CONVICTED (2024) | Elisa S Bates, born c. 1988, a traveller and serial animal abuser most recently of Ville Road, Scunthorpe and previously of Salisbury Street, Semilong, Northampton – kept a horse tethered in a small back garden without hay, grass or shelter.
Persistent animal abuser Bates, who in September 2014 was convicted of cruelty to dogs alongside fellow gypsy Adam Underwood from Northampton, kept the distressed horse tethered to a washing line pole.
The horse, known as Little Man, suffered from bad teeth, scabs on his nose and genitals and was infested with lice. He had no grass or shelter.
The RSPCA were alerted by a neighbour on April 19, 2022 when the horse was becoming tangled in his tether in the small garden. Officers were told the horse was sometimes tethered to a caravan in the front garden of the semi-detached home.
An officer advised Bates to get the help of a vet. But when he returned 10 days later she had not done so.
Little Man was taken to rescue charity Bransby Horses, where he has since recovered his health.
The cost of caring for him was estimated to be around £10,000.
Bates admitted an offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse
The court heard that Bates had been given a five-year ban on keeping dogs in 2014. That ban was imposed after she and Adam Underwood, born c. 1988 and most recently (2024) of Monmouth Road, Northampton, failed to stop bull terriers Bobby and Marley from fatally injuring each other during a fight.
The two dogs both suffered horrific wounds as a result of the fight and Bobby, the younger of the two, died as a result of his wounds the next night after being taken to a vets.
The court heard Marley was only recovered from Bates’ home by an RSPCA inspector the following day – by which time he was unable to stand and had sceptic puncture wounds. This delay contributed to the dog’s death with the vet treating him saying that his fighting injuries were the worst she had seen in 14 years of practice.
In addition, the dogs had been kept in a poor environment. When Bobby was taken to a vet he was covered in faeces from head to toe and excrement was embedded into his wounds.
During Bates’ latest court appearance for her cruelty to Little Man magistrates heard that she had breached her previous ban in 2016 and again in 2019.
Bates’ lawyer Jazmine Lee told the court her client describes herself as an animal-lover. “She is a well-meaning individual who has not had the equipment or resources to look after the horse,” she said.
She said Bates was now homeless and lives a chaotic lifestyle. She receives £700 in benefits each month.
Judge Paul Watson KC said: “You did not set out to harm this horse but the conditions in which it was kept were appalling.”
He said the offence caused distress to the animal and it was aggravated by her previous convictions for cruelty to animals.
“It may be you are an animal lover, but you were incompetent in being able to look after an animal like this,” said the judge.
When she received the ban, Bates wept in the dock and complained: “I won’t even be able to look after pigeons.”.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity days; fined £150. THREE-year ban on keeping all animals (expires September 2027).
Look at the state of it! Scummy bitch. She needs euthanising!