Birds covers cases involving cruelty, neglect or illegal harm to wild, captive or domestic bird species. This includes companion birds, poultry, gamebirds, waterfowl, pigeons, seagulls and birds of prey. Incidents may involve deliberate injury, neglect, abandonment, illegal shooting, trapping or other offences where birds are the primary victims. Urban species such as pigeons and seagulls are frequently targeted due to being wrongly labelled as ‘vermin’, making them especially vulnerable to abuse. This species group is used to identify cases by the animals involved, with specific wildlife offences such as raptor persecution classified under the Wildlife Crime category..
Travellers Hames and Price, who are based in Raglan, Monmouthshire but have links to Derby and Hereford, were convicted of multiple animal welfare offences after prolonged neglect at a property in Leominster.
The case involved dogs, cats, horses, a duck and a guinea pig, all kept in conditions that failed to meet even the most basic welfare standards.
Both initially denied the allegations but changed their pleas to guilty on 1 September 2026.
The couple were found responsible for depriving the animals of adequate food, fresh drinking water and a suitable living environment.
Several of the animals were underweight, living in poor conditions and suffering from a lack of appropriate care.
Price also admitted separate offences relating to two horses — Moonshine, a piebald cob mare, and Mimi, a bay Dartmoor-type mare — whose welfare needs were not met due to inadequate hoof and dental care, parasite issues and malnutrition.
The prosecution was brought by the RSPCA, who described the animals as having suffered “significant neglect” while in the couple’s care.
Sentence
Court: Hereford Magistrates’ Court — 29 September 2026 Hames: 10‑year ban; community order (10 days of rehab); £50 fine; £114 surcharge; £350 costs; deprivation order for all five dogs. Price: 10‑year ban; 150 hours of unpaid work; £114 surcharge; £350 costs. Ban Expiry: September 2036 (no appeal for five years) Prosecutor: RSPCA
At a Glance
Defendants: Joeline Cathlyne Violet Hames (born c. 1980), Noah Hendri Amos Price (born c. 1983)
Address: Abergavenny Road, Raglan, Usk NP15 2AA
Occupation: Price — scrap‑metal collector, gardener and home improvements
Robert Walker and Lynne Chetter, operators of MHS Horse Disposal, convicted of multiple Animal Welfare Act offences.
Case Summary
Sick, elderly and vulnerable horses sent to MHS Horse Disposal for humane euthanasia were instead left to suffer in appalling conditions.
Environmental health officers and the RSPCA found carcass bins overflowing, equines left loose in fields in distress, and other animals — including a blind duck with a broken leg and an injured turkey — kept in filthy, untreated conditions.
Underweight pony seized from MHS Horse Disposal alongside other neglected equines.
Several horses were so underweight and neglected that vets ordered immediate euthanasia.
The business operates from Streetway Farm in Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire, a site already known for serious animal welfare concerns due to its long‑standing association with circus big cats kept in cramped, inadequate conditions.
The defendants’ neglect occurred in a commercial setting where animals should have had a dignified end.
Offender Overview
Robert Walker
Name: Robert Walker
Born: 10 October 1946
Age at Conviction: 79
Last Known Address: Friezland Lane, Brownhills, Walsall WS8 7DA
Investigations by Animal Defenders International documented big cats confined to grubby transport containers, limited exercise, muddy quagmire conditions, and inadequate space — all while the site also hosted an abattoir marked “MHS Horse Disposal.”
This background reflects a pattern of poor welfare standards at the premises.
On 5 July 2024, environmental health officers and the RSPCA attended the knacker yard and found:
Blind duck left in a filthy hutch with a broken leg at MHS Horse Disposal
Body bins overflowing with carcasses, forcing horses intended for euthanasia to be left loose on fields in distress.
Ernie, a dark bay stallion, severely underweight, suffering hoof issues, and with no teeth — euthanised immediately.
Beach, another stallion, extremely thin with ribs and spine visible; later diagnosed with motor neuron disease and euthanised.
Four more underweight equines left grazing in fields:
Elizabeth (elderly mare)
Buttercup (bay filly)
Two Shetland ponies with severe hoof deformities
One Shetland’s back hooves had twisted like corkscrews, spiralling around despite her still being mobile.
A blind duck with a broken right leg left in a filthy hutch.
A turkey with a large untreated wound on its back.
Both birds were euthanised at the scene.
A vet concluded all equines had suffered due to inadequate environment, diet, body condition, dental neglect, hoof neglect, parasitic issues, and lack of timely euthanasia.
The sentencing judge described the conditions as “appalling” and the neglect as “prolonged”, occurring in a commercial setting where animals should have had a dignified end.
Animal Victims
Ernie — dark bay stallion; underweight; hoof issues; no teeth; euthanised immediately.
Beach — stallion; extremely thin; motor neuron disease; euthanised.
Elizabeth — elderly mare; overgrown hooves; dental issues left untreated for two years; euthanised after a year in RSPCA care due to lameness.
Buttercup — bay filly; underweight; lameness; euthanised months later.
Two Shetland ponies — severe hoof deformities; both euthanised.
Fate of animals: Multiple equines euthanised due to suffering; others died or were euthanised after rescue due to chronic neglect.
Sentence
Court
Stafford Crown Court
Date
17 September 2026
Penalty
Robert Walker:
15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
12‑year disqualification from owning all animals except dogs
15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
£187 victim surcharge
£200 costs
Lynne Chetter:
10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
12‑year disqualification from owning all animals except dogs
15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days
£187 victim surcharge
£200 costs
Mitigation
Walker: elderly, poor health. Chetter: limited mitigation noted; responsible for birds found suffering.
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Laura Baker described the scene as “horrifying”, with vulnerable horses left alive and suffering despite being sent for humane euthanasia. She emphasised that knacker yards must be held accountable for the way they conduct their business and cannot leave animals waiting to be dispatched in pain. She thanked Cannock Chase District Council and West Midlands Police for enabling the prosecution.
World Horse Welfare Field Officer Charlotte Melvin said the case “really stands out” due to the heartbreaking discovery of horses trusted to the yard for humane euthanasia who were instead left alive and suffering considerably.
Alex Oakley — banned for five years after neglecting a cat and parakeet while living in squalor at the Ruardean property.
Case Summary
A man from Ruardean has been banned from keeping animals for five years after causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and a parakeet. Alex Oakley, of St Johns Road, Ruardean, GL17 9UU, was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court following a prosecution by the Forest of Dean District Council under the Animal Welfare Act.
Deborah Oakley — previously convicted for related neglect offences at the same filthy Ruardean address.
The case is directly connected to the earlier prosecution of Deborah Oakley, who lived at the same property and was sentenced in August 2026 for neglecting multiple pets. Officers found the animals living in disgusting conditions, with poor hygiene and accumulated waste throughout the home.
Offender Overview
Name: Alex Oakley Born: Unknown Age at Conviction: Unknown Last Known Address: St Johns Road, Ruardean, GL17 9UU Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: Linked to co‑defendant Deborah Oakley (same property) Additional Information:
Co‑defendant Deborah Oakley previously convicted for related offences
Property found in unhygienic, waste‑filled condition
Animals suffered prolonged neglect
Bird found with irritation to head and missing tail feathers
Incident Details
On March 26 2025, officers from the Forest of Dean District Council’s street warden team, assisted by the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit and Gloucestershire Police, executed a warrant at the Oakleys’ address.
Inside, they discovered:
Poor hygiene and waste throughout the property
Animals confined in neglectful conditions
Evidence of prolonged suffering
A dog, three cats, three fish, and a bird were seized due to welfare concerns.
One of the animals found living in disgusting, unsafe conditions inside the Oakleys’ home — confined in filth until officers intervened.
Deborah Oakley surrendered ownership of the dog and two cats but refused to sign over the male cat and the bird, which belonged to Alex Oakley.
The bird was found with visible irritation to its head and missing tail feathers. A Deprivation Order was granted for both the cat and the parakeet.
Animal Victims
Cat: Suffering due to neglect and poor living conditions
Parakeet: Found with irritation and missing tail feathers
Other animals (dog, cats, fish): Seized under related case (Deborah Oakley)
Sentence
Court: Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court Date: 16 September 2026
Penalty:
10 weeks’ custody, suspended for 2 years
Five‑year ban on owning or keeping animals (exires September 2031)
£500 costs
£154 victim surcharge
Deprivation Order for cat and parakeet
Mitigation: None reported
Council Statement
Cllr Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council, said: “With the second part of this prosecution now complete, I would like to thank the officers, partners and staff involved in investigating this case and bringing this successful prosecution.
“The scale of the investigation, as well as the sentence handed down by the court, shows just how seriously we treat these types of cases.”
Owen Rayner laughed as he chased, hit and stamped on defenceless ducks at Cawthorne Woods, South Yorkshire.
Case Summary
Owen Rayner, 20, of Greenside Avenue, Staincross, Barnsley, received a suspended prison sentence after disturbing footage showed him chasing, striking and repeatedly stamping on ducks at Cawthorne Woods, a South Yorkshire beauty spot. The footage was originally posted on Snapchat and later passed to police and the RSPCA.
Offender Overview
Name: Owen Rayner Born: 2 February 2006 Age at Conviction: 20 Last Known Address: Greenside Avenue, Staincross, Barnsley Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: None known Additional Information: His surname was misspelt as “Raynor” in early press coverage. Footage shows multiple older teenage males laughing during the attack. They have not as yet been identified.
Incident Details
Rayner was filmed chasing a flock of Mallard ducks at a lakeside area in Cawthorne Woods. He struck three ducks with large branches and then returned to stamp repeatedly on them. It is not known whether the ducks survived.
Stills from the Snapchat video show Rayner chasing, hitting and stamping on terrified ducks during the filmed attack.
He pleaded guilty to one offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: intentionally killing or causing injury to three ducks/ducklings.
Animal Victims
Three Mallard ducks (survival unknown).
Sentence
Court: Barnsley Magistrates’ Court Date: 7 September 2026
Penalty:
18‑week prison sentence suspended for two years; 150 hours of unpaid work; £400 costs; £154 victim surcharge
Mitigation:
His age at the time of the offence and the impact on future employment prospects were cited.
Magistrates’ Remarks: “As a bench we have never seen anything this bad. This was appalling behaviour which was seriously aggravated by the fact it was posted on social media. One of my colleagues felt physically sick as he watched that video footage and heard the case outlined to us.”
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Keith Hogben said: “I viewed the three video clips in which I viewed three older teenage men abuse several Mallard ducks at a lakeside by chasing, hitting with a stick, stamping on at least three ducks. It’s unclear whether these ducks were killed.”
He added: “This is one of the worst deliberate acts of cruelty on innocent, defenceless animals I have seen in 27 years of working for the RSPCA. The fact those involved were laughing as they carried out this cowardly act shows how little respect they have for animals.
“Animals feel pain, fear and distress, just like we do, and always deserve to be shown kindness, compassion and respect.”
Some cases stay with you because of the violence. Others stay with you because of the intent. This one stays with you because of both.
What happened at Cawthorne Woods wasn’t a moment of stupidity or a lapse in judgement. It was cruelty carried out for entertainment — filmed, laughed at, and posted online as if the suffering of terrified ducks was something to brag about. That’s what makes this case so deeply unsettling. It wasn’t hidden. It wasn’t impulsive. It was performed.
The ducks in that video were defenceless. They were simply existing in their own habitat when a group of teenagers decided they were props for a joke. You can see the fear in the way they scatter. You can see the intent in the way Rayner chases them down. You can see the violence in the way he swings branches and stamps on their bodies. And you can hear the laughter — the part that tells you everything you need to know about the mindset behind this attack.
Magistrates said they had “never seen anything this bad.” The RSPCA inspector said it was one of the worst deliberate acts of cruelty he’d seen in 27 years. They’re right.
This wasn’t just an attack on animals. It was an attack on empathy itself. A deliberate choice to cause pain, record it, and share it.
UKACF exists because of cases like this — cases where animals suffer at the hands of people who treat cruelty as entertainment. Cases where the justice system can only go so far. Cases where the victims cannot speak for themselves.
The ducks mattered. Their fear mattered. Their pain mattered. And what happened to them deserves to be documented, remembered, and condemned without hesitation.
Nathan Race and Jade Race (Jade Boyd), responsible for one of County Durham’s worst ever neglect cases — nine animals dead, dozens more starving, dehydrated and living in squalor.
Case Summary
Six dogs and three rabbits were found dead inside a County Durham home after prolonged, preventable neglect.
The RSPCA launched an investigation on 16 September 2023 after receiving a report of deceased animals in cages at a property in Ford Terrace, Chilton.
One of the cages found inside the property — filled with filthy, torn bedding and an empty bowl. Animals were left in these conditions without food, water or basic care.
Inside, officers discovered decomposed and mummified remains, empty enclosures, thick layers of faeces and no access to food or water.
A connected address in West Cornforth contained a further 29 neglected animals, including birds, reptiles, ferrets, rabbits and two underweight dogs.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to multiple Animal Welfare Act offences and received suspended prison sentences and lifetime bans.
Offender Overview
Name: Nathan Race Born: 8 January 1994 Age at Conviction: 32 Last Known Address: Poplar Terrace, West Cornforth, County Durham Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: None known Additional Information: Responsible for animals at both Ford Terrace and Poplar Terrace addresses.
Name: Jade Diane Race / Boyd Born: 21 September 1997 Age at Conviction: 28 Last Known Address: Coronation Terrace, West Cornforth, County Durham Occupation: Unknown Previous Convictions: None known Additional Information: Mobility issues reported; relied on Nathan Race for animal care.
Incident Details
RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson attended Ford Terrace, Chilton on 16 September 2023 following a report of dead animals in cages.
She described a “strong smell of death and faeces”, thousands of flies covering an upstairs window, and a deceased dog lying behind the kitchen door.
Inside the property she found:
Six dead dogs — one loose behind the kitchen door, five in filthy crates in the upstairs bedroom
Three dead rabbits in indoor hutches filled with thick, mouldy faeces
Empty, dry bowls and water bottles
Faeces covering floors and spilling from crates
Rubbish, food tins and bags strewn across surfaces and the bed
A toilet containing low, dirty water — believed to be the only water source one dog could reach
The dogs appeared to have died at different times. Two Pomeranians, Coco and Rolo, were found deceased together in a crate, with decomposition indicating one had died earlier.
An Akita‑type dog, Mila, had chewed her way out of a cage and is believed to have been the last to die.
Midnight, the nine‑month‑old rabbit found emaciated and starving in a filthy enclosure. Her bones were described as “spiky” to the touch. She survived and was rehabilitated by the RSPCA.
Other remains included two Dachshunds, Pudding and Rusty, and a Shih Tzu named Tyson, all mummified.
Inspector Wilson then attended the couple’s second address at Poplar Terrace, West Cornforth, where she found 29 live animals:
Six budgies, three cockatiels, two parakeets and a parrot in dirty cages with filthy water
Five vivariums containing a royal python, corn snake, hognose snake, bearded dragon and leopard gecko — all without lighting
Nine ferrets in barren, dirty cages with no enrichment or water
Three rabbits, including Midnight, an emaciated nine‑month‑old rabbit whose bones felt “spiky”
Two underweight dogs — Nova (Cockapoo) and Oreo (Cavapoo)
Nathan Race agreed to sign over all animals to the RSPCA. One budgie later died overnight.
Nova, one of the young dogs rescued from the Race household, found underweight and living in filthy conditions. She made a full recovery after being taken into RSPCA care.
A veterinary statement confirmed that the deceased dogs and rabbits “suffered unnecessarily” due to lack of food and water, with suffering ongoing for at least three days. Surviving animals had not had their basic needs met.
During interviews, Nathan Race claimed he saw “nothing visibly wrong” with the animals and could not recall when the first had died. Jade Race stated she relied on Nathan’s assurances that the animals were “fine.”
Court: Durham Crown Court Date: 31 July 2026 Conviction: Multiple Animal Welfare Act offences (unnecessary suffering; failure to meet needs)
Penalty:
Nathan Race 20‑month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months 180 hours unpaid work 30‑day rehabilitation activity Lifetime ban on keeping animals
Jade Race / Boyd 12‑month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months 40‑day rehabilitation activity Lifetime ban on keeping animals
Ban Expiry Date: Lifetime bans — earliest appeal permitted after 31 July 2029
Mitigation: Jade Race was said to have mobility issues preventing her from attending Ford Terrace. Nathan Race was described as depressed and overwhelmed by the situation.
RSPCA Statement
Inspector Clare Wilson said:
“This was an extremely shocking and sad case to investigate, and I am so relieved that the owners of these animals can never legally own another one again. I would urge anyone thinking of taking on large numbers of animals to think carefully about the care requirements and long‑term financial commitments that are required to properly care for any animal within animal welfare laws.”
CONVICTED (2026) | Colwyn Robert Probert, born 13 November 1987, of Kingsmoor Common Caravan Park, Kilgetty SA68 0YF – illegally trapped wild goldfinches in his garden and confined them to overcrowded, filthy cages.
Pembrokeshire traveller Colwyn Probert received a 15-year bird-keeping ban and a suspended prison sentence after being prosecuted for illegally trapping and cruelly confining dozens of wild goldfinches.
Probert, a traveller, was prosecuted following an RSPCA raid at a property in The Glebe, Tenby, where inspectors uncovered dozens of goldfinches and other wild species held in captivity.
The case began when a rural crime officer from Dyfed-Powys Police flagged suspicious activity regarding wild birds being trapped in a residential garden.
When RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Ellie West and police raided the location, they discovered a severe hoarding and trapping operation:
Over a dozen goldfinches and a mule-type bird were locked in an outdoor aviary.
An additional 14 birds were cramped inside tiny cages within an adjacent room.
Three live-traps, metal identification rings, and ring cutters were seized on-site. One trap had been actively deployed next to a garden bird feeder.
The RSPCA noted that the birds exhibited severe distress, frantically flying into the cage bars in an attempt to escape.
An ornithological expert confirmed the birds were wild-caught, pointing to their dark leg coloration and injuries.
Several birds had sustained severe beak damage from striking the bars, and one had lost its tail. The expert concluded the birds had been kept in illegally overcrowded, filthy conditions without access to clean water.
During sentencing, the District Judge noted that the birds were likely trapped for commercial sale, telling Probert:
“You put wild birds who should be free and wild in unsuitable cages, which must have been extremely stressful for them.”
The seized birds were taken into RSPCA custody and transferred to the Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in East Sussex. After undergoing rehabilitation, they were successfully released back into the wild.
Following the trial, RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben condemned Probert’s actions, stating that the birds were “treated like commodities” rather than living creatures.
He reminded the public that under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it remains strictly illegal to deliberately kill, injure, or capture any wild bird without a specific license.
Sentencing | eight-week custodial suspended for two years; six-month curfew; 28 days of ‘rehabilitation’; £400 in prosecution costs and £154 victim surcharge; confiscation of all seized traps, cages and bird rings. A 15-year disqualification from keeping birds.
CONVICTED (2026) | wildlife persecutorJames Kempster, born c. 1986, of the Bury Brickfield Park travellers site, Marchwood Road, Eling, Totton, Southampton SO40 4JW – for possession of two dead birds of prey dumped along with the bodies of 50 deceased hares outside a shop.
Kempster, a traveller, was sentenced for possessing two protected birds which were stuffed under the door handles of a village shop alongside the 50 dead hares.
The father of three was convicted following a trial of two counts of possessing a dead bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Prosecutor Adam Cooper said Kempster had been convicted of possessing the birds at some point but found not guilty of a charge of criminal damage, meaning he was cleared of involvement in the shop incident.
The trial heard DNA found on the birds, which were dumped in the early hours of 15 March 2024, was linked to the defendant.
Cooper told the magistrates: “There was no expert evidence on the manner or time of death. Your worships are entitled to draw conclusions that the birds were recently killed rather than rotting specimens or for taxidermy.
“That therefore places the defendant’s handling of the birds closer to them being discovered outside the shop.”
The court heard Kempster, who left school at the age of 12, had previous convictions for dishonesty as well as wildlife crimes including trespassing for game including for hares.
The trial was told CCTV footage showed three men arriving in a car with two men getting out and dumping the hares.
One of the men, who were both wearing balaclavas, is then seen to “tear” the body of a hare and smear blood on the shop front before stuffing a dead kestrel and a barn owl under the door handles in what Cooper described as a “horror movie scene”.
The car was found burnt out in a country lane after the incident.
Sentencing Kempster, chairman of the magistrate panel Gary Chant told him: “There is some aggravation, you have previous convictions, you continue to deny the offence and there was minimal co-operation.”
Sentencing | 15-month community order including 30 days of rehabilitation activity; six-month tagging order; fined £120 and ordered to pay costs of £650 with a £114 court surcharge.
CONVICTED (2026) | Sandra Jane Woods, born c. 1957, of Kirby Road, Walton-on-the-Naze CO14 8TA, and Rachel Elizabeth Woods, born 2 July 1994, of Norwood Way, Walton-on-the-Naze CO14 – for cruelty to multiple animals.
The mother and daughter ran an equine rescue operation called Silver Clouds Stables from their home in Kirby Road, Walton. The rescue purported to offer a “safe haven dedicated to rehabilitating and protecting injured, mistreated, or abandoned horses and ponies”.
But on August 16, 2023, the RSPCA and police executed a warrant at the premises, seizing horses, ducks and a donkey, and the pair were subsequently charged with animal welfare offences.
In court, Sandra Woods was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a female dun Arab type horse called Viv, between July 15, 2023 and August 17, 2023, by failing to investigate and address the causes of the horse’s poor bodily condition and weight loss.
The court heard she also caused unnecessary suffering to a male cockerel and a female chicken and failed to ensure the welfare needs of 29 chickens and cockerels, seven ducks and 15 guinea pigs were met.
She also failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of seven ducks and 15 guinea pigs were met, including a suitable environment, an adequate diet with fresh drinking water and maintaining them in appropriate body condition.
Rachel Woods was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to Viv, by failing to provide proper and necessary veterinary care and attention for the animal’s lameness.
She was also convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a male donkey, female dun Arab type horse and a female grey pony. She also failed to meet the welfare needs of a male donkey, a grey pony, a female chihuahua type dog and a female marmoset, by not providing effective parasite control, maintaining appropriate body condition or ensuring suitable environments and diets.
In relation to the dog and marmoset, she also failed to make suitable provisions for pregnancy, suitable environment and diet, and appropriate housing away from other species where required.
Sentencing | Sarah and Rachel Woods were each ordered to pay a total of £3,120 made up of an £800 fine, £2,000 costs and a £320 victim surcharge. Both are banned from keeping animals for five years (expires June 2031).
CONVICTED (2026) | animal hoarder Anik Sexton, born c. 1955, of West Parley, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 – kept suffering animals in poor conditions.
Anik Sexton, has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years and ordered to pay over £79,000 in fines and costs for her abuse of multiple cats.
Sexton was convicted of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to chickens and cats after a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.
Charity officers first visited Sexton’s home in 2020 and offered her advice on improving conditions for the animals in her care.
In September 2021 officers reattended the location and found widespread suffering, with chickens having untreated ailments related to their inadeuate housing and lack of bedding.. Thirteen birds had bumblefoot, respiratory disease, mite infestations and other preventable conditions.
Two cats were found in cages with no access to food and clean water. Both were underweight and suffering from severe dental disease.
A kitten named Timothy was found with a fractured spine, complete hind limb paralysis and infected wounds to her hind paws.
A vet concluded he was suffering from severe, continuous pain and recommended euthanisia.
Six cats were discovered living in small crates without food, water, or bedding.
Three of them, Boris, Dillon, and William, were in dirty cages with no bedding and little ventilation, showing signs of significant distress.
Cats Paul and Nell were underweight, with unkempt coats and severe dental disease, and blood tests confirmed dehydration and malnutrition.
Despite repeated warnings from the RSPCA, Sexton continued to deny any wrongdoing, later insisting in court that she had cared for animals for 15 years and attributed their poor health to age or breeding.
Sexton also told the court she kept the cats in crates because they hadn’t been neutered yet and she didn’t have the money yet to do so.
Following the sentencing hearing, RSPCA inspector Patrick Bailey said: “This was a large investigation involving a significant number of animals.
“Prior to the legal proceedings, my colleagues and I visited Miss Sexton on a number of occasions and each spent a considerable amount of time trying to educate and encourage her to make improvements to the way she kept her animals.”
He added: “It was distressing to see so many animals in small, dirty, unsuitable environments.
“We talked at length, offered help, practical advice and guidance [in 2020] and issued various improvement notices and warning notices requesting changes be made, yet we failed to see any significant improvement in the welfare of her animals and action needed to be taken.”
Sentencing | ordered to pay a fine of £8,000, costs of £71,720.28. 10-year ban which she can appeal after six years (expires June 2036).
CONVICTED (2026) | Naheem Hussain, born c. 1984, of Nansen Road, Saltley, Birmingham B8 3JP – for organised cock-fighting.
Hussain pleaded guilty to one offence of being present at an animal fight involving cockerels at an unknown address in Birmingham, on July 30, 2023.
He was prosecuted by the RSPCA following an investigation by their Special Operations Unit.
Hussain was identified as one of six men in a 10 minute-long video of a cockfight.
Still from video footage found on a seized mobile phone.
The footage was found on a mobile phone seized by West Midlands Police during Operation Moss – an RSPCA investigation into organised dog fighting in Birmingham in 2023.
Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA investigator Inspector Rick Maskell, said: “Hussain confirmed that he can be seen in the images taken as stills from the video of two cockerels fighting.
“He is seated beside the fighting birds and appears to be filming some parts of the fight as well as using his hands to encourage them to continue. He makes no attempts to stop the fight.
“When interviewed, he claimed to have no recollection of the fight or the location, and denied ever fighting cockerels.”
In mitigation Hussain said he had not appreciated the significance of his offending as a spectator.
Sentencing | 12 month community order with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, £150 costs and a £114 victim surcharge. Ten-year animal disqualification, which he can appeal after five years expires June 2036).
