CONVICTED (2022) | Dean Singleton-Bagley, born 19 August 1991, of Greystone Place, Cleator Moor CA25 5ET and Natalie Graham, born 17 August 1993, of William Morris Avenue, Cleator Moor CA25 5DR – kept two dogs locked in a small dirty, cupboard with no food, water, or daylight
Singleton-Bagley and Graham pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
George Shelley, prosecuting, said that police officers had entered the house on January 7, 2022, in relation to another concern, when they noticed two dogs underneath the stairs.
The dogs appeared “malnourished” and had no access to food or water.
The small cupboard they were kept in was full of dog faeces and urine and was “making the police dog handlers’ eyes water”.
The pair were arrested and the dogs were seized.
A statement read out on behalf of the veterinary surgeon who assessed the two dogs, said that they were both were underweight. Both had suffered for an estimated two months.
John Cooper, who was defending Singleton-Bagley, said he was aware that Graham had some “significant health issues”.
He said that Singleton-Bagley, who splits his time between the the two addressees, knew that he had let things go wrong, and that his main issue was “not being there enough”.
Graham, who had no legal representation, told the court: “I won’t be getting anymore dogs. My children are my main concern. We didn’t mean to harm the animals. It wasn’t intentional.
She said when she had been given the choice between keeping the dogs, or signing them over, she had agreed to sign them over because “they deserve better”.
“It comes to the stage where we are too scared to ask for help,” Graham told the court.
Sentencing: 12-month community order, with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Graham was fined £80 and Singleton-Bagley was fined £140. They must both pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge each. Both were banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.