CONVICTED (2011) | Pamela Palmer (born c. 1941) and son Joseph Palmer (born c. 1981) formerly of Sheriff Hutton Hall, York YO60 – left animals to starve to death and others to suffer in agony with untreated injuries
RSPCA officers found five sheep that had died of starvation, one of which had its head trapped in a wooden frame, a lamb dead down a well, a Hereford bull that had suffered with arthritis for months, and a Hereford cow with a long-term major abscess when they were called to Sheriff Hutton Hall in April 2010
The then owners of the property, Pamela Palmer and her son Joseph, had told neighbours they came from a wealthy Australian family and appeared to be eccentric animal lovers who shared the house with a menagerie, including a pet lamb in the bedroom and a badger in the basement.
But in reality, the Palmers had neither the financial means nor the will to care for the animals.
RSPCA inspectors who visited the property found a catalogue of appalling animal neglect.
Some animals had been locked in a derelict building at the Grade I listed hall and left to starve.
It appeared someone had attempted to burn a number of cattle carcasses or to bury them in a swimming pool which had been turned into a slurry dump.
Inspectors also found five cats in a filthy room at the mansion, along with horses, dogs, pigs and donkeys that appeared to be running wild.
The condition of animals on the estate was revealed when Mrs Palmer’s bank repossessed the house and property in April 2010.
In July 2011 Mrs Palmer, said at the time to be of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to three animal cruelty charges at Selby Magistrates Court and her son, then of Rein Road, Wakefield, admitted seven similar offences.
Sentencing: Both defendants were given 18-week suspended jail sentences. Mrs Palmer was ordered to pay £500 costs. Her son was sentenced to 100 hours’ unpaid work and must pay £1,000 costs. Banned from keeping livestock for life (later appealed unsuccessfully).
CONVICTED (2011) | Eric Buckley (born c. 1955) and wife Doreen (now deceased) of Tower Street, Pontypridd CF37 1NR – kept 9 geese, 2 goats, a cat, 11 former racing greyhounds and a pony in the basement of a former pub
Serial animal abuser Eric Buckley of Pontypridd, South Wales. Doreen Buckley died in 2015.
The Buckleys admitted chronic neglect of two dozen animals kept in a squalid cellar at their three-storey home.
The pair had already been banned from keeping dogs for 10 years due to animal welfare breaches in 1993.
After more series breaches in 1995 both were banned from keeping all animals for life.
Then in 2011 they were caught keeping a cat, 11 retired racing greyhounds, nine geese, a pony and two goats in a former pub in High Street, Gilfach Goch, Rhondda Valley.
Shocked RSPCA officials found the couple’s “stinking” home to be infested with animal faeces.
At one point up to 13 greyhounds had the run of the rambling three-storey former pub, used by them as a toilet.
Most, however, were kept in an unlit cellar whose floor was almost an inch deep in animal waste.
A vet brought in to administer to the animals once they were located was forced to extract 34 rotting teeth from the mouth of one dog.
Four of the dogs were suffering from flea infestations, ear infections and oral disease with subsequent veterinary treatment for the animals amounting to £13,333.
RSPCA inspector Nicola Johnston said when Eric Buckley was approached about the conditions and asked why he kept so many animals, he answered: “Why not?”
The property was in such a putrid condition it was regarded as proof of breaching animal welfare rules alone.
Eric Buckley admitted all the charges against him while his wife failed to attend but had previously made full admissions of all charges through her lawyer.
Sentencing |
Eric Buckley: jailed for 12 weeks. Banned from keeping animals for life. Doreen Buckley: 12 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2011) | barbaric wildlife criminals Wayne “Podge” Lumsdon, born 8 December 1987, of 53 Park Road, Lynemouth, Morpeth NE61 5XJ and Connor Charles Patterson, born 18 June 1987, formerly of The Hope, Whitfield, Hexham, but as of April 2020 residing at Little Kenny Farm, Lintrathen, Kirriemuir, Angus DD8 5JD – forced animals to fight to the death and posted the footage on the internet
Wayne Lumsdon (left) and Connor Patterson got their kicks from watching animals tearing each other apart
Wayne Lumsdon and Connor Patterson were jailed for offences relating to badgers, foxes, dogs, cats and cockerels. The pair were also banned from keeping animals for 15 and eight years respectively after boasting about their antics in text messages and keeping photos.
Lumsdon pleaded guilty to willfully killing a badger and two counts of causing an animal fight to take place.
Apprentice gamekeeper Patterson pleaded guilty to two counts of causing an animal fight to take place.
Lumsdon is banned from keeping animals until 2026
Magistrates were read a series of texts exchanged by the pair in which Lumsdon bragged of “killing a badger” with his and another dog – something he described as “mint”.
The court was then shown a video of the badger being attacked by the two dogs, then footage of cocks fighting and again men’s voices could be heard encouraging them.
Magistrates heard clothes seen in the video were later traced to Lumsdon and that a text message of his referred to spurs used in cock fighting.
2022 image of Wayne Lumsdon with partner Madison Armstrong
Further footage was shown to the court of a fox which had been snared being attacked by a dog. A stick was thrust into the fox’s mouth and a boot – which was later traced to Patterson – was shown on its neck. Again, men could be heard laughing and encouraging the dog with cries of “kill it”.
In the final bit of footage, a fox was shown in a cage with a dog. The animals are seen fighting with men’s voices encouraging them and hands shown holding the fox’s ears through the cage.
In interview, Patterson admitted he had been an apprentice gamekeeper and had a national diploma in countryside and game management. While studying for this, he had learnt how to use snares and traps.
On 25 March 2011 Wayne Lumsdon and Connor Patterson had their jail sentences cut because of a legal technicality. Judges at Newcastle Crown Court were forced to cut their prison sentences because the pair had not been given credit for pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. Patterson had his sentence reduced to 16 weeks. Lumsdon’s 26 weeks was cut to 21 by a judge at a separate hearing.
In November 2012 Connor Patterson was convicted of further cruelty to animals alongside wife Caroline Patterson (aka Caroline Jordan) after a search warrant was executed at their cottage in Whitfield by Northumbria Police and RSPCA inspectors. A total of 55 animals including dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, turkeys, ducks and chickens were seized from the couple.
Connor Patterson and now ex-wife Caroline Patterson (now Caroline Jordan) outside court
The court heard animals had been left without a constant supply of fresh drinking water and some were underweight.
Dogs at the property were suffering from dental disease, while a turkey was left with an untreated lump in its ear.
Patterson was found to be in breach of his disqualification order although this and the cruelty charge were later overturned on appeal on the grounds that the animals were the responsibility of his wife.
Caroline Patterson was given a conditional discharge and was not banned from keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2011) | David Holmes, born 13/05/1956, of Fairdale, Hen Holme Lane, Silsden, Keighley BD20 0LX – repeated cruelty towards farm animals despite previous bans
Holmes continually ignored court orders which have banned him from owning animals, the court heard.
The prosecution was brought by Bradford Council following his breach of the order on February 17, 2011.
The offence came to light when he was seen muck-spreading on his land in Silsden by a Council environmental health officer.
Holmes denied the offence and the case went to trial, with District Judge, Susan Bouch, finding in the Council’s favour.
Sentencing was remitted to magistrates in March 2011, who as well as sending Holmes to prison, also issued a new disqualification under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which has greater powers.
It means that he cannot keep or own any animals and he cannot participate in any schemes that are involved with animals for the next ten years.
Neither can he apply for appeal against the ban for the next five years.
Holmes already has two previous disqualification bans after prosecutions brought by Bradford Council and the RSPCA but he has continued to breach those bans, the District Judge was told during the trial.
After the case, Jonathan Balsham, the Council’s consultant solicitor, said: “While Holmes keeps on breaching the laws relating to animals, we will continue to prosecute him.
“He has shown no regard for animal welfare or for the court orders and we are pleased that the court has taken a serious view of these matters and has sentenced him accordingly.”
Holmes was imprisoned for six months and banned for life from keeping animals in 1999. He already had two court fines, for cruelty to a ewe and a ram, when he was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to cattle.
In November 2009 he was caught presenting cattle at Skipton auction mart in Gargrave Road, Skipton and sentenced to 120 hours unpaid work and had to pay £4,548 in costs.
He went on to notch up further convictions for repeatedly flouting the ban, cruelty to sheep and cattle and illegally trying to move sheep to France.
His final conviction came in 2011 when he was jailed for six months and received a fourth lifetime ban for causing unnecessary suffering to livestock.
Sentencing: jailed for six months and a further lifetime ban on keeping animals was issued.
In July 2016 Holmes appealed unsuccessfully to have his lifetime ban on keeping livestock lifted.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said Holmes, who has four lifetime bans under the Animal Welfare Act, would never be deemed a fit and proper person to care for animals.
He had a total of 13 relevant convictions and lost appeals stretching back 20 years, the court heard.
“There is an appalling background of distressing cruelty to animals,” the judge said.
CONVICTED (2011) | persistent wildlife persecutor Christian Latcham, born c. 1987, of Morton Terrace, Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf CF40 2DP
Barbaric Christian Latcham set his dogs on badgers, foxes and deer . He is shown here with regular digging mate Jamie Rush. Rush was exposed alongside Latcham in a 2018 BBC Wales documentary entitled ‘ The Secret World of Badger Baiters’
Blood sports enthusiast Latcham – a father of six – pleaded guilty to two charges under the Animal Welfare Act and six charges under the Badger Act.
Latcham was told that his actions amounted to “unspeakable cruelty” but still avoided jail
The serial abuser was prosecuted after evidence of sickening cruelty towards badgers, foxes and deer were discovered on his mobile phone.
Prosecuting, Geraint Richards described to the court the disturbing pictures of a severed badger head, a photo of Latcham’s dogs savaging a badger and an image of a bloodstained Latcham holding up animal carcasses.
Latcham with two of his six children
The court heard how, on being arrested in 2009 for a separate offence, Latcham had aroused officers’ suspicion as he hurried to conceal his mobile phone.
When the police seized his phone they viewed images of the defendant holding up the carcasses of foxes, deer and badgers.
Clive Rees, defending, said the defendant lacked empathy and had limited social skills.
He said: “He has been unable to put himself in the place of the animals he was dealing with and to think and see through the things he was doing.”
Chairman of the bench Mike Hanley said: “These were deliberate and unprovoked actions which speak of unspeakable cruelty.”
Two dogs used to savage the badgers were taken away from Latcham.
RSPCA inspector Simon Evans said badger baiting had become a prevalent problem in South Wales.
He said: “Offending evidence in this type of case is rare, but this isn’t a one off.”
Sentencing: Five-month prison sentence, suspended for one year; 250 hours of unpaid work; £1,000 costs. Disqualified indefinitely from keeping dogs.
Despite having been banned indefinitely from keeping dogs Christian Latcham featured in an episode of BBC Wales Investigates entitled ‘The Secret World of Badger Baiters’.
The episode showed that Latcham not only had dogs but was still actively engaged in badger baiting alongside Jamie Rush. Other associates include Tomas Young and Ryan Harrison, who were jailed for badger baiting in June 2019. Young’s cruelty included skinning a badger cub alive before feeding it to his dogs.
CONVICTED (2010) | Daphne Fairclough, born c. 1968, and son Shaun Malcolm Terence Fairclough, born 11 November 1987, both of 117 Lanchester Avenue, Gateshead NE9 7AN – starved their pet goat so badly the animal had to be put to sleep
Daphne and Shaun Fairclough pictured outside court
A pet goat belonging to mother and son Daphne and Shaun Fairclough was left to starve in January 2010 – the coldest winter for 30 years.
As Arctic conditions brought misery to Britain, the goat was left without food or water on West Farm, at Whickham Highway, in Gateshead.
A woman visiting her horse in a nearby field heard the dying animal’s cries and alerted the RSPCA.
But it was too late to save the goat, who had to be put down, Gateshead.
The Faircloughs admitted animal cruelty charges.
Clive McKeag, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the animal was found collapsed in a stable on a urine-covered concrete floor with her bones protruding.
An examination suggested she had been starved for a minimum of a week but more likely over a month.
“An RSPCA inspector said the animal had been living in conditions that were unacceptable,” said Mr McKeag.
Shaun Fairclough, who owned the goat, had asked his mother to go and see her but accepts he didn’t look after her properly.
Tom Iceton, defending, said both mother and son regret what happened. “Mrs Fairclough finds this very distressing and she is very remorseful,” he said.
“The goat belonged to Shaun and it was his responsibility to make sure it was properly cared for and looked after. Work shifts caused him some problems, his mother did the best she could but he should have made arrangements.”
Sentencing: both were given a 12-month supervised community order. The mother was ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work. She was banned from keeping animals, except cats and dogs, until 2015.
Her son was told complete 200 hours of unpaid work and banned from keeping or caring for any animal for 10 years (expired October 2020). He had to pay £250 costs.
Shaun Fairclough was convicted of further animal cruelty charges in relation to chickens he kept on an allotment. He was also found to have breached his existing ban on owning animals which only ended in October 2020.
Serial animal abuser Shaun Fairclough
The RSPCA was contacted in September 2019 with concerns for the welfare of a number of birds at an allotment in Haltwhistle. When rescuers arrived at the premises they discovered the bodies of five dead birds.
RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Keogh-Laws said: “When I arrived at the allotment I was told that a large number of birds had previously been kept there, and sadly I found the bodies of five dead chickens among the pens, that had been left to rot.
“I made enquiries to find out who was keeping the birds, which took some time, but I discovered that the birds were under the care of Shaun Fairclough which was a breach of an existing disqualification order.”
Fairclough pleaded guilty to having 20 chickens and six ducks including five silkie type chickens, while being disqualified from owning animals.
Conditions in which the bodies of the dead chickens were discovered
The court heard that he mistakenly thought his previous disqualification order had ended and suggested his friends were helping him to look after the chickens.
Fairclough was sentenced to an 18 month community order with 26 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £85 which is to be deducted at source.
A disqualification order was granted for a period of five years.
CONVICTED (2010) | internet animal trader Linda Winter (aka Linda Jayne Leaf), born c. 1969, of Wycoller Avenue, Burnley BB10 4LF – kept dogs, cats and guinea pigs in freezing and filthy conditions in a series of stables and a caravan
Linda / Lynda Winter aka Linda Leaf pictured outside court in 2010, and one of the dogs rescued from the miserable conditions in which she kept them
An investigation was launched into the activities of puppy and horse trader Linda Winter by the RSPCA after police found a variety of animals in squalid conditions at a freezing-cold farm near Lennox Street, Worsthorne.
Several dogs, cats and guinea pigs were found in caravans and a nearby stable block by officers, who were conducting a stakeout as part of an unrelated criminal operation, and the RSPCA was alerted.
The conditions in the caravan were said to be filthy and often the animals had not been given adequate food or water despite the temperature barely being above zero degrees centigrade.
Two rabbits and a guinea pig, left in cages by Winter at the Lennox Street paddock, were found to be dead by police.
2019 social media photo of Linda Winter
Vet Peter O’Hagen was called in to examine the animals and they were removed at the RSPCA’s request.
RSPCA inspector Jason Bowles and Mr O’Hagen also made a video of the caravan and stables noting that, at the time, New Year’s Day, the temperature was zero degrees centigrade.
Mr Bowles told the court said there was a strong smell of urine in the dirty caravan and he could see no food or water left for a Rottweiler puppy and a small Border terrier he found inside.
He then moved to a stable block, where he found the dead rabbits and guinea pig, and a cage containing three cats, which had apparently been left with dry food but no water. The litter tray was full and the cats were sitting in their own filth.
The next stable inspected had three dogs, two Bedlington terriers and a small black spaniel, the court heard.
Mr Bowles said no water had been left for the dogs. The terriers’ coats were matted and the spaniel’s was ‘dirty’.
Finally two Sharpei dogs, with bad skin conditions, were discovered in a third stable.
These dogs had been left water but it had frozen because of the conditions.
Winter, who advertises puppies for sale on the internet, was questioned by PC Mark Jenkinson when she arrived at the scene.
She was alleged to have told PC Jenkinson that the animals at the compound were hers and she was looking after them “because no-one else would”.
Winter was questioned about the discovery and later charged with 18 offences of failing to provide adequate care and diets for 13 animals found by the authorities.
She denied the charges during a two-day trial but was convicted of all the offences.
In her defence, Winter said her car had been impounded and she was unable to attend to care for the animals daily. Her daughter and a family friend had been given the responsibility instead and had not done a good job.
Magistrates banned Winter from keeping dogs and all other animals for six years and to pay costs to the RSPCA of £260.
The court heard that the disqualification may prove difficult to enforce as his client’s 17-year-old daughter had pets of her own.
But the bench told Winter she must make provisions to ensure she complied with the ban or face further court action.
The trial was told that Winter’s details had been found on various trading websites, advertising puppies and ponies for sale.
Following the case RSPCA inspector Jason Bowles, who investigated Winter, said: “She left these animals to live in freezing and squalid conditions and some suffered and others died as a result.
“She was caught out though as the result of a joint operation between the RSPCA and Burnley Police.
“I would like to make a plea to people to be aware when you are buying an animal, without researching its history properly, then you could be funding misery for more animals in future.”
Sentencing: costs of £260. Six-year ban on keeping animals (expired 2016).
CONVICTED (2009) | Shane Paul Burt, born c. 1989, of 10 Deans Avenue, Connah’s Quay, Deeside CH5 4QF – filmed his dog trying to kill a badger.
Burt was found guilty of wilfully attempting to kill a badger after being prosecuted under the Badgers Act 1992.
The court heard the horrible attack happened in Dock Road, Connah’s Quay, sometime between September 30 and November 26, 2008.
Acting on information there was mobile phone footage that would incriminate Burt, police executed a search warrant on his home.
They seized the phone, which was found to have about 30-seconds of sickening footage showing the dog attacking the badger.
The footage ends with the badger leaving the scene.
Burt told police his dog had been injured in the attack and that he had washed the injuries with warm, salted water.
He said that the dog – a lurcher/Staffy named Hooch – had since been put down.
After the case, North Wales Police Wildlife and Environmental Officer Sgt Rob Taylor said: “I am very pleased with the result. It was a callous and sick act.”
Sentencing | 150 hours of community service; £250 costs. Three-year ban on keeping animals (expired 2012).
CONVICTED (2009) | Jamie Paul Lismore, born 11 August 1984, of 34 Bankwell Street*, Brierley Hill, Dudley DY5 1PW – abandoned his animals, leaving one starving cat to eat her own kittens.
2015 photo of Jamie Lismore
Nine pets belonging to Jamie Lismore were left to die having been without food and water for at least one week. Three kittens aged just two weeks, were found dead at Lismore’s then home in The Avenue, Darlaston, while another young cat died despite the best efforts of RSPCA personnel to save her.
The young cats had become trapped in the kitchen alongside their three-year-old mother Maddie who had been so neglected she was rated as one on the body condition scoring system – which means emaciated.
Two of the kittens were dismembered, one dead and another was in such a bad way he had to be put down.
With the help of police, RSPCA inspector Deborah Scotcher managed to get inside the faeces-riddled property on July 9, 2008, where the animals appeared hungry and thirsty.
Lismore during his court appearance in February 2009
When assessed by vets the highest body score rating was three out of five for labrador, Major, who was around a year-old, while black and white collie Minstral, aged two, and tan mastiff cross-breed Duke, around eight months, rated just two. A three-month old cat called Patrick was also found.
It was only then the other cats, in the kitchen, were seen. Vets could not confirm if the kittens had died of starvation or were stillborn.
Lismore, who also has links to West Bromwich, admitted three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and two of being a person responsible for an animal to ensure its welfare.
Mr Nick Sutton, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: “This was a grave situation of abandonment.”
Mr Rob Perry, defending, said Lismore had been through a relationship breakdown at the time and was not regularly staying at the property. He said: “He is regretful and deeply sorry.”
Sentencing: 17 weeks in prison. Disqualified from keeping any animals for 25 years (expires 2034).
CONVICTED (2007) | animal hoarder Lee Howard, born 12 August 1966, of Shinwell Crescent, Middlesbrough TS6 6LJ – let nearly 30 animals die of thirst and starvation at a County Durham stables.
Lee Howard was charged after the RSPCA discovered animal remains at Bank Top Stables in Trimdon, County Durham, in May 2005.
Magistrates heard that 13 horses and ponies, 11 hens, four dogs, and a rabbit died of dehydration and starvation over a period of several weeks after being locked up at the stables. Three dogs survived by eating the remains of the dead animals.
In March 2006 Howard was sentenced to six months in jail and banned from keeping animals for the rest of his life.
Just a few months later Howard was back in court after it was discovered he was keeping 11 dogs and 16 birds at a house in Delarden Road, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough.
The animals were kept in squalid conditions, with the dogs running around in piles of faeces and pools of urine. Six of them had problems with their paws and one had an ear infection.
Howard was given a further six-month jail term for breaching his ban.
Sentencing: two custodial terms and a lifetime ban on keeping animals.
Lee Howard, who has used the name Lee Howard-Smith, was handed a suspended prison sentence after being caught breaching his ban. Several animals and birds were found living in squalor at his home. Howard, who since his original convictions has gone on to obtain multiple training certificates in animal care, was also working as a paid pet-sitter. He was caught out after a customer found his name and photograph on an animal cruelty website.
His address at the time of conviction was Scott Road, Kettering, North Northamptonshire.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
