CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeder Robert Jones, who goes by the first name Bobby, born c. 1992, of Rainworth Drive, Southport PR8 – terrorised his dogs with regular beatings and kept them outside in filthy, barren and exposed conditions.

Jones’s pets – three-year-old Doberman cross Doris and Staffy cross Ozzie, aged 10 – lived in a state of constant terror after backyard breeder Jones, who also keeps owls, battered them on more than 30 different occasions over just five months.

A concerned member of the public contacted the RSPCA, who launched an investigation

Charity investigators found that Jones, who claimed he had “bred, trained and sold [dogs] for 12 years”, had abused and intimidated his pets on multiple occasions over a “lengthy period”.

Of the 31 videos clips provided to the RSPCA, at least 20 contained damning evidence of the dogs’ maltreatment. The abused pets could be heard screaming in pain as banging, thudding and slapping noises, accompanied by a male voice, came from the house at Rainworth Drive, Southport.

Another witness said they had seen Jones physically assaulting the dogs by kicking them. They also said Jones would shout and curse at Doris and Ozzie, who were kept outside day and night, Loud thuds could be heard coming from his house, followed by the sounds of whimpering.

RSPCA Inspector Vicki Brooks said: “I listened to the recordings and heard repeated incidents of a male shouting and swearing, banging and dog(s) crying out in a manner that clearly indicated that they were in fear, distress and potential pain. I was not hearing ‘normal’ sounds of dogs crying and whimpering.

“These were clearly more serious and concerning. I have dealt with cases like this previously and the sound of a dog whimpering or crying because it has been left alone, or wants to go inside, or wants attention, for example, is distinctively different to the crying a dog makes when it is in pain, fear and distress.”

In August 2023, Inspector Brooks and police visited Jones at his home, where they found Doris and Ozzie in a small paved area in the back garden.

There was no bedding in their shelter and several piles of faeces were visible.

The dogs were seized and taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. There, they were given health checks and vaccinations before being transferred to a private boarding facility.

Appearing at South Sefton Magistrates Court on August 29, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his animals after abusing them on several occasions between January 22 2023 and July 7 2023.

In his written evidence to the court, a vet said: “The 31 recordings do not provide direct evidence of the dogs being physically assaulted, although noises such as bangs, thuds and slaps associated with a dog vocalising distressfully are highly likely to be associated with physical abuse.

“The recordings indicate that the male person shouted and swore at the dogs causing Doris and Ozzie to vocalise in a distressful manner, indicating they were in fear at those times.”

Jones told the RSPCA he considered himself to be knowledgeable and experienced with dogs having kept, bred, trained and sold them for 12 years. He said he trained his dogs verbally, and with leash work, and that they were not scared of him and he had never beaten them. He said the video recordings were “just the noise the dogs make”.

There were no further details of how the dogs were seen being kicked, and so it was impossible to determine whether they had suffered physical pain, the court was told. The defendant’s actions, however, would still have caused Doris and Ozzie to suffer through fear and distress, according to the vet.

District Judge Bruce Hatton said Jones had displayed “despicable behaviour over a lengthy period” and that any “right minded person” listening to the audio of the dogs would find his actions “appalling”.

Speaking after the case Inspector Brooks said: “Jones’ actions towards Doris and Ozzie were consistently violent and intimidating and the dogs in his care experienced pain, fear and distress on a regular basis over a long period of time.

“As the investigating officer it was extremely traumatic and upsetting to have to listen to the recordings and to have constantly had to witness these dogs in such fear and distress must have been awful for anyone in the vicinity. Jones’ actions were those of an aggressive and cruel bully and were wholly unacceptable.

“I am very grateful to the witnesses for their bravery in coming forward, and their patience and commitment whilst we conducted this investigation as we could not have secured this conviction without them.”

Sentencing | 22 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, 25 rehabilitation days. Banned from keeping dogs for 10 years (expires August 2034).

Liverpool Echo