CONVICTED (2021) | “Cruel, neglectful and greedy” puppy farmers Andrew Leigh Bateman, born 23 September 1980, partner Kelly Marie Busby, born 2 May 1988, both formerly of Cwmann, Lampeter, Wales but now at the Yarcombe Inn, Honiton, Devon EX14 9BD, and Jeremy Paul Awdry, born c. 1948, of Jubilee Villa, Lydney Road, Bream, Lydney GL15 6EN – for offences of cruelty and neglect of puppies they bred.
Puppy farmers Andrew Bateman, Kelly Busby and Jeremy Awdry have been banned from keeping dogs for life after a judge branded their shoddy breeding business an “exercise of cruelty and neglect, hallmarked by greed”.
Bateman and Busby, who had a breeding licence for West Wales but not Forest of Dean, advertised “home bred” puppies online, but the dogs they supplied were from Awdry’s puppy farm in Bream where the environment was one of filth, chaos and neglect.
Prosecutor Greg Gordon told the court “Adverts for puppies were placed on three websites; Gumtree, Pets4Homes and Freeads and these created a false impression – that the sellers were fully licensed and that the puppies were raised in a caring and friendly home and were in good health.
“However none of this was true. The conditions that the puppies were kept in were squalid and they were poorly looked after.
“They were not being brought up in caring environment and none of the defendants were licensed to sell puppies in the Forest of Dean.”
Following numerous complaints from members of the public, officers from Forest of Dean District Council visited the site and took photographs of the shocking conditions.
Officer found a black Labrador puppy of around three months inside a cage kept in an open-fronted garage. The cage had no bedding and was placed on the concrete floor. There was no food, an empty bowl and a large amount of faeces.
That puppy was seized by the officers and was re-homed after being signed over to the Council.
Another two dogs were kept in complete darkness in a garage and when the officers entered they were “overcome with the smell of urine.” The floor was filthy and the puppies had a little water but no bedding or food.
Adult dogs were found in open-air cages surrounded by chicken remains, pieces raw meat and large quantities of rubbish.
Mr Gordon described how potential purchasers arriving at Jubilee Villa “were greeted with a property that was in a sorry state. One of the witnesses stated that they should have turned away there and then as there was a vast amount of poo and wee on the floor in the kitchen where the puppies were.
“Another witness said they were uncomfortable with dogs being kept in small kennels. The puppies were constantly barking. A further witness was so shocked by the conditions that although she had only intended to buy one puppy she felt she had to return to buy the other puppy to get it out of those terrible conditions.”
The prosecutor said that there was a long list of complaints from purchasers as the puppies were often ill with diarrhoea and other medical issues when they took them home.
Mr Gordon added: “One puppy died shortly after being purchased from Awdry, while others racked up significant vet bills.
“Awdry promised the purchasers that they had four weeks’ vet insurance. This was never registered and Kennel Club registration paperwork proved to be false and inaccurate. Microchips were badly implanted into the puppies by Awdry.”
A veterinary expert described the site as “harbouring a range of pathogenic diseases that can cause significant illnesses in dogs and humans.”
The expert also criticised the “small, bland environment”, the lack of clean comfortable bedding or toys and the lack of “enrichment” with the consequence that the puppies could develop behavioural difficulties.
During interview, Awdry admitted that he dipped dogs in chemicals as he did with his sheep.
The court heard the three defendants had earned around £90,000 in four years from puppy farming.
Clive Rees, for Awdry, told the court : “The council officials visited the day after the roof had blown off the chicken shed which is why there were so many remains around.
“Awdry has spent £3,000 on building new kennels, but it appears this has been a waste of time if he is to be banned from keeping dogs in the future.
“He is remorseful, even if he hasn’t shown it to the officers.”
Christian Jowett, for Bateman, said: “He has now lost his business and is moving to England to seek employment. He has had to sell their legitimate puppies in West Wales to comply with the impending ban on owning dogs.”
Kate Williams, for Busby, said: “She feels she has let her family down over this situation. She has been hit hard financially as she has now lost her home and was made bankrupt last year. She also takes issue with some of the allegations made.”
The three defendants each admitted three offences of failing to meet an animal’s needs. Awdry also admitted three offences of selling a dog without a licence in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Judge Ian Lawrie QC told them: “All three of you wanted to make money from this venture. None of you were concerned about the welfare of the animals. I am at a loss how you could have kept this up for such a lengthy period of time.
“You may not have set out to be cruel, but it was your ongoing neglect that was cruel. The dogs were in your care.
“This was a contrived exercise of cruelty and neglect hallmarked by greed. You each had different roles but were all negligent in the animals’ welfare as you were more concerned about making money.
“It is clear that when there were sales, the promised veterinary insurance was never registered.”
The prosecution was brought by officers in the Street Warden Team and the Counter Fraud Unit (CFU) with the assistance of the Forest of Dean council’s legal team.
PC Cath McDay from the rural crime team at Coleford Police station assisted in obtaining a warrant to inspect the premises.
Sentencing: 19-week custodial sentence suspended for two years; ordered to each pay £3,478 towards court costs and £2,901 compensation and a £115 victim surcharge.
Awdry also received a 7pm to 7am curfew order for six months; Bateman and Busby were ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.
All three were banned from owning dogs indefinitely.
Daily Mail
Forest of Dean Council news
Additional information
In March 2019 Jeremy Awdry received compensation after having dozens of his sheep seized by police and the local authority.
Around 55 of Awdry’s sheep were taken from two disputed locations in Bream under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, which allows the impounding of sheep “at any time found at large in any street”.
However, a judge ruled the animals should not have been taken.
Ten years earlier Awdry was given a five-year Asbo (repeatedly breached), banning his flock from Bream, after his sheep were reportedly straying into gardens and damaging fences.
Following his conviction for dog cruelty and illegal breeding, several locals have alleged that Awdry also neglects his sheep.
One local said: “He has at least sixty free roaming sheep which has not, as far as I can see, been reported on. These sheep are not in the best condition, as you can imagine. He also has his own collies he uses to round them up etc. I don’t know if he still has the dogs, but if not it will make any kind of shepherding almost impossible.
“[Awdry] is not a nice character and is always in a battle with the police, council etc.
“The sheep have to be registered, and due to his bad husbandry and disregard he has registered them in his son’s name [James Awdry]. He’s as bad as his father.
“I just feel that his sheep are now a matter for concern. They are in lamb and need extra food etc, not just grass, which is in short supply this time of year.”
News and Updates
Address for Bateman and Busby as of 18 May 2021:
22 Norburton
Burton Bradstock
BRIDPORT
Dorset
DT6 4QL
They have taken over two fast-food kiosks in the West Bay area of Bridport: the West Bay and Ships Galley. Busby recently advertised for staff on Facebook:
UKACF FB post 27 April 2021
PuppyFarmersExposed | On the move and still at it. Now in Bridport, Dorset Andrew Bateman and Kelly Busby, previously of Cwmann, #Lampeter, Wales, were banned from keeping dogs for life in February 2021 after investigators uncovered a litany of animal cruelty and neglect by the money-grubbing pair and their notorious accomplice, Jeremy Awdry of Bream in Gloucestershire.
The financially and morally bankrupt couple have been on the move ever since, initially settling in Honiton, Devon, where they were to be the new tenants of the Yarcombe Inn. Following an outcry by locals that offer was withdrawn and they upped sticks again.
We have now heard from several different sources – all reliable – that they have taken over management of a fish & chip business in West Bay, Bridport, Dorset.
“Well at least they’re now earning an honest living!” we hear you cry. If only. Unfortunately there is an abundance of evidence to suggest that they have continued to source and sell puppies and their ‘respectable’ cash-based business will be no more than a useful front for their cruel and shoddy dealings.
We have heard that Bateman’s cruelty towards dogs went far beyond neglect and actually veered more towards the violent and sadistic. This man should not be allowed within 10 feet of a dog or any animal.
He, and all others like him, must be put out of the pet-selling business for good.
More information:
https://www.facebook.com/joan.smith.560/posts/10224998588262506
https://www.facebook.com/ForestofDeanWildBoarSabs/posts/4020610538032336
Update 1 February 2022
Jeremy Awdry has finally been sent to prison after admitting breaching the order not to keep dogs.
Shortly after his conviction in February 2021, information was received that Awdry was still in possession of dogs at his premises and was in breach of the disqualification order. The matter was investigated by the officers from the street warden and counter fraud teams at Forest of Dean District Council.
On two separate occasions, Awdry was witnessed flouting that ban – by council officers and Gloucestershire Police.
He was seen to be either in control of dogs, or transporting them in his van, both of which constitute a breach of the banning order.
Appearing at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on February 1, 2022, Awdry pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching the disqualification imposed on him. He was sentenced to 25 weeks’ imprisonment: three weeks for each of the charges and 19 weeks imposed in relation to the suspended sentence. Full costs were also awarded to the council.
Forest of Dean District Council’s animal welfare member champion, Councillor Nicky Packer said: “Our street warden team does a fantastic job year round of ensuring that animals in our district are looked after properly, and that those who mistreat or cause harm to their animals are held accountable.
“Today’s verdict should stand as testament to this. A ban on keeping dogs means exactly that. If, as in this case, it isn’t followed, our street warden and counter fraud and enforcement team will enforce it.”
If they are making money on Animals, the least they can do is to Look After Them, and Not Leave Them In Filth.
It seems they are now Paying The Price. Banned From Keeping Animals and Bankrupt.
If they are both bankrupt as stated, where did the money come from to buy The Yarcombe Inn?
Now running 2 take aways in West Bay Dorset
Unfortunately I can’t post photo of the 2 kiosks
Could you email them please Sean – contact@ukanimalcrueltyfiles.org. If not, would you be able to confirm the names of the two businesses.
Hi the 2 kiosks are at West Bay Bridport. They are The Bay View and The Ship’s Galley. Myself and some friends have spent most of the day today handing out flyers around West Bay. We stopped lots of potential customers buying from Bay View during the day as The Ship’s galley was closed. Later on in the evening they shut one and opened the other, so we were back down the bay handing out even more flyers. All in all we lost them a lot of money today!!!! And to cap it off Bateman got a parking ticket. We will be going back every day to warn the public all about this sadistic couple!!!!
Well done Jayne, I’ve posted it on my biker’s page, so it will go round all the bike pages like wild fire … hopefully
Thank you, the more people that know the better.