CONVICTED (2024) | Eugene Meenaghan, born 10 February 2001, of 43 Crabgate Lane, Skellow, Doncaster DN6 8LE, Joseph Murtagh, born December 2001, from Woodlands, Doncaster, Jay Poole born 2 April 2004, of 3 The Circuit, Woodlands, Doncaster DN6 7TE, and Jake Reidy, born 23 May 2005, of 58 Princess Avenue, Stainforth, Doncaster DN7 5QY – for the possession of hare coursing equipment and destroying a farmer’s field.
The four men, who are all prolific wildlife persecutors, travelled from Doncaster to the hamlet of Apley, near Wragby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in the early hours of 1 October 2023. They then drove through a farmer’s field, damaging the land and destroying crops, before attempting to leave the area.
Eugene Meenaghan
The crime was reported to Lincolnshire Police and patrolling officers from Spec Ops quickly identified the vehicle and stopped the group near Burton Waters.
Officers found longdogs and equipment such as lamps – used in lamping to stun wild animals before dogs are set loose.
They were arrested and subsequently videos of animal fights were found on their phones.
Jake Reidy
All four men were charged with being equipped to hare course, breach of section nine of the animal welfare act and criminal damage. They pleaded guilty to these charges.
Jay Poole with father Craig Poole
On Thursday 25 April 2024 officials at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court told the group to pay out a combined total of £19,791.72 in costs and compensation.
Eugene Meenaghan will pay £5,262,93. Joseph Murtagh will pay £4,842.93. Jay Poole will pay £4,842.93. Jake Reidy will pay £4,842.93.
Magistrates described the crimes as ‘cruel and despicable’ and said the events of that night had ‘caused great distress’.
Joe Murtagh
This result comes after a lengthy police investigation and PC Karen Irving, who works for the rural crime action team, insists this behaviour won’t be tolerated.
She said: “We are determined to make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit. This result shows we will use all avenues available to us to bring people to justice and protect our communities and wildlife.
Sentencing | costs and compensation; 10-year criminal behaviour order not to enter Lincolnshire with longdogs; 100 hours of community service. Forfeiture of mobile phones and lamping equipment. Disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years..
CONVICTED (2024) | Donna Marie Morrison, born November 1981, of 36 Durham Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6XP – turned a blind eye to her elderly dog’s suffering.
Morrison repeatedly ignored RSPCA advice to take elderly Staffy Dozer to a vet and instead left him to suffer with an animal mass and tumours across his body. The animal charity had even appointments on her behalf but she failed to attend.
Due to his owner’s neglect, tumours had spread through Dozer’s body, resulting in his thin body condition, and he sadly had to be put to sleep.
RSPCA Inspector Helen Nedley said: “My colleague, Inspector Suzanne Edgar found that Dozer had a soft lump the size of a golf ball around his tail area.
“He also had a small lump the size of the end of a Biro pen on his front right leg.
“She strongly advised Donna Morrison to take Dozer to the vets for a check up on these lumps within the next two weeks.”
The tumours had spread through the canine’s body resulting in his thin body condition. Sadly vets had no choice but to put him down to prevent further suffering.
The court heard that the RSPCA first visited Morrison’s home in September 2022, after receiving reports of concern from the public.
Morrison was advised by the officer to take the dog to the vet. While she had apparently agreed to this, she failed to follow up.
By May 2023 Dozer’s condition had deteriorated significantly and he was signed over to the RSPCA and taken to a vet.
An ultrasound found two very large, hard masses inside Dozer’s abdomen pressing against his bladder, which had possibly spread from the original tumour on his backside.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “The vet stated that given that Dozer’s weight loss was likely to have been somewhat chronic in nature, and that the anal mass had been present for some time, suffering could have been avoided if the dog had been taken to a vet sooner. It was likely Dozer had suffered for several weeks.
“He added that given the significant weight loss and the presence of the tumour, the needs of the Staffy were not being met.”
RSPCA Inspector Helen Nedley added: “It was Morrison’s legal responsibility to properly care for Dozer and she failed to do this. There was no excuse for failing to seek veterinary care for him when it was abundantly clear he so desperately needed it.
“This was an awful case and Dozer’s suffering could have easily been avoided. The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their animal to ask for help and act on advice, rather than neglecting them and leaving them to suffer.”
Sentencing | 18-month community order with 25 days of “rehabilitation” and 100 hours of unpaid work. £114 victim surcharge and £1,170 in costs. 10-year ban.
CONVICTED (2024) | Matthew Murray, born 6 March 1999, of Bentinck Place, Birkenhead CH41 4DR – caught on CCTV kicking and screaming at a small dog as she yelps in pain.
The footage shows Murray running towards a fence and kicking out at bulldog Bella with his left leg, before kicking her again with his other leg, causing her to yelp out in pain. He is then heard aggressively shouting, “get back in,” before forcefully kicking and swearing at her again.
Bella is seen running back towards the house away from Murray, before yelping out again once she’s inside.
The incident took place at Ashfield Crescent, Bromborough, on Boxing Day 2023 and the RSPCA was alerted.
In a written statement to the court Inspector Anthony Joynes said: “I attended the location and made enquiries with residents which resulted in me seeing some CCTV footage where a young male with long dark hair, wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and black trainers can be heard initially arguing angrily with another person before screaming and shouting angrily that a dog had escaped from the property.
“The dog appears scared and is seen running away from the male along a fence line. The man chases after the dog and then proceeds to violently kick the dog forcefully on at least two occasions. The dog can be heard yelping in response and further yelps can be heard shortly after the man re-enters the address after the dog.”
2018 Merseyside Police mugshot of Matty Murray, who has links to Tranmere, Prenton, Wallasey and Woodchurch.
Following veterinary examination Bella was given pain relief for ongoing hip and spinal conditions which were found on the radiographs. She was then taken to a private boarding establishment to be cared for on behalf of the RSPCA while the investigation was carried out.
Murray, who is no stranger to Merseyside Police, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty, and said he had attacked Bella because he was “feeling stressed”.
Speaking after the conclusion of the case Inspector Joynes said: “Bella had run out of the house and into the street, which of course can be stressful and frustrating. But the violence, aggression and intimidating behaviour that followed was unacceptable, and this can be seen by Bella’s fearful response and her cries of pain.
“She is doing great in our care and will be looking for her new home very soon.”
Sentencing | 18-month community order with 240 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of “rehabilitation”; victim surcharge. Ten-year ban, but may appeal after five years.
CONVICTED | mother and son Susan Shaw, born 10 April 1964, and Jack Wynne, born 13 November 1993, of Blakehall, Skelmersdale WN8 9AZ – starved one dog to death and seriously neglected another.
The body of French bulldog Gucci was found in a mummified state in the bath. She weighed just 3.5kg – around a third of the average weight of a healthy dog of her breed.
Officers then found Violet, who was severely dehydrated and malnourished. At 7.6kg she was also significantly underweight.
The dogs’ feeding bowls were dry and there was no water for them.
An expert vet witness said in a statement read to the court that Violet “was shaking and when offered water drank it quickly.”
A second vet who examined Violet found that she was underweight and had issues with her eyes and skin.
Within three months of vet treatment she gained over 3kg (6.6lb) in weight and her eyes and skin started to improve.
Shaw and Wynne pleaded guilty to five animal welfare offences each.
A snake and a fish were also found at the property and were signed over to the RSPCA’s care.
Sentencing | Shaw: 26-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Wynne: three-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. They were both ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154. Both are banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | unlicensed backyard breeders Colin Williams, born c. 1977, and Ruth Williams ( née Ruth Sanders), born c. 1972, of Glanddu Road, Fleur de Lis, Blackwood NP12 3XT – for a catalogue of animal cruelty offences towards dogs and puppies they exploited for money.
The couple were prosecuted followed an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council trading standards.
Together with officers from Gwent Police, a veterinary surgeon, and officials from neighbouring councils, a warrant was executed at the Williams’ home address in June 2023. The premises was suspected of being used for unlicensed dog breeding.
Three French bulldogs, two British bulldogs and two cavalier King Charles spaniels were found severely confined in pens in one room with no access to water.
One of the pens, which housed two other dogs was in an alcove under the stairs. The conditions provided insufficient space with the animals having no stimulation and unable to show normal behaviour.
All nine dogs had conditions which caused them unnecessary suffering. The dogs were found to be suffering from skin, eye, ear and airway diseases.
The dogs were seized after being looked at by the vet and placed into the care of Hope Rescue. They have since been rehomed.
Colin Williams, who used to run a business called Valley Ultrasound and Microchipping and now works as a window cleaner, admitted 17 charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and one charge under Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not declaring he was a breeder when he advertised the dogs’ sale.
He also admitted a charge under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007 of the Animal Health Act 1981, for illegally taking two pregnant dogs to Heathrow Airport.
Ruth Williams admitted 15 cruelty charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and a charge under consumer protection law.
Lyndsey Smith, rescue and adoption manager of Hope Rescue Centre, said: “Many of the dogs arrived with health issues so we were shocked to hear they were still being bred from.
“Amongst the group of dogs were a very nervous duo of cavalier bitches. They moved out to foster care together and developed such a lovely relationship – we just had to find them a home where they could stay together.”
Sentencing | Colin Williams: jailed for four months. Indefinite ban. Ruth Williams: eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. 10-year ban. £12,000 costs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Daryl Torrance, born 12 October 1989, of Sorn Street, Catrine, Mauchline – locked his dog inside a crate with “food out of reach and no water” for several days.
After receiving an anonymous complaint, Scottish SPCA officers who broke into Torrance’s home were met with “an overpowering stench of ammonia in the stairwell”.
The court heard that the officers discovered the dog “in an emaciated and collapsed state”.
The pet, a male brindle and white crossbreed, was locked in a crate lying on a blanket soaked in urine and covered in faeces.
In the opposite corner of the crate was a bowl of untouched dog food that he would have been “unable to reach” and no water.
The court heard that the dog was so weak he couldn’t lift his head and had to be euthanised due to extreme suffering.
A microchip revealed that Torrance – a self-employed painter and decorator – was the registered owner of the pet.
Alistair Duncan, assistant procurator fiscal for North Strathclyde, said: “This was an appalling example of animal cruelty. This poor dog was left abandoned for a significant period and suffered the terrible consequences of Daryl Torrance’s shocking neglect.
“The law protects animals from harm and COPFS will continue to work robustly to ensure anyone who breaks the law faces prosecutorial action.”
Sentencing | six months in prison. Banned from owning animals for ten years.
CONVICTED | Peter Enobong Akpan Esen, born June 1989, of Rosebud Close, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 3DF – neglected his elderly underweight dog and failed to seek veterinary care for her life-threatening uterine infection.
Esen had left the 13-year-old husky, Alex, unattended for at least 48 hours at his home.
She was suffering from pyometra – a life-threatening condition of the womb commonly found in older unneutered female dogs – and needed emergency surgery.
Her bottom incisor teeth were also worn down to less than half their normal height, which a vet thought could be attributed to her chewing empty cans of dogs food, which were found littered throughout the property.
Esen, who is thought to have links to Nottingham and Manchester, admitted three charges contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, following a prosecution by the RSPCA and appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates Court for sentencing on 2 April 2024.
The court heard how RSPCA inspectors had taped the front door and the back gate of the house on 14 February 2023 following reports that a dog had been abandoned at the property.
The seals were still intact when a further visit was made by Inspector Rachael Hurst the following day.
In written evidence to the court Inspector Hurst said: “There were empty cans of dog food strewn all over the floor, visible inside the property through the glass in the door and in the rear garden visible through the fence, some of them had been chewed up and teeth marks were visible in them.
“The rear door to the property was wide open. I knocked at the door and there was no response and a black and white husky type dog then appeared in the hallway behind the door. I made enquiries with local residents but nobody knew where the owner of the dog was.
“The following day I attended again. There had been no changes, the tape seals were still intact on the front door and rear gate and the same dog was visible inside so I contacted Northumbria Police for assistance.”
During an initial examination of the dog, the inspector could easily feel her spine, hips and ribs. Her nails were also overgrown and splaying in different directions.
The property was resealed before Inspector Hurst took Alex to a vet. There, she was diagnosed with pyometra and needed emergency life-saving surgery and overnight hospitalisation.
Weighing 20kg against a healthy weight for her breed of between 22kg and 25kg, Alex was given a body condition score of just two out of nine. The vet said it could have taken months for her to have lost so much body fat and muscle.
Her claws were also overgrown indicating inadequate exercise had been provided.
In written evidence the vet said: “The large amount of fluid and pressure in her uterus meant it was at risk of rupture at any time, Had the RSPCA not intervened when they did, the uterus would have ruptured leaving the dog to die a slow and painful death from sepsis.
“I estimate that the symptoms were likely present for one to three days prior to diagnosis. Had this dog lived in an occupied household they would have been identified by the owner so veterinary treatment could be sought. It is unacceptable that this elderly dog was left unchecked for this time period, allowing a serious and life-threatening disease to go unnoticed.”
The court was told that tape seals on the door were still intact when Inspector Hurst visited Esen’s home again on 18 March. There was still no-one at home and Esen couldn’t be reached by phone.
After speaking to someone who knew him, Inspector Hurst eventually met him at the house and an interview was carried out. He admitted that he had not cleaned up and that he’d been away. He said he had messaged a person to provide a tin of food, although he hadn’t checked that they’d done so. He said he didn’t think that Alex was underweight.
Alex was cared for at an RSPCA rehoming centre. Sadly her health deteriorated further and she was found to have mammary tumours, and she was put to sleep on veterinary advice at the end of last year.
Speaking after the case Inspector Hurst said: “Alex was an elderly dog who was being left unattended with a life-threatening condition in an unsuitable and hazardous environment.
“Sadly, she’d been let down by her owner and not been given anything like the care and attention she should have received in her twilight years. It illustrates how important it is to ensure the needs of animals you’re responsible for are always met and why it’s crucial to seek help and advice if you’re no longer able to provide for them.”
Sentencing | 18 month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work; £128.60 in costs. Ten-year ban on keeping animals which cannot be contested for five years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Simon Moynes, born c. 1985, of 26 Pimpernel Way, Chatham ME5 0SF – left his elderly dog to suffer with an “oozing”, grapefruit-sized tumour and other ailments.
The RSPCA was called to Moynes’ address in January 2023 to investigate reports of concern about a dog with fleas and bad skin.
There they found Cassie in a subdued state, covered in urine stains, underweight and with a huge tumour.
An inspector said: “I immediately noted a strong smell of urine and infection coming from Cassie.”
“She appeared extremely lethargic and subdued.
“Moynes placed Cassie on the floor in front of me and I could see she was extremely underweight with her ribs clearly visible. She had fur loss across her mid to lower back and down her back legs and I could see urine staining on her back legs. She also appeared to be dripping urine involuntarily.
“She had evidence of flea dirt and fleas on her back. Cassie was able to stand for a few seconds before she laid down in front of me and appeared extremely weak on her legs.
“On her front left leg around her elbow she had a large mass that I noted was about the size of a grapefruit that was open, ulcerated, oozing pus and blood and smelt extremely strong of infection.
“I also noted a small mass on her abdomen that was also open, ulcerated and oozing pus and blood.”
Moynes then told the inspector that Cassie had not seen a vet since before 2020. He claimed he couldn’t get an appointment during the Covid lockdown, the RSPCA said.
The defendant agreed to let the inspector take Cassie to the vet for treatment – where it was decided that the most humane option would be to put her to sleep.
In a witness statement, the vet said: “The period of suffering is likely to have been 18 months and this could have been reduced if veterinary advice was sought sooner.
“Both masses would have caused severe pain and suffering for Cassie. There was rotting tissue in both masses which had caused severe infection.
“Due to her anaemia she was extremely lethargic and had shortness of breath upon presentation.
“Cassie would have been suffering with anaemia for up to six months as a result of her untreated condition. Due to her emaciation and muscle wastage, she could barely stand and couldn’t walk where she was so lethargic, weak and in a suffering state.
“Her tumours were so large that they were inoperable, and would have had to involve removal of the entire front leg to adequately remove the tumour. In a severely compromised, anaemic and hypotensive dog this would not have been possible as she would not have survived the anaesthetic.”
In mitigation, Moynes said he had “mental health issues”. He is said to have shown significant remorse and accepted that Cassie should have been taken to a vet.
Sentencing | 18-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work and 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. A 10-year ban applicable to all animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | pet hoarder Marissa Faultless, born c. 1957, of Tower Road, Sutton Coldfield B75 5EA – kept dozens of poorly cats in disgusting conditions.
The court heard that pet hoarder Marissa Faultless was not ‘deliberately cruel’ and her behaviour was due to a mental health disorder
Nearly 100 cats had to be removed from Marissa Faultless’s chaotic home, which was described in court as smelling like death. One kitten was found dead while others had to be euthanised. Some had to have eyes removed due to cat flu.
On three occasions RSPCA inspectors were forced to raid the property where every area of the garden contained piles of fence-high rubbish while inside reeked of urine and faces.
Faultless refused to accept anything was wrong with the cats and denied they needed veterinary treatment.
Ultimately she admitted six animal welfare offences, albeit she made a last-ditch, thankfully unsuccessful, bid to reverse the pleas in a ploy to keep her cats.
RSPCA prosecutor Sara Pratt told the court there had been a ‘long history’ to the case. She said that police and Birmingham City Council had tried to work with Faultless following initial complaints and in April 2021 she was provided with copies of the Animal Welfare Act as well as a code of practice for looking after cats.
But Ms Pratt added that ‘nothing changed’ and a warrant had to be executed on September 2, 2021, which resulted in the removal of 34 cats and kittens. A further 24 were spotted outside but officers could not catch them and did not have the legal power to seize them.
Ms Pratt said: “Outside of the house there was piled high rubbish in the garden as high as the fence. Inside the property there were a large number of cats and kittens. There was an overpowering smell of urine and a build-up of faeces in the living room. There were no suitable litter trays. The house was in a cluttered state.”
A lot of the cats were suffering from cat flu as well as fleas.
Faultless refused to formally sign any of them over to the RSPCA. She was interviewed and accepted ownership of them but denied there were signs of flu or ringworm.
She also blamed Covid for failing to seek flea treatment but insisted the cats did not need to see a vet. She claimed she had not noticed the smell but admitted she struggled with how many pets she had, said Ms Pratt.
There were further visits to her home in June and July 2022 following more complaints which culminated in a second warrant executed in August.
Ms Pratt said: “The conditions at the property had deteriorated. There was an overwhelming smell of urine, faeces and what was described by others as ‘death’.”
A dead kitten was found at the home while 26 cats had to be removed. One four-week-old kiten was particularly emaciated and had to be euthanised.
A third raid took place in April 2023 when another 34 cats had to be taken away.
The court was told a small number of cats had to have eyes removed due to severe flu. At that point Faultless cried ‘no, no, no that’s not true’ as she broke down in tears in the dock. One cat died after being operated on by the vet.
Ms Pratt said: “Clearly all of the cats had suffered pain and distress. A reasonably competent and humane person would have sought veterinary attention.”
She told the court a number of cats died but the vast majority had been rehomed while some remained in boarding establishments awaiting to be adopted.
Queenie Djan, defending, said: “This is Ms Faultless’s first time offending. It is not the case she was deliberately cruel. It is directly linked to a mental disorder she is suffering from. There is a history of her owning cats before her offending with no issues. She is receiving support from other organisations.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 12 sessions of psychological intervention. Banned from keeping cats for ten years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Daniel Glancey, born 10 July 1989, of Eighth Avenue, Blyth NE24 2QE – allowed his pet Rottweiler to become severely malnourished.
Glancey admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the eight-year-old dog, known as Xena.
His cruelty came to light after Xena was found straying and picked up by an animal welfare officer from Northumberland County Council.
Xena was picked up by the local authority animal welfare officer as a stray and taken to a vet for examination. Photo credit: Northumberland Dog Rescue
Concerned about the dog’s extremely poor condition the officer took her to a vet where she was was given a low body condition score of 2/9. She weighed just 19kg and her hip bones, ribs, spine and skull were protruding through her fur. She was weak with overgrown nails and infected eyes.
Weighing just 19kg, Xena’s hip bones, ribs, spine and skull were visibly on show. She was weak, had overgrown nails and discharge to her eyes. Photo credit: Northumberland Dog Rescue
Xena was traced to Dan Glancey after he and partner Katie White placed ‘missing dog’ posts on social media. In one post Glancey described Xena as being “a little underweight” due to illness.
The animal welfare officer called Glancey to discuss their concerns about Xena’s condition. He fed them a pack of lies about Xena being under the care of a local vet practice after being poisoned by fertiliser. He later admitted she hadn’t seen a vet blaming lack of money and vets said her appalling condition was simply due to a lack of proper nutrition and diet.
Glancey relinquished Xena to the animal welfare officer who placed her in the care of Northumberland Dog Rescue to be nursed back to health. Following her recovery, Zena was adopted and is loving life in her new home.
Sentencing | nine-week custodial sentence, reduced to six weeks for his early guilty plea, suspended for six months; ordered to pay a surcharge of £154 and costs of £300. Disqualified from keeping all animals for ten years.
