CONVICTED (2017) | gypsy travellers Harry Dunn, Tommy Dunn, Matthew Dunn and Christine Chambers – banned from keeping horses after animals discovered living amongst carcasses
The notorious Dunn family from Sevenoaks were banned from keeping horses after they left sick animals in the same field as a rotting carcass and poisonous ragwort.
Harry Dunn, Tommy Tucker Dunn, Matthew Dunn and family friend Christine Chambers were found guilty of offences under the Animal Welfare Act, following a two-day trial.
The travellers neglected seven horses, including three foals kept at a field near the family home.
Inspectors found a Shetland pony and her foal who were very thin and riddled with worms, a thin skewbald pony who was also suffering from a worm burden, two foals who were suffering from an untreated respiratory condition, a very thin mare and a colt who had very poor hooves.
All of the horses were kept in a field that had a high amount of a poisonous plant known as ragwort.
The horses were taken by police in February 2016, following several months of work from the RSPCA, British Horse Society (BHS), Redwings Horse Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare.
Teams from Kent County Council and Kent Police were also on hand to investigate the welfare of the horses in the area, and a further 29 horses were removed as no owners claimed them and there were serious welfare concerns for them. These horses were taken in by the RSPCA, with four transferred to World Horse Welfare for care.
Harry Dunn of Barnfield Park Caravan Site, Ash, Sevenoaks TN15, was found guilty of two offences of causing unnecessary suffering and one offence of keeping animals in an unsuitable environment. He was banned from keeping horses for one year and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge, £400 costs and £550 fine.
His son Matthew Dunn, DoB 05/08/1989, of the same address, was also found guilty of two offences of causing unnecessary suffering and two section 9 offences relating to the unsuitable environment the horses were kept in. He was banned from keeping horses for two years and ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge, £400 costs and £400 fine.
Harry Dunn’s nephew, Tommy Tucker Dunn, DoB 10/06/1986, was found guilty of one offence of causing unnecessary suffering and one sections 9 offence. He was banned from keeping horses for two years and ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge, £400 costs and £400 fine. The career criminal, who has racked up convictions for theft and fraud, was also previously convicted of horse cruelty in August 2012 alongside his parents Tommy Dunn Senior and Shirley Dunn.
Family friend Christine Chambers of Porchester Close, Longfield, Dartford, was found guilty of one offence of causing unnecessary suffering and two welfare offences related to the conditions the horses were kept in. She was banned from keeping horses for two years and ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge, £400 costs and £400 fine.