CONVICTED (2024) | Ian Rosenberg, born c. 1964, of South Haven Close, Hamworthy, Poole BH16 5BJ – illegally bred and sold puppies.
Illegal dog breeder/dealer Ian Rosenberg (right) with one of his many traveller friends
Rosenberg, who has strong connections to the traveller community, is said to have earned £53,260 through his illegal activities, which he will have to repay.
An investigation led by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) into Rosenberg’s operations ran between October 2019 and July 2022, and involved a raid of his Hamworthy property in July 2021.
The warrant was issued by Dorset Police, welfare checks were done by the RSPCA and the council’s Animal Welfare Officers were able to investigate at his premises.
Rosenberg was found to be housing 50 dogs and five litters of puppies.
Trading Standards then carried out a financial investigation which led to the successful prosecution.
This was the first successful conviction by BCP Council in bringing an unlicensed breeder to justice.
In court, he was found guilty of breeding three or more litters of English Bulldog, French Bulldog and Cocker Spaniel puppies over a 12-month period.
He was also found guilty of selling the puppies without a licence.
Sentencing | two months in prison, suspended for 12 months; 120 hours of unpaid work; repayment of the money he benefitted from through his illegal activity, with £10,500 having to be settled within a three-month period. If any of the payments default, Rosenberg will face six months in jail.
CONVICTED (2024) | Wally David Beaney, born 15/11/1984, his wife Maria Smith, born 18/05/1988, and her mother Louise Smith, born 28/08/1960, all of 2 Beechwood Gardens, Meopham, Gravesend DA13 0SD, Charlotte Lauren Byron, born 15/04/1987, of Longfield Road, Meopham, Gravesend, and her mother Deborah Lorraine Lampard aka Deborah Kirsch, born 11/08/1964 of 123 Highview, Vigo, Gravesend DA13 0UT – kept dozens of dogs in horrific conditions and sold gravely ill and dying dogs to buyers.
Of the five members of a gang of fraudulent puppy farmers estimated to have netted £500,000,, only one escaped a prison sentence. L-R Maria Smith, Wally Beaney, Debbie Lampard, Charlotte Byron
The cruel and illicit activities of the gang were uncovered during a raid on 22 September 2021 by rural crime police officers and the RSPCA. A total of 36 dogs and three cats were taken away and £10,000 was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Police made eight arrests, acting on four animal welfare warrants and also seized 12 vehicles and were able to return a farm vehicle to its owner.
All members of the gang, apart from Debbie Lampard who walked free with a conditional discharge, received prison sentences for duping the public and showing ‘cruelty and neglectful behaviour’ that led to the death of multiple dogs.
The gang reaped considerable financial benefit by repeatedly breeding dogs, while failing to provide appropriate medical care.
Some of the puppies had been poorly with parvo virus – a highly contagious and often fatal illness – and had died within days of being taken to their new home.
During a raid on three properties in Kent in October 2021 over 30 puppies were recovered.
A vet described the puppies’ living conditions as ‘dark and smelly’, with three puppies requiring ‘urgent’ veterinary attention.
Many adult dogs were also found in the garden of the raided properties – including two pregnant dogs who were riddled with parasites and dental issues.
Phones containing enquiries from people about purchasing the puppies were also seized during the search.
RSPCA inspector Vikki Dawe said: ‘These dogs were all being kept in horrible conditions with very poor care which did not remotely reflect the expectations of buyers who saw the adverts placed for them.’
Woolwich Crown Court heard that, in one instance, three Golden Retriever puppies, all purchased from Byron’s address in Kent in July 2021, died within four days of being purchased.
Wally Beaney, a traveller, received the longest custodial term of the gang
A vet who examined the case said in a statement: ‘This suggests that the seller knew a litter mate was sick at the time of their sale.
‘Yet the other puppy purchasers were not notified, either at purchase that a litter mate was unwell or that a litter mate became unwell.
‘It is my opinion that the seller failed to protect the three pups discussed in this report by not sharing with the new owners that he had detected signs of disease in another litter mate.’
Beaney with wife Maria Smith, who also went to jail
All five defendants were sentenced on January 25, 2024.
Wally Beaney pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, as well as one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Louise Smith pleaded guilty to one offence under Animal Welfare Act 2006 and one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Maria Smith pleaded guilty to two offences under Animal Welfare Act 2006, and a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Charlotte Byron pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Debbie Lampard pleaded guilty to selling puppies without a licence.
Sergeant Darren Walshaw, of Kent Police’s Rural Task Force, said: ‘Those convicted reaped considerable financial benefit by repeatedly breeding dogs, all the while failing to provide the animals and their puppies with appropriate medical care, such as worming medication and inoculations.
‘They demonstrated cruelty and neglectful behaviour that ultimately led to numerous animals losing their lives unnecessarily.’
Sentencing |
Wally Beaney: four and a half years’ immediate custody. Ten year-ban on keeping dogs.
Louise Smith: two years and four months in custody, Banned from keeping dogs for five years.
Maria Smith: two years and four months in custody. Disqualified from keeping dogs for five years.
Charlotte Byron: two years and three months in custody.No ban.
Debbie Lampard: 18-month conditional discharge. No ban.
CONVICTED (2024) | Diana Kierpacz, born 9 November 1997, of Kennerleigh Walk, Tong, Bradford BD4 0NS – kept an emaciated dog tied up in a rubbish-strewn yard.
2011 social media image of Bradford animal abuser Diana Kierpacz
The two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, known as Brenda, was so emaciated her ribs, spine and hip bones were visible. She appeared timid and nervous.
Brenda
The dog, who had given birth seven weeks earlier, was found tied up in a faeces and rubbish filled yard with no access to food, water or shelter.
She also had a painful long-standing eye condition and was severely underweight, with a vet giving her a body condition score of just one out of nine
Diana Kierpacz, a Roma gypsy originating from Poland, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Brenda and failing to meet her needs following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby had visited the house to investigate a report of concern over the welfare of a dog kept there.
In written evidence, Inspector Hodby said: “The dog looked to have recently given birth but there were no signs of the puppies. She had no access to water, shelter or food and her eyes were sunken into her head.
“All of the dog’s ribs were visible as well as her spine and hip bones.
“The dog was tethered to a fence using an extendable lead. The lead was tied to a piece of rope which was then attached to the dog’s collar. She was able to walk around but I was concerned she could injure herself as the tether was inappropriate.”
The court heard Kierpacz then appeared at the property and told inspector Hodby that Brenda was only outside for short periods and had access to water, despite none being present.
Kierpacz was told that Brenda’s living conditions were unacceptable and she was taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.
She was examined by a vet who told the court in written evidence that the main concerns were her chronic entropion (eye condition ) and her thin body condition.
The vet said: “The most likely cause of this thin state was the increased nutritional demands of pregnancy followed by lactation which in particular is very energy demanding, requiring the animal to consume approximately three times the amount of calories and other nutrients than normal.
“In addition, the choke chain collar and height from which the dog was tethered gave a high risk of injury by choking or strangling if she tried to get away, was fleeing danger or chasing something.”
When asked about the circumstances in which her dog was found, Kierpacz said she had left Brenda there for one hour while she went shopping and she’d been tethered outside so she could “enjoy the weather.”
She said she didn’t feel the way the dog was found tied up compromised her health or welfare and claimed that water had been provided which Brenda must have drunk.
She said she’d been aware of the entropion but had not re-presented her pet for veterinary treatment for 18 months.
After being nursed back to health Brenda was rehomed
Kierpacz said she was not a breeder and Brenda had mated accidentally with a friend’s dog.
Brenda had surgery for her long-standing eye condition and was also neutered. She has since been re-homed.
Other dogs owned by Kierpacz will also now be rehomed.
Magistrates said Brenda had been found in a “very neglected and emaciated state and there was clear evidence that this offending has gone on for a long time”.
Despite this, they only gave Kierpacz a one-year ban. This seems to have been her sole punishment.
CONVICTED (2024) | brothers Kristen Christopher Cooper, born 2 May 1999, and Todd James Edward Cooper, born c. 1994, of 24 Westbury Close, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8AZ* – tortured wild animals to death and filmed their agonies.
Sadistic brothers Kristen Cooper (left) and Todd Cooper
Career criminal brothers Kristen and Todd Cooper, who are gypsies, made a series of sick videos showing hares and deer being abused and mutilated.
During one depraved incident, the pair mutilated the genitalia of a deer – to the extent that officials could not tell if the animal was male and female – and stabbed another in the eye on camera, causing an ‘extreme level of suffering’.
In another twisted video they held a hare by his head and encouraged a dog to bite him.
A vet reviewing the videos as part of the investigation described the footage, filmed in 2021 and 2022, as the “worst case of animal abuse” he had seen in his 24-year career.
“These images will stay with me forever,” he said.
Other videos showed deer being dragged by their antlers having appeared to have suffered spinal injuries from possibly being hit by a car, with one piece of footage showing a man raising a wooden object above a helpless deer’s head as if he was going to strike it.
The brothers were caught after police seized a phone containing the shocking videos.
Kristen Cooper was charged with seven counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal with Todd Cooper being accused of one count.
But after appearing at the crown court for these offences and being released on bail, just days later the pair were apprehended again after attacking a mother and her son outside a Co-Op in Betsy Lane in Bransgore on March 4, 2023.
In a video shown in court, the pair can be seen with a third unknown man, ramming another car before getting out and attacking the vehicle with a catapult, a crowbar and a baseball bat.
The victims of the attack later gave evidence at trial with the mother saying she “genuinely believed they wanted to kill us”.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said the animal abuse was “sadistic” adding that the animals were in “distress and suffering”.
Aleks Lloyd, defending Kristen – who has eight convictions for ten offences – said this is the first time his client has been in custody adding that he “appears to be getting his head down and getting on with it”.
Ruba Huleihel defending Todd, who has 24 convictions for 52 offences, said her client has ADHD and was exposed to violence from a very young age.
Judge Peter Henry sentenced the pair for a variety of offences committed in the New Forest and in Dorset, including actual bodily harm, criminal damage and threatening a person with an offensive weapon.
He said: “One would have thought that both of you being brought up in the New Forest you would have had more respect for such defenceless creatures.
“It was being filmed, other people were present and other people seemed to find it all very amusing.”
Both men were given restraining orders banning them from ever contacting the mother and son they attacked ever again.
This image shows the Cooper brothers and an as yet unidentified accomplice participating in hare coursing, a cruel sport in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and turn a hare
Police Constable Sebastian Haggett, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team – who led the case alongside Hampshire police – said after the sentencing: “These are without doubt some of the most horrifying offences I have ever investigated.”
Angharad Thomas, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “The level of cruelty displayed in this case is beyond comprehension and the brothers showed an inexplicable disregard for the welfare of these animals peacefully existing in the wild.
“An expert witness for the prosecution described the actions of Kristen and Todd Cooper as the worst case of animal abuse they had ever come across in their 24-year veterinary career.
“The CPS welcomes today’s sentence and hopes it sends a clear message that we will continue to work with the police to bring offenders of these disturbing crimes to justice.”
Sentencing | Kristen Cooper: jailed for five years; 10-year criminal behaviour order. Banned from owning a dog for ten years. Todd Cooper- jailed for three years and eight months.
CONVICTED (2024) | Liam Talbot, born 1996, of 28 Rowan Road, Weaverham, Northwich CW8 3DU – forced dogs to fight foxes and badgers to the death.
Talbot pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
He admitted making dogs fights with foxes and badgers, causing three dogs to fight with wild animals and taking and killing a badger.
Images produced in the prosecution against wildlife killer Liam Talbot
He also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a bull lurcher cross-type dog named Cid by failing to provide vet care and attention for an injury to his upper left canine tooth.
The animal fights were uncovered through Talbot’s social media posts, with Talbot uploading compilation videos of images to TikTok.
These videos were found as a result of investigations by The Naturewatch Foundation and were subsequently passed across to the police and RSPCA.
One video showed images of a person with a lamp at their waist, holding a black and white Lurcher-type dog by the collar with his left hand and a fox in his right hand.
The compilation video also shows images of a person holding up a fox whilst with a black and white Lurcher-type dog; while another person is shown holding a Lurcher-type dog on a lead in his right hand and a fox in his left hand. The fox has an injury to its hindquarters.
Another TikTok compilation videos show three dogs attacking a fox, two dogs attacking a badger, and other images of foxes and dogs.
A police warrant took place at Wolvesley Place in Winsford on February 22, 2023, during which two dogs belonging to Talbot were found.
Pepper, a nine-year-old female tan bull lurcher and Cid a nine-year-old male black bull lurcher, both had scarring to their faces and chests and were present in the digital evidence presented to the court.
A written statement from an expert veterinary surgeon said they had examined several videos that showed a ‘number of dogs in circumstances suggestive of those dogs being used for the purpose of hunting wild mammals’.
In his conclusions, he said Cid would have suffered as a consequence of an injury to the left upper canine tooth.
He said: “Once removed the tooth was described as being rotten, suggesting a timescale of at least 10 days, probably longer.”
After viewing video footage he said that both Pepper and Cid were “repeatedly placed in circumstances that exposed them to injury by fighting with wild mammals such as a fox and/or badger.
He added: “The skin scars found to be present on both of these dogs are consistent with injury via such a mechanism.”
Sec 8 Animal Welfare Act, animal fight (dogs/badgers and dogs/foxes)
Sec 9 Animal Welfare Act for three dogs causing them to fight with wild animals)
Protection Of Badgers Act Sec1 and 2 for taking and killing a badger.
Pepper and Cid were officially handed over to the RSPCA and will now be rehomed.
Speaking about the case, Chief inspector Ian Muttit, from the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU), said: “Badger baiting has been illegal for more than 180 years, yet we still find people spending their time inflicting sickening pain, suffering and misery on animals in this way.
“It is also horrifying to see that perpetrators are then creating videos glorifying attacks on wildlife and flagrantly posting them on social media for others to view.
“We will continue to stand up for animals involved in wildlife persecution and for the dogs often caught up in these horrifying attacks.
“We would very much like to thank The Naturewatch Foundation for their initial investigations and also Cheshire Police.”
Sentencing | 16-week custodial, suspended for 18 months; community order with 25 hours of rehabilitation; six-month mental health treatment requirement; £500 costs, £154 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping all animals for three years (expires January 2027).
CONVICTED (2023) | Daniel Banham, born 6 September 1999, of Carters Hill Park traveller site, Carters Hill, Billingbear, Wokingham RG40 5QL – left his horse to suffer with a painful untreated skin condition.
Daniel Banham received a suspended prison sentence and eight-year ban on keeping horses following his mistreatment of an unnamed colt
Banham, a traveller, was visited by the RSPCA after calls of concern over a young horse in Fordingbridge in Hampshire who had severe skin lesions over his body. The lesions were crusty, the skin was dry, red and painful.
The horse was signed over to the RSPCA and can now be rehomed following his recovery
A vet carried out an examination of the unnamed horse and found him to be in a suffering state.
Banham was asked about the skin condition and said he thought it was rain scald so had used coconut oil on the lesions.
In their report, the vet said: “This horse was suffering from the consequences of inadequate management. The poor management led to dehydration, malnutrition, painful skin condition and severe liver disease that can have life-threatening consequences.
“He failed in his duty by failing to seek veterinary help for his horse’s very obvious and severe skin condition and concerning weight loss.
“Added to this his choice to apply coconut oil to his skin significantly increased this animal’s pain and suffering by conducting and amplifying the sun’s heat onto his severely damaged skin.”
RSPCA Inspector Tina Ward, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Our plea to all animal owners is to make sure they always receive care and treatment from veterinary experts when they need it.
“They are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate veterinary care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them. It’s so sad that, in this instance, that responsibility was not met.”
The horse was also signed over into the care of the RSPCA and can now be rehomed.
Sentencing | eight-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days; £300 costs and £154 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping horses for eight years.
CONVICTED (2023) | puppy farmer Virginia Nelson aka Virginia Mahon, born 30 October 1978, a traveller from Hallbankgate, Brampton CA8* – for animal welfare and fraud offences relating to unlicensed breeding.
Greedy, cruel and dishonest puppy farmer Virginia Nelson, who is better known by the name Virginia Mahon, is disqualified in dealing in animals until November 2026.
Nelson admitted failing to be licenced for the activity of selling animals as pets in the course of a business.
Investigations into Nelson started in August 2022, following a report of the sale of a six-year-old dog, who was advertised as a one-year-old. The buyer also reported that the dog had ear and skin infections. A vet later concluded that the animal could have avoided unnecessary suffering with timely vet treatment.
A separate report was made after Nelson sold a five-week-old puppy that was too young to be away from her mother and did not have the appropriate vaccinations.
This activity is a breach of Lucy’s Law, legislation which prohibits the sale of animals without a licence.
Sentencing | fined £140, ordered to pay £2,500 costs and a £56 surcharge. Disqualified from dealing in animals for three years (expires November 2026).
CONVICTED (2023) | serial hare courser Fred Holmes, born c. 1963, of Eye View Travellers Site, Thorney Road, Eye, Peterborough PE6 7UA – for trespassing on private land and using dogs to chase and kill hares in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
Traveller Fred Holmes was fined nearly £20k after being caught in Lincolnshire using dogs to kill hares
Following a report of hare coursing in Low Road, Crowland, on November 13, 2022, officers from Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Crime Action Team attended and located Fred Holmes, who appeared to be equipped with dogs on the land.
Holmes was subsequently charged with trespass in pursuit of hare and going equipped for trespass.
Northamptonshire Police joined the investigation as he was also suspected of hare coursing in Warmington on October 23, 2022.
Holmes was already subject to a community protection notice in Northamptonshire after committing similar offences previously, and his three lurcher-type dogs were seized alongside his mobile phone.
The joint force investigation resulted in Holmes being charged with two counts of trespass in pursuit of game, and two counts of being equipped to trespass in pursuit of hares.
Despite initially denying the Northamptonshire offences, at Boston Magistrates’ Court on November 10, 2023, he entered guilty pleas to all four counts.
Sentencing | ordered to pay £16,783.50 for the kennel costs of keeping the three dogs since their seizure, as well as fines for the two trespass offences and two victim surcharges, making a total of £18,557.50. Three-year criminal behaviour order which prevents him from entering any private land in Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire or Cambridgeshire with a sighthound, greyhound, long dog or lurcher type dog or cross breed, or being in the company of anyone with this kind of dog on private land, during the recognised hare coursing season (July 31 – April 30). Deprivation order for three dogs; forfeiture of thermal imaging equipment and a Citroen car. Banned from keeping dogs for 10 years (expires November 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | William Thornton, who has a number of aliases including Dennis Thornton and Hugh McGinley, born June 1998, of 69 Upton Road, Kidderminster DY10 2YB but with links to Shrewsbury – allowed an emaciated mare to become so poorly she lost her foal and later died.
Willie Thornton, an Irish traveller who works as a self-employed driveway contractor, was disqualified from owning horses after failing to properly care for a pregnant horse that later had to be put down after losing her foal.
Thornton admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Monday 6 November 2023.
Bay mare Gypsy Speedy lost her foal and was later put to sleep following months of neglect by her owner, Willie Thornton
The offences related to a bay mare named Gypsy Speedy kept at a travellers site in Timber Lane, Stourport.
RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith attended the site , on December 9, 2022, after the charity received reports about the welfare of horses kept there.
She left an advice notice regarding Gypsy Speedy, who at that point was identified to be underweight. Thornton was advised to provide additional forage and to ensure a farrier attended.
But after returning on January 18 she found no action to have been taken and the mare’s condition had deteriorated.
In her witness statement, inspector Smith said: “The pregnant bay mare was visibly severely underweight. She had deteriorated a lot in the five and a half weeks, with her spine, pelvis and shelf above her ribcage being exposed despite a thick winter coat.
“There was no additional forage, and the grazing available was insufficient to meet the needs of the equines.”
Inspector Smith called a specialist equine vet to attend, who examined the horse and confirmed she was suffering unnecessarily given her poor body condition and lack of nutrition available.
West Mercia Police attended and placed Gypsy Speedy into the care of the RSPCA.
In their witness statement, the vet stated Gypsy Speedy’s body condition score was just one out of five.
They added: “The body condition score of the animal was unacceptably low and the animal was being caused unnecessary suffering.
“In my opinion, the cause of the poor body condition was due to malnutrition, starvation and/or or an inadequate parasite control programme.
“The mare has been caused suffering for at least six weeks and would continue to suffer if the circumstances did not change.
“In my opinion, the owner has failed in their duty of care by failing to provide adequate food, by failing to implement a suitable parasite control programme, by failing to provide adequate farriery and by failing to seek veterinary advice.”
Inspector Smith added: “It’s very sad when we identify an animal that is at risk and clearly discuss with the owner changes and improvements they need to make in order to prevent their animal from suffering, but that advice isn’t taken.
“Thankfully, in the vast majority of our work, owners take on board this advice and make the changes that are needed and the lives of the animals are vastly improved. Sadly there are some cases, such as this one, where animals are caused to suffer as a result of owners who refuse to take the required action.”
Due to her poor health, Gypsy Speedy lost her foal, despite the best efforts of vets and the RSPCA’s equine care teams.
She later became very unwell herself, and vets made the difficult decision to put her to sleep to prevent her suffering further.
Sentencing | community order with 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months; costs of £400. Banned from owning horses for six years (expires November 2029).
CONVICTED (2023) | puppy farmers / traffickers Tom Paul Mongan, born c. 1995, of 4 Mill Pond Glen, Poleglass, Dunmurry, Belfast BT17 0XX, and William Joseph Mongan, aka William Ward, born 9 October 1983, of 6 Ardcaoin Grove, Poleglass, Dunmurry, Belfast BT17 0US
Brothers Tom Mongan (left) and William Mongan sold sick puppies from rented Glasgow flats leaving a trail of misery in their wake
Notorious puppy farmer/trafficker Tom Mongan, who in May 2023 was convicted for similar charges in Northern Ireland, and brother William Mongan, sold dogs online from rented Airbnb properties across Glasgow.
The dogs were found in poor shape and were discovered living in unsanitary conditions by SSPCA inspectors.
Some of the 11 pets the pair were responsible for were later put down due to ill health.
Tom Mongan pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to three charges of causing unnecessary suffering while William Mongan admitted two charges.
The charges spanned between December 2020 and February 2021.
The brothers – who are of the Irish traveller community – were sentenced to nine months in jail each by Sheriff Mark McGuire.
He said: “Each of you pled guilty to what can be described as animal cruelty on 11 separate dogs.
“What I heard is what the public would know as puppy farming.
“It must have been obvious the dogs were unwell and the conditions they were kept in was poor – you took no steps to get help for these animals.
“The motivation was for financial gain – each dog was priced at over £1,000.
“It was clearly greed and it brought unimaginable misery to those who unfortunately bought them.
“I am satisfied there is no other appropriate sentence than custody.”
Tom Mongan with wife Ellie Marie Mongan. The charges against her and Brigid Marie Mongan, sister of Tom and Edward, were dropped during court proceedings
Despite facing prosecution for similar offences in Northern Ireland, Tom Mongan went on to rent out a number of Airbnb properties in Glasgow for the purposes of selling more dogs.
He advertised a springer spaniel puppy on website PetsForHomes which was answered by a man.
He met Tom at an address and was shown a vaccination card for the puppy who was lying on a couch.
He paid Tom £1,600 in separate transactions to purchase the puppy later named Bella.
Tom contacted the man the following day to ask when he would pick up the dog.
Prosecutor Gail Campbell said: “[The man] told him that they picked up the puppy and was then blocked by Tom Mongan on the website.”
The man also noticed that the puppy had diarrhoea and was lethargic with parvovirus suspected by a vet.
The decision was made to euthanize Bella days later due to her ill health.
Ms Campbell added: “The vet thought that the dog was caused unnecessary suffering.
“[The man] contacted Tom Mongan on Facebook to tell him the puppy had died but he blocked him.”
A woman purchased a Pomeranian puppy from Tom in similar circumstances which was named Abbie.
The dog vomited and also had diarrhoea which included live worms.
Abbie was taken to the vet where she was noted to have done the toilet on herself and could stand on her own.
Abbie was also euthanized with a post mortem finding that she suffered from parvovirus.
A man and woman purchased a Beagle later named Freya from Tom.
She was later noted to have no appetite, vomited and had diarrhoea. Freya also passed away from her condition.
The woman contacted Tom but received no reply.
SSPCA inspectors and police raised of the addresses on January 28 2021 and found Tom Mongan, William Mongan and eight puppies within.
A spaniel puppy was noted to be “distressed”, as well as lethargic and could not lift her head.
Another spaniel puppy and a Pomeranian were also found to be in a “visibly poor condition.”
A puddle of clear yellow fluid, believed to be diarrhoea was found on the floor of one of the bedrooms.
The puppies were seized and only four of them were linked to microchips.
A vet stated that all the puppies were in poor condition and should have received veterinary care. One of the dogs was put down.
Grubby family enterprise: Brigid Mongan with brother William Mongan. The case against her did not proceed
Over a week later, William Mongan was visited by the SSPCA who received information beagle puppies were being sold.
Four puppies were found inside including a beagle puppy who was in a poor condition.
A border collie described as being “extremely unwell” was noted to be lying in her own urine and faeces.
William threatened legal action on one of the SSPCA inspectors who seized the puppies
Ms Campbell added: “The inspector has not been contacted by a lawyer.”
Atlanta Jack, defending Tom, told the sentencing her client was involved for financial gain.
The lawyer added: “He expresses his regret for the people who purchased the puppies and he is apologetic for the upset and inconvenience caused.”
Patrick Brechany, defending William, stated his client is a gardener by trade who is “remorseful and “regretful.”
Mr Brechany denied that William was a “puppy farmer” but sold dogs who were puppy farmed.
Sheriff McGuire banned the two men, of Belfast, from keeping animals for ten years.
Sentencing | nine-month custodial; 10-year ban applicable to all animals.
In April 2023 Irish newspaper Sunday World published an article on “convicted fraudster” William Mongan in which they described how neighbours of the vile Mongans had to take action to stop newborn puppies bred by the family from dying. The article revealed how people living in the same street as William Mongan had been going into his back yard to feed two very young cocker spaniel puppies he had left in a shed. Concerned neighbours told the Sunday World reporter how the puppies cried 24 hours a day for food and attention.
Abandoned puppies only survived thanks to the intervention of kindly neighbours of William Mongan aka William Ward
“He dropped the puppies off … and he left and has only been seen back once since then and even then he didn’t get out of his van,” said one concerned neighbour.
“He doesn’t live here very much and he hasn’t been seen much but nobody can understand why he’d abandon two vulnerable young puppies like this in his yard.
“The poor things have been whining constantly because he didn’t leave any food for them. They are far too young to be away from their mother.
“It’s maybe hard to understand how distressing it is to have to listen to young puppies crying 24 hours a day because they are starving and missing their mum.
“Loads of neighbours have complained to Belfast City Council’s animal welfare department as well as the USPCA but nobody seems to be doing anything.”
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
