Tag Archives: 2017 cases

Stockport, Greater Manchester: Joanne Brown

CONVICTED (2017) | Joanne ‘Jojo’ Brown, born 8 May 1984, most recent known address (2018) Winterburn Green, Offerton Estate, Stockport SK2 5PG – abandoned her cat in an empty house for five weeks

Cat abuser Joanne Brown from Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK.
Joanne Brown left her cat alone in an abandoned property

Brown was sentenced at Stockport Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 21 December 2017. She pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the cat, known as Tinkerbell, at an earlier hearing.

Tinkerbell was abandoned by  Joanne Brown from Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK.
Tinkerbell was barely alive when rescued by the RSPCA.

The court heard that Tinkerbell was rescued from a house in Primrose Avenue, in Marple, Stockport, by a neighbour and a member of Brown’s family who became concerned for the cat’s welfare.

Tinkerbell was unresponsive and was covered in scabs and sores. She was taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Hospital, where staff worked tirelessly to save her life.

Tinkerbell was abandoned by  Joanne Brown from Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK, but recovered from her ordeal in the care of the RSPCA.
She has since recovered in the care of the RSPCA.

RSPCA inspector Heather Morris, who investigated, said: “Tinkerbell was extremely emaciated, dehydrated and anaemic – she was at death’s door. If she’d been in that house for another 24 hours she would have died.

“Tinkerbell had been abandoned for five weeks inside a house which was covered in faeces. There was no food for her so we can only assume that she spent weeks scavenging for food in the property.

“It really was touch-and-go as to whether she would survive, but she slowly started to improve after a month. It was a long process but she has recovered very well and has since been happily rehomed.”

Sentence: 12-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £250 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Source: RSPCA News (article removed)


2019 Update

Joanne Brown has a new kitten – pictured.

Unfortunately, despite proving herself entirely incapable of caring for animals, she was never banned from keeping them.

Cat abuser Joanne Brown from Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK
2022 image of Joanne Brown

Brown works as a barmaid in a Hazel Grove pub.

Ripon, North Yorkshire: Andrew Ripley

CONVICTED (2017) | Andrew Ripley, born 22/03/1961, of Gallows Hill Drive, Ripon HG4 1UP – caught on camera terrorising his pet collie

Border collie Bex was filmed in a state of distress as she is terrorised by her owner Andrew Ripley from Ripon
Border collie Bex was filmed in a state of distress as she is terrorised by her sadistic owner Andrew Ripley from Ripon

Upsetting footage showed Andrew Ripley in his garden with his hands around Bex’s neck, face and muzzle. He is shaking her and twisting her skin whilst talking to her in a low voice. All the time she is crying and trying to lick him.

RSPCA inspector Carol Neale said: “This poor dog was absolutely terrorised by Ripley.

“It’s clear to anyone that she is extremely frightened during the incident captured in the footage on 29 May [2017].

“She even tries to lick Ripley’s face in what seems to be an appeal for him to stop hurting her. It’s very upsetting to watch.”

Staff at RSPCA York & District Branch have worked hard with Bex over the months since, bringing in a specialist dog behaviourist to help her.

“I’ve never seen a more emotionally scarred dog, she was so traumatised,” said inspector Neale.

“She was signed over to us at the previous hearing in November and I did the homecheck on her potential new owners the following day myself.

“I’m so ecstatic to say that she’s been there for almost a month now and has settled in really well with her new family, and her feline housemates.

“She’s got a new name – Jess – and has been given the best Christmas present ever, a wonderful new start.”

Sentencing: 12-month community order of 150 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation; costs and charges totalling £535. Lifetime ban on keeping animals except bovines.

Northern Echo
Dog Magazine

Nottingham: Aaron Barker

#MostEvil | Aaron Jay Barker, born 01/07/1991, of Flat 2, Cherry House, 23 Redhill Road, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 8GT – beat to death two kittens he’d just adopted from Cats Protection League.

Kitten killer Aaron Jay Barker of Basford, Nottingham. Photo on right shows Barker with one of the kittens he later killed.
Kitten killer Aaron Jay Barker of Basford, Nottingham. Photo on right shows Barker with one of the kittens he later killed.

Barker pinned four-month-old kittens Panther and Baby to the floor and beat them to death.

A post-mortem showed the kittens suffered multiple injuries including fractured skull, broken ribs, brain haemorrhages, ruptured liver and blood clots. Vets believed these were caused by blunt force trauma and contacted the RSPCA.

Barker claim a burglar attacked the kittens. He said he tried to give them a bath to wash away blood and faeces, but as he did so Panther jumped out of his arms, hit the bottom of the bath and died. Panther’s injuries were not consistent with this, however, and the evidence pointed to the injuries being inflicted when Barker was at home alone.

Sentence: 20 weeks in prison. Life  ban on keeping pets.

Newslinks:
Nottingham Post 19/12/2017
The Sun 25/12/2017

Bilston, Wolverhampton: Carl Pugh

CONVICTED (2017) | Carl Pugh, born 23/11/1982, of Elizabeth Avenue, Bilston WV14 8DZ – filmed savagely beating his dog next to a canal

American bulldog Jeff was brutally beaten by his cruel owner Carl Pugh from Bilston, Wolverhampton
American bulldog Jeff was brutally beaten by his cruel owner Carl Pugh from Bilston, Wolverhampton

Carl Pugh was caught on CCTV hitting his American bulldog called Jeff five times, before picking him up and holding him over the canal.

Pugh was convicted in his absence of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog after failing to turn up for his trial.

As they sentenced Pugh, magistrates described his actions as a ‘despicable way to treat a dog’.

RSPCA inspector Vicki Taylor said: “Pugh claimed that Jeff dragged him into the canal and that he got his foot wet, so he hit him – but he said that the CCTV made it look worse than it was, and he said that he loved the dog and would never harm him.

“But the CCTV showed a different story. On the footage, Pugh can clearly be seen hitting Jeff five times and then picking him up and holding him over the canal.

“The magistrates said in court that it was a ‘despicable way to treat a dog’ and they are right. There is no excuse to treat any animal like this.

“We’d like to thank everyone who contacted us with information after seeing the shocking video online.”

She added: “Jeff is a lovely dog and he hasn’t got an aggressive bone in his body. It is so sad that he went through this.”

Sentencing: 12-week curfew; costs and charges totalling £185. Disqualified from keeping animals for two years (expired December 2019).

Express and Star
Daily Mail

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol: Jake Griffiths

CONVICTED (2017) | Jake Griffiths, born 07/08/1992, of Ringwood Crescent, Westbury-on-Trym , Bristol BS10 5RL – swung his dog around by the lead and kept kicking him in the street until passers-by intervened

Jake Griffiths from Bristol was given a lifetime ban from keeping animals after beating his dog so badly passers-by intervened
Jake Griffiths from Bristol was given a lifetime ban from keeping animals after beating his dog so badly passers-by intervened

Griffiths assaulted his dog in such a shocking way that people walking past the attack on Gloucester Road in July 2017 stepped in and tried to stop him.

They held him until police arrived, and Griffith was arrested.

It appeared Griffiths was trying to train his brindle-coloured Staffordshire bull terrier, who was just nine months old at the time. He was picking up the dog, Buddy, and throwing him to the ground.

“Witnesses saw Griffiths lift the dog up by his lead which was tied around his neck, so it was almost like a noose,” said RSPCA Inspector Simon Coombs.

“Then they saw him kick the dog a couple of times, before dragging him up the road.

“They intervened and called the police, who then arrested Griffiths and contacted ourselves,” he added.

Staffy Buddy was abused by his owner Jake Griffiths from Bristol
Staffy Buddy recovered from his ordeal and was made available for rehoming by the RSPCA

At Bristol Magistrates Court, Griffiths admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

He was given a lifetime ban on keeping all animals for causing unnecessary suffering to Buddy, as well as using frightening, harmful and potentially painful training methods.

In his defence, Griffiths told magistrates that he has an alcohol problem that made him short-tempered and he had taken it out on Buddy, despite saying he loved the dog.

“That is still no excuse for treating an animal so badly and I’m really pleased with the sentence,” said Insp Coombs.

“Griffiths signed Buddy over to us as soon as we became involved and I’m pleased to say that he was rehomed soon after,” he added.

Magistrates commended the two witnesses who saw the incident and intervened.

Griffiths was told by the court that he cannot appeal his lifetime animal ban for ten years.

Sentence: one-year community order, which includes 20 days of rehabilitation activity and a six-month alcohol treatment requirement; £300 in costs and £85 victim surcharge; banned from keeping animals for life.

Bristol Post

Swadlincote, Derbyshire: Leah Prince

CONVICTED (2017) | Leah Prince, born 6 February 1975, of Bridge Close, Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 9HT – starved a dog to half her body weight

Prince pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her black Labrador called Roxy.

The court heard that Roxy almost died after losing 10 kilogrammes of weight in just four months. She had been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) earlier in 2017, and her rapid weight loss was said to be a result of the illness.

Labrador Roxy lost nearly half of her body weight in four months due to her owner Leah Prince's neglect
Labrador Roxy lost nearly half of her body weight in four months due to her owner Leah Prince’s neglect

RSPCA Inspector Nicola Johnson said: “Roxy was unable to digest food properly because of the IBS, which would have left her in a lot of pain most days.

“She dropped weight very quickly and became weaker and weaker. All of her rib bones could be seen. It was obvious she was not a well dog.”

Roxy was skin and bone by the time she was rescued by the RSPCA from her neglectful owner Leah Prince from Swadlincote, Derbyshire
Roxy was skin and bone by the time she was rescued by the RSPCA from her neglectful owner Leah Prince from Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Happily she recovered and has been rehomed.

Roxy was taken to a vet by Prince, where she was diagnosed with IBS, but was not taken back to the vets again to receive an offer of surgery to help treat the condition.

Inspector Johnson said: “Instead, Prince went on the internet and searched for ways to treat it herself.

“She believed that eventually she would find the right food for Roxy, but in the meantime Roxy was drastically losing weight.

“She was eating food which would come straight out again – she just wasn’t able to digest it properly. This went on for four months, during which time Roxy had been left to suffer.

“If veterinary advice had been taken at the outset, she would not have lost so much weight and become so weak.”

The RSPCA was contacted by a member of the public after concerns were raised about the dog’s welfare and health.

Inspector Johnson added: “I took Roxy to a vet and we weighed her in at 13kg, which is far below the 25kg a female Labrador should weigh.

“Her road to recovery was a long one and she was so poorly that we nearly lost her a couple of times. It really was touch and go.

“I’d like to give a huge thanks to the staff at the RSPCA’s Burton branch, and staff at Springwood Vets and Swadlincote’s vets for their part in saving Roxy’s life. Without them she might not be here today.

“The good news is that Roxy has been happily re-homed with a lovely family, and she is a very happy dog today.

Sentencing: two-year conditional discharge; £200 costs. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.

StaffordshireLive

Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham: Jordan Malpas

CONVICTED (2017) | Jordan Malpas, born around 1990, most recent known address (March 2018) St Pauls Street, Stockton-on-Tees TS19 0AQ – left an elderly chihuahua in his filthy home with syringes on the floor

Persistent criminal and junkie Jordan Malpas who failed to properly care for his 10-year-old dog
An arrest warrant was issued for persistent criminal and junkie Jordan Malpas who failed to properly care for his 10-year-old dog

Heroin junkie and career criminal Jordan Malpas failed to properly care for 10-year-old chihuahua Frodo whom he left in his squalid flat which was strewn with needles. Malpas hadn’t even provided clean water for the pet.

Chihuahua Frodo recovered from his ordeal and was rehomed
Chihuahua Frodo was suffering from a litany of health problems but recovered and was rehomed

Images supplied by the RSPCA show tablets and cigarette butts discarded on a scruffy carpet next to the needles.

RSPCA officer Clare Wilson was at Teesside Magistrates’ Court to see justice served for Frodo following his ordeal.

She said when he was found, he had discharge in his eye and his teeth were in a shocking state.

However, his story had a happy ending.

“He’s doing great now and has been rehomed with another Chihuahua,” she said.

“He really is a different dog now he’s being looked after properly.”

An arrest warrant was issued by the court for Malpas after he did not attend the hearing.

Conditions inside Jordan Malpas's flat where the elderly chihuahua was found
Conditions inside Jordan Malpas’s flat where the elderly chihuahua was found

District Judge Kristina Harrison warned that Malpas faced a ban from owning animals after convicting him of three offences in his absence. Unfortunately, we can find no details of the sentencing.

The court heard Malpas made “full admissions” in interview that he had failed to properly care for the dog.

Persistent criminal and junkie Jordan Malpas who failed to properly care for his 10-year-old dog

And he was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to ensure Frodo’s welfare.

His latest crimes add to his lengthy criminal record, which the court heard consisted of 18 convictions.

Teesside Live

Kingston upon Hull: Dawn Underwood

CONVICTED (2017) | Dawn Underwood, born c. 1970, of St Johns Grove, east Hull HU9 3SP – for dog neglect

Underwood caused unnecessary suffering to a Staffordshire bull terrier called Coco by failing to explore and address her chronic skin condition. Coco was ordered to be rehomed.

Sentencing: ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and to pay a total of £385 costs and charges. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expired December 2022).

HullLive

Sefton Park, Liverpool: Gavin Doolan

CONVICTED (2017) | Gavin Peter Doolan, born c. 1960, of Waverley Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool L17 8TZ – kicked a Jack Russell/corgi crossbreed so hard the little dog flew into the air

Dog abuser Gavin Doolan from Liverpool
Man without charm: Gavin Doolan is a career criminal with dozens of convictions to his name

Horrifying footage filmed by a concerned passer-by shows the dog, named Sconehead, being kicked in the face while being walked by Doolan down a busy street in Dingle on August 16, 2017.

Victim Sconehead
Victim Sconehead

Such was the force of the attack, Sconehead was lifted into the air before flinching every time Doolan lashed out at concerned members of the public trying to protect the animal.

In court, Doolan admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause alarm or distress.

After leaving court, local newspaper the ECHO confronted Doolan to ask if he’d like to comment on the incident, but he showed very little remorse and claimed he beat the dog because it had bitten him and his brother.

He told the reporter: “I didn’t beat up a dog, go away … I didn’t beat up a dog. I kicked a dog, so what?

“I kicked a dog, it f*g ripped the end of my finger off so I kicked it.

“Listen, the dog was biting him [Gavin’s brother] for months. I’m sat on the bus and it started chewing on my finger. I apologise, I pleaded guilty, You’re hounding me now.”

Visibly angry, Doolan then went on to claim people “shouldn’t be concerned about animals”.

He added: “I am remorseful. I shouldn’t have kicked the dog okay, what more do you want me to do? When a dog is hanging off your finger you might think differently.

“There was a six month old baby killed by a dog because the father was p****d on the couch. Not my dog, but people shouldn’t be concerned about animals.

“Animals are like secondary, you should consider children more than animals.

“I’ve been threatened and everything over that dog. People on Facebook saying we’re going to this that and the other, so whatever.“

Dog abuser Gavin Doolan from Liverpool

The court heard that Doolan had 31 previous convictions for unrelated offences and was last convicted in March 2017 of theft and battery.

Doolan was handed a 12-month community order and a home curfew on that occasion, meaning he was in breach of the order at the time of this incident.

Doolan told the court he had mental health issues and had been “unwell”, so had not seen the probation service since August or completed a thinking skills course.

Ms Fletcher requested further information from the probation service and an adjournment for a pre-sentence report, which was granted by magistrates.

Doolan was due to be sentenced in 22 January 2018 but no details were ever published in the press.

The dog, who was renamed Sconehead recovered from his ordeal and was rehomed.

Liverpool Echo
Daily Mail

Winterbourne, Gloucestershire: Connie Mullane

#MostEvil | Connie Mullane, born 16/08/1993, of Northwood Park Travellers Site, Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne, Bristol BS36 1RZ – caught on CCTV battering a helpless pony with a plank of wood

Gypsy travellers Connie Mullane from Winterbourne, near Bristol was caught on CCTV attacking a pony with a plank of wood
Vicious Connie Mullane was filmed beating a helpless pony

Gypsy traveller Connie Mullane, who was previously given an ASBO alongside brother Edward Mullane for fly-grazing offences, admitted carrying out a vicious attack on a pony.

A CCTV camera captured the moment Mullane repeatedly smashed a piece of wood into the face, head and body of a pony.

Injured and terrified, the pony rears up in fright, but was attached to a racing trap and couldn’t escape as Mullane returned to rain blows down on her.

“This is an absolutely horrific case of animal cruelty,” said RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albinson.

“There is never an excuse to treat an animal in this way.

“CCTV footage clearly shows Connie Mullane hitting the poor horse in the face with a piece of wood in an incident which would have caused pain and left the horse terrified,” she added.

Horse abuser Connie Mullane is pictured on the left in this social media photo
Horse abuser Connie Mullane is pictured on the left in this social media photo

Mullane admitted a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a pony on May 20, 2017, by inflicting blunt force trauma and physical violence, contrary to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Sentencing: 24 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and to pay a total of £615 costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping equine animals for life.

BristolLive
Daily Mail