CONVICTED (2023) | Lukasz Michal Dawidkiewicz, born c. 1981, of St Swithun’s Road, Bournemouth BH1 – set his ex-wife’s home on fire, killing four of her pets.
Lukasz Dawidkiewicz killed two cats and two guinea pigs in a revenge arson attack against his ex-wife
Dawidkiewicz set fire to the first-floor flat in Alder Road, Poole, Dorset leaving “a scene of absolute devastation”.
Two cats and two guinea pigs died in the fire – while a third cat was able to escape.
Polish national Dawidkiewicz initially denied responsibility, claiming the pets must have knocked over a candle.
However, the court heard how he had sent his victim text messages threatening to set fire to the flat, using misogynistic language and telling her she would “return to find blackened walls and nothing to come back to”.
Dawidkiewicz was linked to the crime after his ex-wife showed the messages to police.
The fire tore through the flat in the early hours of May 1, 2022.
Investigators determined it was started deliberately, most likely by pressing a naked flame against a combustible sofa.
Dawidkiewicz pleaded guilty to reckless arson and causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.
In mitigation, his lawyer told the court his client suffered from mental health issues. He added that he hadn’t intended to kill the four pets, describing them as “collateral damage”.
Sentencing, Judge Robert Pawson said the offences were committed “against a backdrop of domestic abuse”.
“You became subsumed in resentment and were unable to rationalise the end of your marriage,” he said.
“There was a simmering anger which was exacerbated by your taking cannabis and alcohol.”
Sentencing | six years and six months in prison,. 12-year restraining order.
CONVICTED (2022) | Martin Mansley, born c. 1970, of Preesall Close, Preston PR2 1NU and Daniel Gardner, born c. 1978, of Starrgate Drive, Preston PR2 1NA – set fire to a dog pen, causing fatal injuries to a family’s pet.
Dog killers: Martin Mansley (left) and Daniel Gardner
Mansley and Gardner were jailed for a total of 19 years and 6 months for their part in an arson attack which killed a 10-year-old collie cross dog, named Patch.
Police were called to an address on Sowerby Road, near Sowerby, at around 11.30pm on September 13, 2020, to a suspicious fire.
Officers found the fire, which was started deliberately, at the front of the property, engulfing a large dog pen containing Patch.
A neighbour managed to open the kennel door to allow the dog to escape. Badly injured and in immense pain, Patch fled the scene. A search and rescue operation was launched to find him and two days later he was discovered, still alive, lying in a ditch.
Patch was rushed to a vet with severe burns down one side of his body and a damaged eye. He was also suffering from smoke inhalation and pneumonia. Due to the severity of his injuries, he couldn’t be saved and was put down a few days later.
Patch’s family suffered a second arson attempt one night after the initial attack when a bottle containing petrol was thrown at the house. Fortunately, it failed to light, and nobody was injured.
The perpetrators, Mansley and Gardner, were charges with offences related to arson but not animal cruelty.
Mansley admitted two counts of reckless arson after a week-long trial.
Gardner was found guilty of reckless arson and attempted reckless arson.
Detective Constable Mark Ryan said: “These were targeted and dangerous crimes which resulted in the death of a much loved family pet.
“The injuries suffered by the dog have caused a significant amount of trauma to the family and I thank them for their bravery in telling the court about the impact these crimes have had on them.
“Compounding this suffering, the offenders have returned and recklessly tried to set fire to the house with them in it.
“I hope this sentencing sends out a warning to people who think this irresponsible behaviour is acceptable, that they will be tracked down and prosecuted.”
Sentencing | Custodial: Mansley was sentenced to 11 years with an extended 5 years on licence and Gardner was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months.
CONVICTED (2021) | Maureen E Charlton, born 13 January 1965, previously of Newbridge in Penzance – set fire to her house, killing her elderly German shepherd inside.
Maureen Charlton set her home on fire with her elderly German shepherd inside. The dog, Layla, was euthanised at the scene.
Maureen Charlton also mistreated the 13-year-old dog, named Layla, not taking her out for walks and urging her to lick her blood after she self-harmed.
Charlton pleaded guilty to animal cruelty alongside arson and being reckless to whether life is in danger.
The court heard how Charlton had been grappling with poor mental health and alcohol dependence for many years, leading to several encounters with police and a neighbour.
Concerns about Layla had been raised with the RSPCA regarding poor living conditions, the presence of urine and faeces, Charlton self-harming and getting Layla to lick the blood, a lack of walks and general neglect.
Charlton was living in an end-terrace property in Newbridge and on April 23, 2021, she rang the emergency services to say that she’d doused herself in white spirit and was going to set fire to the property.
Fire crews arrived and found the property well alight with flames coming from the window. Charlton’s neighbour was evacuated from her bed and the road closed.
The prosecutor told the court: “The defendant was found in the rear courtyard showing obvious signs of distress and was treated at the scene.
“Layla was located inside and carried out. She was treated by a vet but the decision was made to euthanize her to ease her suffering. The defendant was transferred to Royal Cornwall Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.”
At the scene a bottle of white spirit was found almost empty and when interviewed Charlton described drinking a bottle and a half of wine and not really remembering what happened.
Charlton was jailed for 32 months but the judge didn’t impose a ban on keeping animals because having a pet will provide her with some form of company when she leaves prison.
CONVICTED (2019) | Paul Kelly, born c. 1969, of Longroyd View, Beeston, Leeds LS11 5ET – killed and mutilated his pet dog during a Spice binge.
Dog killer Paul Kelly
Leeds Crown Court heard Kelly was suffering from a psychotic episode due to taking the synthetic drug Spice when he cut off his pet dog’s head and set it alight in a bin.
Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said Kelly’s girlfriend went to his home on October 10, 2018, to find the dog decapitated in the living room.
The prosecutor said: “He told his girlfriend that the dog had been possessed.
“The defendant burned the dog’s head in a bin and moved the torso on to a sheet and took it to a wooded area.”
Kelly then caused extensive damage to his home by setting fire to a gas meter cupboard. A neighbour saw smoke coming from the terraced property as Kelly walked away.
Firefighters found the living room alright when they arrived to tackle the blaze. Two fire alarms had been removed from the house.
Career criminal, drug addict, dog killer … Paul Kelly of Beeston in Leeds, West Yorkshire
The next morning Kelly tried to set fire to a large detached house in Morley in which three people were sleeping.
Kelly pleaded guilty to the arson charges.
Kelly has previous convictions for serious offences. He was given an 11-year sentence in 1995 for armed robbery.
Sentencing: 18-week prison sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Banned indefinitely from keeping any animal. Extended prison sentence of 12 years for the other offences.
CONVICTED (2018) | Brendan Gaughan, born c. 1986, most recently of Mendip Road, Duston, Northampton NN5 – dismembered seven pet cats and left remains in plastic bags on their owners’ driveways
Northampton cat killer and one of his victims, Rusty. A serial arsonist, Gaughan also harboured thoughts of raping and murdering women but the Judge did not label him as ‘dangerous’ ..
Serial arsonist and cat mutilator Brendan Gaughan was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court for a campaign of attacks across the town in the past two years.
Gaughan was caught after an overnight arson spree in June 2018 in which he caused at least £375,000 of damage that destroyed family cafe The Arc, three rough sleepers’ tents and a disused office.
But when he came to court, he asked that 15 other offences were taken into account when he was jailed – namely, a debauched series of cat mutilations and a string of arson attacks in Duston.
The court heard how between August and November 2017 Gaughan targeted and killed seven family pets across Northampton.
He claims the first two were out of ‘spite’ for the owners – but he found the attacks left him ‘satisfied’ and he went on to kill four more in the space of just 10 days.
Nearly every time, Gaughan would set out between 1am and 2am searching for cats, before encouraging them to come near.
He then strangled them, dismembered the bodies and left them on their owner’s driveways or front gardens in plastic bags for them to find.
Cat Deaths
The body of Rusty was left in a bag on the owner’s doorstep in Northampton
Cat Topsy was left outside the owner’s home in the Kingsley area
Dead cat in a plastic bag was found in a garden in Chewton Close Duston
Mutilated body of a cat was found in Duston
Dismembered cat was discovered in Duston
Dismembered cat was found in a plastic bag on a doorstep in Mendip Road
Cat mutilated and left on car roof in Northampton
Prosecutor Matthew Rowcliffe QC said: “After doing it, he would feel satisfied for hurting [the families].
“But in November 2017, he ‘got bored of harming animals’ and turned his interests to starting fires.”
During an arson spree, Gaughan destroyed three tents, damaged the Outpost Café and its recycling bins and The Ark floating restaurant, both on Bedford Road, set fire to wheelie bins at the Edward Green Shoe Factory, a Vauxhall van and the Bray Learning and Development Centre at St Andrews Hospital.
In court today, the prosecutor shared something Gaughan said during a psychiatric assessment while he was in custody.
Mr Rowcliffe QC said: “[Gaughan] told his psychiatrist he had had thoughts of other kinds of offending, like entering women’s houses, raping them and killing them. He has never done this, but had had thoughts of doing it.”
Gaughan’s defence barrister, Mr Guy Williamson QC, told the judge: “He has expressed extreme regret and is ashamed of his actions, and understands the psychological, financial and physical harm and distress he has caused.
“This is a case of a man with mental health issues that feels isolated and vulnerable in the community in which he lives.
“He felt nothing towards the cats he was killing and he denies feeling any pleasure derived from these crimes.”
But His Honour Judge Roger Tregilgas-Davey said: “The starting of fires by you was deliberate. And in every case, you did nothing but watch. You failed to help extinguish them or alert emergency services.
“These were deliberate and persistent. When a fire did not take, you would make more effort to relight it.”
However, at sentencing, the judge did not rule Gaughan as ‘dangerous’ – and could only add three months to his jail term for the cat killings.
Judge Tregilgas-Davey said: “Any violence has been towards animals and not towards humans.
“In regard to the cat mutilations… I want to make it clear they are they are distasteful. They are distressing. I do not lose sight of that. But any sentence I can impose is limited no matter how many [you killed].”
Sentencing: Jailed for 44 months including just three months for killing the seven cats.
CONVICTED (2018) | domestic abuser Ethan Andrews, born c. 2000, of Shefford Road, Shefford, Clifton SG17 5QS – set fire to his ex girlfriend’s home causing the deaths of a rabbit, degu and dog.
Evil Ethan Andrews and the rabbit he burned to death in an act of revenge against his ex. Two other innocent pets – a degu and later a dog – died from smoke inhalation.
“Controlling and abusive” Andrews poured petrol over the rabbit hutch that he knew housed the victim’s much loved pet ‘Spice’. When he lit the accelerant, the resulting explosion blew in patio doors to the property.
There was nothing left of the rabbit hutch containing Spice and a second pet – a degu – later died as a result of smoke inhalation.
Andrews’ attack followed the break-up of his brief relationship with the victim.
She had complained that Andrews had been controlling and abusive. When she broke up with him he tried to pressurise her back into a relationship, making threats against her and to harm her pets.
In July 2018 he acted upon those threats.
Andrews admitted arson ‘reckless as to whether life was endangered’ and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The case was investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit.
Detective Constable Colin Workman said: “It is clear from the fire investigation that numerous lives were put at risk by Andrews’ actions, including the life of an unborn baby.
[…]
“Andrews planned this attack to get back at the victim. It was an act of pure callousness to target a rabbit in order to achieve this goal. His deliberate actions caused immense distress and harm to the victim and her family. I hope this sentence today allows them to start putting these terrible events behind them.”
Sentencing: 32 months’ imprisonment – 13 in jail and 19 out on licence – with a further three months to run concurrently for killing the rabbit. He was also given an indefinite restraining order.
CONVICTED (2015) | Paul Carroll, born 24/07/1963, of Mitchell Street, South Moor, Stanley, County Durham DH9 7BQ – drowned his dog and dismembered her body, then blamed black magic for her death.
Paul Carroll from Stanley, Co Durham, drowned Bedlington terrier Molly in the bath and then dismembered her body
Carroll held Bedlington terrier Molly underwater in a bath, then tried to bury her at the Hat and Feather Inn pub near Consett.
Victim Molly
Fearing the dog’s remains would be discovered, he cut her body up in to a number of pieces and put it down the drain at the back of the property. Molly’s dismembered body was found by drainage workers called to unblock it.
RSPCA inspectors and police removed a further three dogs and a snake from the house, which was littered with excrement, once the investigation was launched in January 2015.
Margaret Carroll (aka Margaret Taylor) and daughter Katrina Livingstone were jailed for four years for arson but were cleared of animal cruelty
Margaret Carroll, born 04/07/1954, of First Street, Watling Street Bungalows, Consett DH8 6HW, was originally charged with helping her husband drown the dog but was later cleared. She is currently serving a four-year jail sentence for starting a fire at the family home, alongside daughter Katrina Livingstone, born 26/08/1977, of the same address, in an attempted suicide bid.
Sentence: 18 weeks’ custody, suspended for 12 months, supervision order. Banned from keeping animals for ten years (expires February 2025).
CONVICTED (2012) | Jordan James Morgan, previously of Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, but as of July 2020 of Lydia Street, Accrington BB5 0PX – set fire to an animal sanctuary, resulting in the deaths of 26 rescue animals
On March 23, 2011, the then 18-year-old Jordan Morgan and accomplice Karl Heaton of Smithy Lane in St. Annes deliberately set fire to the Easterleigh Animal Shelter in St. Annes, killing five cats, four kittens, 16 chickens and one rabbit. The pair also caused £25,000 worth of damage to the premises of the cash-strapped animal charity.
2019 Facebook image of Jordan Morgan
As well as the starting the blaze at Easterleigh, Morgan and Heaton admitted setting fire to the Fylde Scout headquarters on Heyhouse Lane, a Volkswagen van on Clarendon Road, and a garage on Church Road in St Annes.
July 2020: Jordan Morgan has three dogs, one of whom has just given birth to 12 puppies. He also has a cat. Morgan’s current girlfriend describes him as “a good egg”.
We don’t have anything new on Heaton yet but any information on him, especially a mugshot and his current whereabouts, would be welcome.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
