McWilliams

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CONVICTED (2021) | horse trader Francis McWilliams, born 11 August 1959, of 58A Kilhoyle Road, Drumsurn, Limavady BT49 0PU – starved and neglected four horses

Francis McWilliams, a traveller, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Chestnut horse and to failing to ensure the welfare of three other horses, on the Boleran Road, Garvagh.

The charges were brought against McWilliams by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council under the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011.

Animal welfare officers from the council visited the field in Garvagh and found a number of horses to be in poor condition, with their ribs, spines and pelvic bones protruding. When no owner presented themselves despite cards left over a period of seven days, four horses were taken into the Council’s possession after a vet attended with an officer and instructed that they should be removed.

The vet concluded that the horses were in poor physical condition and were suffering due lack of adequate nutrition.

Sentencing: eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years; total costs of £7267. Disqualified from keeping horses for five years (expires July 2026).

Causeway Coast Community
Coleraine Times

Equine Abuse, farms / smallholdings, Food Production, Hoarders, horse traders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Multiple Species, Serial Animal Abusers, Traveller Animal Crimes

Bonvilston, Vale of Glamorgan: Thomas Tony Price and Luanne Bishop

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#MostEvil | serial animal abuser and so-called ‘Gypsy Horse King’ Thomas Tony Price, born 3 June 1964, and partner Luanne Bishop, both of Redway Road, Bonvilston, Cardiff CF5 – for cruelty to horses and sheep kept in atrocious conditions

Serial animal abuser Thomas Tony Price and partner in crime Luanne Bishop from Wales
Tom Price was sent to prison and banned for life from keeping any animals after a history of prosecutions for mistreatment. HIs partner Luanne Bishop also received a lifetime ban with an exception for certain species …

In his latest conviction for animal cruelty horse trader and breeder Thomas Tony Price was found guilty on 32 counts of failing to ensure a suitable environment for horses and sheep.

Price was sentenced to six months in prison and banned for life from keeping any animals after a history of prosecutions for mistreatment that had previously seen him receive a five-year disqualification in 2013.

Before passing sentence, District Judge Neil Thomas told Price that the evidence against him had been compelling. He had failed to manage the animals competently and was hopelessly overstocked.

The judge also took a dim view of the fact Price had obstructed officers during the course of their duties at one of the sites.

Price and Bishop kept animals in atrocious conditions and left them to suffer with untreated open wounds

Price’s co-defendant and partner, Luanne Bishop, pleaded guilty to 31 of the charges and was sentenced at the same hearing to a 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months. She will have to wear an electronic tag for that period and be subject to a night-time curfew between 9pm and 6am. Bishop was also disqualified from keeping any animals for life, except for a number of specified pets.

Gypsy Horse King Tom Price pictured in 2019 with partner Luanne Bishop and their daughter

The case was brought to trial under the Animal Welfare Act by Shared Regulatory Services, the body responsible for providing Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing functions across the Bridgend, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Local Authority areas.

Dave Holland, Head of Shared Regulatory Services, said: “Mr Price has a track record of mistreating animals and I hope this sentence sends out a message that such neglect and cruelty will not be tolerated in our Local Authority areas.

“The decision to hand down a prison sentence and the lifetime disqualification reflects the seriousness of these offences and the extreme suffering Price was responsible for. Not only do Price’s practices harm animals, they also cause problems for the wider communities as animals were often allowed to stray or fly-graze on land that he did not own.

“This conviction follows many months of partnership working between local authorities, South Wales Police Redwings and the RSPCA. Having to seize and care for animals on this scale has been extremely costly, but those that keep animals should be left in no doubt that these are steps we are prepared to take to ensure animals receive the appropriate level of care.”

Sheep were suffering from the effects of maggots and associated wounds.
Sheep were suffering from the effects of maggots and associated wounds. 

Relating to three locations across the Vale and Bridgend, the court heard that Price had kept the animals in atrocious conditions.

In August 2019, Animal Health and Welfare Officers found a flock of Jacob sheep with fleeces still unshorn during a visit to Swn-y-Mor in Wick despite it being late into the summer.

Several sheep carcases were also found at the site and upon closer inspection it emerged that a number of the remaining sheep were suffering from the effects of maggots and associated wounds. Under veterinary supervision the worst affected sheep were put down and the remainder of the flock seized by the Local Authority.

Horses neglected by serial abuser Thomas Tony Price

Then, in January 2020, Animal Health and Welfare Officers found that Price was keeping his horses in appalling conditions at sites in Bonvilston, Coity, and again at Swn-y-Mor, Wick.

They were found standing in extremely deep mud, there was a lack of clean fresh water, and some had no forage. Two of the sites were strewn with hazards such as sharp metal and barbed wire, and at one site the horses were kept in overcrowded, filthy conditions with nowhere for them to lie down.

Price was charged with causing unnecessary suffering in relation to eight horses, some of which were significantly underweight, while others had long-standing wounds caused by ill-fitting rugs.

Officers were left with no choice but to seize a total of 240 horses from across the three locations.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “We were pleased to support Shared Regulatory Services with this complex and important equine operation; which highlights again what can be achieved working together for animal welfare.

“Many of these horses were living in wholly inappropriate conditions and we are very happy to have worked closely with SRS, the Police and Redwings to rescue them and ensure many of these animals have a second chance of happiness.”

Nic de Brauwere, Redwings‘ head of welfare and behaviour and senior veterinary surgeon, added: “I witnessed first-hand the shocking conditions and desperate lack of care at these sites, which included ponies with untreated wounds, not enough food and water and many that were severely underweight living in totally unsuitable conditions.

“I am therefore very pleased and relieved to see a successful prosecution and robust sentencing, which will prevent more horses facing neglect at the hands of these individuals.

“This is by no means the first case Redwings has dealt with involving horses from this owner and the sheer amount of charity time, energy and resources that we have invested in protecting these animals over the years is difficult to put into words.

“We’d like to offer our sincere thanks to the councils of the Shared Regulatory Services from Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, who persisted with this crucial case throughout the past year, despite challenges presented by the pandemic.

“And to our fellow welfare charities who have supported us every step of the way. Efforts are now underway to rehome the horses, who have since been brought back to full health.”

Sentencing:
Tom Price – six months in prison. Banned for life from keeping any animals.
Luanne Bishop – 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months. Tagging order. Lifetime ban on keeping animals with exceptions for certain species of pets.

South Wales Argus
BBC News