CONVICTED (2019) | Harry Todd, born 10 April 1957, of 49 Joanmount Park, Ballysillan, Belfast BT14 6PF – vacated a property leaving behind a dog and 153 pigeons to die.
Todd was convicted of four animal welfare offences after causing a dog unnecessary suffering and abandoning more than 150 pigeons at an address on the Ballysillan Road.
The prosecution case was brought by Belfast City Council after a report from a member of the public who was concerned for the welfare of the birds. The person also informed staff of a dog carcass which was in an upstairs room of the property.
Animal welfare officers visited the address on 2 November 2017 and found the partially skeletonised remains of a dog, a number of dead pigeons and 153 pigeons deemed to be suffering.
Sentencing: five month suspended sentence for each offence. Costs of £79. Banned from keeping animals for 15 years.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that Todd had breached his ban on keeping animals and caused unnecessary suffering to a further 100 pigeons.
In court Todd admitted being the owner of approximately 100 pigeons, in breach of a disqualification order imposed under the Welfare of Animal Act (NI) 2011.
Todd also admitted that the 100 pigeons kept at his Joanmount Park address were caused to suffer unnecessarily.
He further admitted failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of the animals were met as required by good practice.
The new offences are alleged to have taken place on April 24, 2020.
No details of the charges were revealed in court and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports until August 15, 2023, after a solicitor indicated Todd’s pleas.
Update | August 2023
Todd was given a 10-month suspended prison sentence and banned from owning any animals for the next 15 years.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard City Council animal welfare officers carried out an inspection at Todd’s Joanmount Park home in April 2019. Pigeons were observed flying in every room and lying among rubbish and cigarette butts.
Some of them were sitting all around the kitchen, with worktops, sink, cooker and other appliances covered in faeces.
Similar conditions were discovered in the living room and on the stairs.
“On entering the bathroom officers observed two young pigeons nesting at the side of the toilet amongst dirt, rubbish and faeces,” a prosecution lawyer said.
More of the birds were discovered in a bedroom and in garden sheds, without any food or water made available.
A total of 136 pigeons were removed from the property for veterinary examinations.
“The council’s vet on examination certified all pigeons were suffering due to the exceptionally degraded environment they were kept in,” the lawyer added.
Giving Todd credit for pleading guilty, District Judge George Conner imposed total sentences of 10 months custody, suspended for 18 months.
He confirmed that Todd is to be prohibited from owning or keeping any animals for the next 15 years, and ordered him to pay £360 to cover costs of the case.
Judge Conner warned him: “You must understand that there can be no repetition, otherwise you will go immediately into custody.”
CONVICTED (2017) | breeder Margaret (Maggie) Ann Mary Peacock, born 26 January 1953, of Cove Road, Farnborough GU14 0HQ – killed eight newborn puppies after stuffing them into a freezer
Maggie Peacock callously killed 8 newborn puppies by stuffing them in a freezer
Maggie Peacock, a Crufts-winning dog breeder and former director of Maggie Peacock Working Dogs Limited, stuffed the blue merle border collie puppies in a freezer and beat another to death with a tin opener.
Peacock feared the puppies might have genetic mutations because their parents had been sister and brother.
She made two phone calls to vets threatening to kill the pups herself if they would not help her.
In a third call the breeder informed the receptionist that the puppies were now in the freezer because they had refused to put them down.
The following day, Peacock, who spent 14 years in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, arrived at the surgery and handed over a bag containing eight puppies. One was still alive but had to be put down.
Prosecuting, Andrew Austin told the court none of the pups showed any signs of having genetic defects, despite being inbred, and this was why vets had refused to put them down.
RSPCA officers performed an inspection at Peacock’s home where they found a ninth puppy, which was part of the same litter, lying on its side in a kennel. An examination revealed it had suffered a blow to the head – which officers later found was from a tin opener.
Fiona Taylor, defending, told the court Peacock had been distressed during the birth and after the vet refused to put the puppies down she felt the only solution was to take matters into her own hands to prevent the mum becoming emotionally attached to her pups.
In court, magistrate Dr Susan Dadlani said Peacock’s previous good record of keeping animals meant they would not be disqualifying her from continuing to do so, despite what she had done.
The Kennel Club, which operates the national register of pedigree dogs in the UK and acts as a lobby group on issues involving dogs, subsequently struck Peacock from its register for 10 years.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “This was clearly a very upsetting case and one in which we are pleased that the court convicted the defendant of animal cruelty offences following the prosecution case brought by the RSPCA.
“The sentence imposed was a matter for the court to decide and we respect that decision.”
Sentencing: two concurrent 12 week jail terms, suspended for 12 months; ordered to pay £830.
Margaret Peacock was jailed for two years and six months for failing to control her pet Belgian Malinois. The dog, named Mako, mauled a visitor causing her “significant” injuries and distress.
Peacock was convicted by a jury at Salisbury Crown Court of being in charge of Mako, who was dangerously out of control, causing severe injury to Natasha Turner.
Judge Richard Parkes KC also banned Peacock from owning dogs.
He told her: “You have shown no remorse whatsoever for what happened, indeed you continue to protest even today that Miss Turner turned up at your door having already been attacked by some savage stray.
“The only real mitigation in this very serious case is the fact that you are elderly and suffering from multiple sclerosis, a condition which plainly requires long-term treatment.”
The judge also ordered that Peacock’s two collie dogs and another Belgian Malinois – which is in the same herding group as the German shepherd – be seized by police.
Dr Candy d’Sa, animal behaviour consultant, told the court that she inspected Peacock’s home and found it unsuitable for keeping dogs.
She said: “The environment is absolutely unsuitable for animals, especially intelligent and active dogs. It was dangerous, barren and it was filthy.”
Sian Beaven, prosecuting, told the trial that Miss Turner had visited the home of the defendant in Farnborough, Hampshire, to do some DIY, and to visit her own dog, Bobo, which was staying there, when the attack happened.
Giving evidence, Miss Turner said she had visited Peacock, who is registered disabled with multiple sclerosis, on February 1, 2021, to move her bed to another room so it would be nearer to a woodburner because of the cold.
Miss Turner said that Peacock helped her to get the dog off but was bitten herself in the process, before the defendant managed to put the dog back behind the gate where it was normally kept.
She said that Peacock asked her afterwards not to contact the police because she was worried the dog would be put down, and also bought her gifts in an attempt to stop her from reporting the incident.
The defendant had denied that Mako carried out the attack and told the court that Ms Turner arrived injured at her front door having been attacked by a stray dog elsewhere.
The contract required Mako to be kept under control when visitors were at the property.
Ms Beaven added that Mako, which had been subject to a dog behaviour contract because of two previous incidents, had since been euthanised because of health problems.
CONVICTED (2017) | serial animal hoarder Cheryl Ann Beatrice Relins, also known as Cheryl Stokes or Cheryl Harris, born 22/08/1991, of Drake Close, Taunton TA2 6TU – neglected dogs, cats and birds and kept them in squalor
Relins, who also keeps horses, failed to seek vet treatment for skin and ear conditions, as well as a flea infestation, suffered by spaniels Ted and Amber. She also failed to investigate lameness in Amber’s hind left leg and to treat a flea infestation in cats Pickle and Vera.
Animals were kept in squalor in Cheryl Relins’ filthy home
Finally, Relins admitted failing to ensure the needs of all four animals, as well as a zebra finch and a budgie, were met by failing to provide a suitable environment after they were found to be living in filthy conditions.
Sentencing: curfew; total of £490 costs and charges. Banned from owning or keeping an animal for ten years.
As of March 2020 Relins, who is now married to Paul Harris, lives in a household containing around 14 animals. She claims the animals belong to her husband. Neighbours have expressed concern about the conditions in which the animals are living.
Update | July 2023
Relins was sentenced for breaching the court order banning her from keeping animals imposed in 2017.
Relins, now of Cleeve Road, Taunton TA2 8DX and using the surname Harris, had denied the offence but was found guilty in her absence in May 2023.
On Tuesday July 18, 2023 she appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court for the sentencing hearing.
The court heard that despite being disqualified for 10 years from keeping animals in January 2017, she was “participating in the keeping of various animals including two horses namely a bay thoroughbred known as Dobby and a grey thoroughbred known as Star” between June 11, 2021, and October 13, 2022.
The case was taken to court by the RSPCA under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
She was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
Speaking about the case, RSPCA inspector Jo Daniel, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Courts impose disqualification orders on people convicted of animal welfare offences to protect other animals.
“It is important for people to tell us if they believe someone has breached a ban.
“We depend on the public to be our eyes and ears and we take breaches of bans very seriously – as do the courts.”
CONVICTED (2016) | Tracy Callander aka Tracy Heaney, born 6 December 1976, of Etna Drive, Ardoyne, Belfast BT14 – allowed her Akita-type dog to starve to death.
Callander pictured during her court appearance in February 2016
The unnamed dog was found emaciated and covered in his own excrement at the back of Callander’s north Belfast home. His b/iody was discovered by animal welfare officers who called to Callendar’s home in May 1015.
A solicitor for Belfast City Council explained that a post mortem on the dog determined that he had died from starvation due to neglect.
The unnamed dog (pictured) was left in a garden to starve to death and rot
During interview Callander admitted not feeding the dog but claimed she did not notice the animal losing weight as she didn’t venture out to the back of her house. She was charged with one count of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and a further count of failure to meet the needs of an animal.
District Judge Ramsey said the case clearly crossed the custody threshold adding that Callendar had shown a callous disregard for the suffering of her pet.
He said she didn’t go near the dog and failed to take him into her notice.
A defence solicitor said his client was going through a period of significant personal trauma during the time of the dog’s neglect.
Judge Ramsey interjected saying that if Callendar found she was incapable of looking after the dog all she had to do was call the USPCA to come and take him away.
The judge added that it was hard to look past the picture taken by the animal welfare officers showing the emaciated dog covered in his own faeces.
“Starving to death is not a pleasant way to die. Her circumstances made her unable to look after the animal and she was probably unfit to look after herself,” he said.
Addressing Callander directly as he gave her a suspended prison sentence, Judge Ramsey asked her: “Do you realise how lucky you are not to be going to jail?”
Standing in the public gallery, Callendar replied that she was aware she was fortunate not to be sent to prison.
Sentencing | four months in prison suspended for three years; £69 court costs. Banned from keeping a pet or any animal for 15 years (expires February 2031).
CONVICTED (2015) | puppy farmer Margaret Helen Davies, born 21 August 1948, of Hagloe House, Awre Road, Blakeney GL15 4AA, but as of 2022 believed to be in Barry, South Wales, – continued to breed dogs after her licence was refused.
In January 2015 Davies pleaded guilty to operating a breeding establishment without a licence.
Magistrates heard Davies’s puppy farm had been licensed by Forest of Dean District Council since 2007. In March 2014 the Licensing Committee refused her application for a new licence, which would have allowed her to continue breeding pugs, chihuahuas, poodles and Boston terriers, with around 100 breeding bitches and their puppies being kept in sub-standard wooden kennels.
A separate breeding licence application by Davies’s daughter Helen Pike and her husband Richard Pike was also refused during the same hearing.
Despite no longer having a licence to advertise and sell puppies, Davies continued to breed in excess of 78 puppies.
Sentencing: fined £300 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £1,000 costs. Disqualified from operating a breeding establishment for a period of three years (expired 2018).
It was reported that an order under the Animal Welfare Act had been made against Margaret Davies and husband William Robert Davies (born August 1945). This came after council inspectors found two dead puppies amongst many dogs being kept in dark, filthy, overheated and pest-infested conditions at their home.
Faeces had piled up in the pens at the alleged puppy farm run by the pair, and some dogs had little daylight and limited drinking water.
Barrister Greg Gordon, representing Forest of Dean District Council, said that twelve dogs and two litters of puppies had been removed by council inspectors and others had since been signed over to the council’s care.
The Davies were not present in court and were not legally represented. An interim order depriving them of the puppy farming operation was made by the magistrates pending a full hearing in January 2022.
Mr Gordon said the dogs had been seized from Hagloe House, Blakeney, because they were suffering from signs of neglect and had been certified as such by inspectors and a vet.
“On July 1 this year [2021] the Forest of Dean District Council executed a search warrant on the property and found dogs in four different locations in the grounds of the property.”
“A farm shed had been converted into kennels and was home to two Corgis, three terriers and a Samoyed. There was an overpowering and acrid smell of urine and faeces, which got worse the further in the inspectors entered the building.
“The central walkway was surrounded by separate pens and was covered in used bedding which was covered in faeces. The concrete floor had a very thin layer of shredded paper. There was no clean or comfortable bedding provided and there was no access to water.
“These pens hadn’t been cleaned for some time and it appeared that the dogs were rotated from one pen to another.
“In a second barn, which was much worse than the first, with poor natural light, there were 12 dogs, four French bulldogs, four Schnauzers and four terriers. The bulldogs were in enclosed pens which had even less natural lighting.
“These dogs were penned in to what would be classed as overcrowding. There was a build-up of flies due to the amount of faeces in the barn. Only one bowl of water was visible, which was also contaminated by faeces.
“The whole site raised health concerns and was suffering from a lack of pest control.
“One of the bulldogs had visible problems with its eyes. The inspectors told Margaret Davies that no dogs were to be housed in the second barn and seized the 12 dogs there, which were signed over to the district council.”
Mr Gordon said the Davies were told that criminal proceedings were likely to take place in due course.
Mr Gordon told the magistrates that despite improvement notices issued by the district council the Davies’ had done little to comply.
Mr Gordon added: “The dogs should be re-homed as it is in the best interests of the animals’ welfare.”
“Two Scotties and two corgis were kept in metal grilled pens which offered no shelter from heat or rain and lived among a growing pile of faeces.
“In the main house there were five dogs, two of which were seized during the first visit. A Corgi was penned in with her litter of eight puppies, one of which was unresponsive and lifeless.
“One of the inspectors picked this puppy up and shows it to Margaret Davies, who appeared to be wholly uncaring over its welfare.
“The Corgi and her puppies were in front of an Aga in the month of July. It was hot.
“There was a cage in a back room, which was poorly lit and had poor ventilation. Two Schnauzers were housed inside, each with their litter of puppies. A heat lamp was resting on top of the cage making the metalwork too hot to touch.
“One of these puppies, belonging to a Schnauzer, was also lifeless.”
Mr Gordon alleged that the court heard that the following day the Davies were served with an improvement notice, but they made little effort to comply with the order. They had provided fire extinguishers and made some attempt at pest control, but little else – in fact things had got worse with even less drinking water available.
Some effort had been made to remove the faeces as this had been scooped up by a digger and left in the trough.
Mr Gordon said: “The Davies have shown complete disregard for housing the dogs properly, as there was enough space to do so.
“The cost to the council in dealing with this has been in the region of £17,000, which is mainly made up of vets fees as the animals have been placed in foster homes until this case is resolved.”
The magistrates granted the interim deprivation order, which will be formalised at a hearing on January 26, 2022.
On 26 January 2022 Margaret and William Davies were ordered to pay legal costs of £19,762.50 plus the expenses of caring for twenty neglected dogs and puppies that were seized from their home by animal welfare officers.
Barrister Greg Gordon, representing Forest of Dean Council, explained that twelve dogs and two litters of puppies had been removed by council inspectors on July 1 and 8, 2021 and others had since been signed over to the council’s care.
Mr Gordon said: “Today’s hearing is only about money. The order to remove the animals was dealt with at a previous hearing. The only issues that could not be dealt with on that occasion were the monetary issues.
“There are two claims against the Davies’. These are the expenses in keeping the dogs – keeping them kennelled and healthy, vets bills and the like, which amounts to £17,820.
“The animals were kept by the local authority from the beginning of July 2021, until the end of September. This was 10 adult dogs and 10 puppies. Two had already been fostered out.
“All the dogs are now in foster homes so there are no ongoing costs.
“The legal costs for this prosecution come to £1,942.50. The issue for the court is effectively the Davies’ ability to pay these costs.
“There are three sets of assets: the farm itself which is valued at £1.3million, but legal enforcements against the farm all but wipe out any equity in this property.
“The Davies’ also have a retirement bungalow, which has some equity in it and there is also some farm equipment on site, which is valued at approximately £60,000.
“This we believe is enough to pay the costs being requested. However, in the circumstances, we suggest that the Davies’ have a year in which to pay these costs.”
Mr Gordon added that the dogs had been seized because they were suffering from signs of neglect and had been certified as such by inspectors and a vet.
Margaret and William Davies, both pensioners, were not present in court but were represented by Aled Owen, who told the magistrates: “This hearing is effectively a preamble to other litigation due in March.
“This elderly couple are in a difficult situation and are embarrassed that they have got themselves into such a poor financial position. They were rather naive in their outlook.
“There are proceedings ongoing at the county court in respect of a bridging loan taken out 10 years ago. This small sum has escalated over the years.
“There is concern among the farming community about the growing number of asset rich but cash poor farmers still operating today who have been targeted by specialist companies.
“If the farm is retained by the Davies’ they have control in how much they get for it when it is sold. A ‘fire sale’ would also raise valuable funds.
“But a court may instruct others to sell the farm on the Davies’ behalf, which in all likelihood place the couple in negative equity.
“However, the retirement bungalow has some equity in it, as does the farming machinery. The couple are currently living off the state pension. “Aside from the court hearing in March, there is more litigation still in the pipeline. There is no income from the farm as it ceased being used as an agricultural farm some years ago due to Mr Davies’ illness.”
Presiding Justice Dr Rennie Thompson said: “We have given the matter due consideration and we find that the prosecution costs are proportional and reasonable.
“There has been a considerable effort to mitigate the costs of looking after these animals by fostering and other methods to keep the costs down.
“We appreciate the financial situation this couple find themselves in, but we understand that there is equity in other assets other than the main farm itself.
“We therefore award the full costs, including legal fees, of £19,762.50 to Forest of Dean District Council and that is to be paid in full in 12 months.”
Margaret Davies, who now reportedly lives in Amhurst Crescent, Barry, South Wales, was banned from keeping dogs for life after she admitted causing unnecessary suffering to pets in her care at a suspected puppy farm.
She pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a 14-month-old French bulldog called Winston by failing to get veterinary treatment for a variety of conditions, and a similar charge involving another French bulldog, Amelia, by failing to get treatment for tumours and blindness in one eye.
Davies also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a seven-year-old Schnauzer, ‘Nathalie,’ by failing to provide veterinary treatment for severe and painful periodontitis which led to 20 teeth having to be extracted.
She also admitted to meet the needs of 27 dogs and puppies in her care by failing to provide adequate drinking water, clean bedding, a suitable diet and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease on July 1, 2021.
Three charges against Mrs Davies’ husband William Davies were withdrawn after the prosecution offered no evidence.
Heath Thomas, defending, said that his client would benefit from a pre-sentence report before she is sentenced.
District Judge Nicholas Wattam imposed an immediate ban on Davies owning dogs for the rest of her life.
He also ordered for pre-sentence reports to be prepared on her. Davies was released on unconditional bail to return to the court on February 6, 2023, for sentencing.
On Monday 27 March 2023 Margaret Davies was given a 36-week jail term suspended for 18 months after admitting five animal welfare charges. She was also ordered to pay court costs of £9,104.11.
She was banned from keeping dogs for life.
Davies, who now lives in Barry, South Wales, admitted three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to three dogs by failing to seek veterinary treatment for them.
She also admitted failing to meet the needs of 27 dogs and puppies in her care by failing to provide adequate drinking water, clean bedding, a suitable diet and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
A compensation order of £17,820 imposed last year to cover the cost of kennelling and veterinary treatment for the dogs has still not been paid, the court heard.
Aled Owen, defending, said Davies began dog breeding to help the dairy farm’s finances.
He said the venture had initially “thrived” but she had struggled when new legislation was introduced.
Mr Owen said: “Davies increasingly found the paperwork side of the business more and more difficult, which coincided with her husband becoming ill at around the time of the visit of the inspectors and the loss of a younger family member.
“Davies admits that there were issues that needed to be attended too, but she was juggling so much in her private life that something had to give.”
Judge Nicholas Wattam told Davies said the conditions on the farm had caused serious injury to a number of dogs.
“This is a case where there was prolonged ill-treatment with the animals in your care and this continued, despite being given advice from animal welfare officers,” he added.
