CONVICTED (2024) | greeder Robert Guy, born 27 September (tbc), of 17 Ballyfore Gardens, Newtownabbey BT36 6XY – severely neglected two dogs in his care; breached a previous ban for similar offences.
Charges were brought against serial dog abuser Robert Guy by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council under the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011.
An investigation was conducted in August 2023 by a local authority Animal Welfare Officer after receiving a report that Guy had dogs on his property, with indications suggesting the dogs had attacked each other.
Upon inspection, officers discovered two dogs with fur loss, filthy ears and puncture wounds.
A veterinarian confirmed that one dog was suffering from putrid wounds, while the other had very short cropped ears. Furthermore, both animals had visible skin lesions and were in a filthy state. Both dogs were treated for their injuries and condition, and were both successfully rehomed.
Guy was found to have breached a disqualification order imposed in November 2021, which prohibited him from keeping dogs for seven years.
Sentencing | four-month custodial suspended for 12 months. 15-year disqualification ban preventing Guy from owning dogs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Del Alan Midgley, born c. 1969, of Robin Hood Street, Castleford WF10 4AX – used his dog as a weapon, leading to the dog being destroyed.
Del Midgley, who has 48 previous convictions for 164 offences, including robbery, ABH and affray, lured a man to his home to attack him with a baseball bat, then goaded his dog into attacking him.
Midgley then allowed the Staffy to attack a police officer when they turned up to arrest him. He also racially abused officers and tried to bite them himself.
He admitted a raft of offences including GBH and allowing a dangerous dog to be out of control. The unnamed dog was ordered to be put down.
The incident took place on June 30, 2023, after Midgley swung a baseball bat at the man, who then tried to grab the weapon.
The man was able to get out of the home and into the street, followed by Midgley who continued to hit him. His dog was with him, and when Midgley relented, the dog pounced and mauled the man for around 40 seconds. The man suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung from the bat attack, and lacerations to his skull and ears from the dog.
After the police were called, they found Midgley in an irate state and he tried to shut the door on the officers, but they were able to force their way inside. The court was told that Midgley allowed the dog to intimidate the officers who had to withdraw, but not before he jumped at one officer and sank his teeth into her arm with such ferocity it left the muscle exposed.
Midgley was Tasered and brought under control, but after claiming he had a heart condition, the officers took him to hospital. However, he continued to struggle and be abusive. He racially abused two officers who had to restrain him when he tried to bite them. Finally, he urinated in the police van.
Held on remand since his arrest, he admitted section 20 GBH, two counts of being a a person with a dangerous dog that caused serious injury and two of racially-aggravated harassment.
An order was made to have the dog put down and Midgley was given a 17-year ban from keeping animals.
Mitigating, Chloe Hudson said that Midgley did not object to the dog being euthanised.
She said that on the day of the attack, Midgley had been drinking heavily and in relation to the dog, she added: “It was clearly very loyal and he [Midgley] should have intervened. He is beginning to realise that offending of this type will just end up in further custodial sentences.
She said of the relationship with the victim: “There’s a long history of knowing one another and there’s not always been a mutual liking, but it does not excuse what went on, it should not have happened.” Miss Hudson said Midgley was having drug counselling in prison and was enrolling in courses to better himself.
The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, jailed him for 45 months, and activated an additional two months of a suspended sentences he was on at the time for a driving matter.
Sentencing | 47-month custodial for non-animal welfare offences. Destruction order for the dog which Midgley didn’t object to. Banned from keeping animals for 17 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | John Paul McDonagh (born 01/10/1990) and his wife Mary Louise McDonagh (27/05/1992); Francie Gabriel McDonagh (18/01/1989) and his wife Angela Christina McDonagh (13/10/1989); Patrick Christopher McDonagh Snr (02/02/1977) and his wife Mary Christina McDonagh Snr (13/04/1980); Edward ‘Eddie’ McDonagh (01/11/1995) and his wife Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr (08/11/1998); husband and wife Martin Joseph McDonagh (23/03/1981) and Rosaleen Marie McDonagh (21/08/1981) and their son Patrick Christopher McDonagh Jnr (06/12/2001).
These men and their wives were prosecuted following an RSPCA investigation into the illegal puppy trade2016 image of Francie McDonagh. Source: Bucks Free Press
Eleven members of the extended notorious McDonagh clan – all Irish travellers – have been convicted of animal cruelty offences and fraud after trading puppies illegally from the council-funded Ellen Ridge travellers site in Hartridge Farm Road, Newport NP18 2NH.
The six men pleaded guilty to fraud and all 11 admitted an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The case against the vile criminal family involved hundreds of puppies sold to the public under false pretences
The unscrupulous and greedy family made hundreds of thousands of pounds by conning members of the public into believing the puppies they were buying were much-loved pets when in reality they were being bred and traded like “commodities”
They falsely advertised the pups on popular Facebook pages and used dozens of fake emails, addresses, names, and staged photos showing the pups “at home” to hoodwink prospective purchasers.
The RSPCA-led operation found that most of the dogs and puppies, many of whom had health issues, had been imported from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Ireland, while some had been bred in Wales. Others had been stolen
They had advertised and sold at least 40 different breeds of dogs, including Cavalier King Charles spaniels, pugs, beagles, miniature dachshunds, American pocket bully, shihpoos, French bulldogs, cavapoos, chihuahuas, labradors, rottweilers, German shepherds and whippets.
The callous and morally bankrupt family also dealt in stolen animals.
The offences were committed between January 1, 2020, and March 31,2021.
Many of the pups had been imported from countries which included Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
The scam was uncovered thanks to a vigilant vet who reported his concerns to the RSPCA. Police had also been called to the Ellen Ridge travellers site following a violent disturbance and undertook a search of the premises.
The total value of the illegal puppy operation is estimated to have netted more than £500,000 with the McDonaghs pocketing around £300,000 in undeclared income.
A judge at Swansea Crown Court said the fraud had been sophisticated and carefully planned. It involved the transportation of animals likely bred in East European puppy farms into the UK. Some puppies had been bred in Wales and kept in dirty and unsanitary conditions.
The judge told the defendants their motivation had been financial and little regard had been paid to the welfare of the animals involved.
RSPCA prosecutor Hazel Stephens told the court the investigation started after a vet became suspicious that a man had taken three litters of puppies into the surgery using the same phone number but calling himself by different names.
The vet contacted the RSPCA, who launched an investigation called Operation Earth. This involved analysis of Facebook adverts and messages, phone records, financial transactions, and details of dogs’ microchips and vets records.
The investigation led to the Newport-based McDonagh family being identified as being behind an operation involving cross-border transportation, breeding, and the sale of puppies and dogs on a large scale.
The investigation revolved around the activities of five couples:
John Paul McDonagh and Mary Louise McDonagh of Laburnum Drive Newport NP19 9AL
Francie Gabriel McDonagh and Angela Christina McDonagh of George Lansbury Drive, Newport NP19 9DS
Patrick Christopher McDonagh Snr and Mary Christina McDonagh Snr of Moorland Park, Newport NP19 4NB
Edward McDonagh and Mary Christina McDonagh Snr of Maesglas Street, Newport NP20 3BU
Martin Joseph McDonagh and Rosaleen Marie McDonagh and their son Patrick Christopher McDonagh Jnr all of 114 Maesglas Crescent, Newport NP20 3BY.
The court heard that the RSPCA applied for search warrants for a number of addresses in Newport but before they could be executed “there was an intervening event”.
On April 12, 2021, police officers responded to an emergency call at a property in Caerau Road, Newport, about “five Irish men” trying to kick their way into a property and asking for “the dogs”.
The men dispersed before officers arrived but a review of CCTV footage showed the group had been using two vehicles – a white Ford Transit van and blue Ford Focus car – and the vehicles were soon picked up by a police helicopter.
As a result of that information police officers went to the Ellen Ridge travellers’ site in Newport and two suspects who were identified from the CCTV footage were arrested.
The court heard that in the minutes between the men arriving at the site and police turning up at the gate the two males had swapped clothes and had started to shave their heads “presumably with the intention of evading detection” – those men were Eddie McDonagh and Patrick Christopher McDonagh.
Entrance to the Ellen Ridge travellers site in Newport
While at the site police saw a number of dogs and puppies that were kept in poor conditions and who did not appear in the best of health.
Some 21 dogs and puppies were removed from the premises and four of those were found to have been stolen.
The barrister said all the evidence gathered as part of Operation Earth showed the McDonaghs were advertising pups for sale on four of the main puppy selling sites – FreeAds, Pets4Homes, Preloved, and Gumtree – and the adverts were worded to make it appear that the dogs were from home-bred litters and were socialised and healthy puppies when in reality the defendants were trading puppies and dogs “like commodities with no care for their health or welfare”.
She said veterinary records acquired by the RSPCA “demonstrates the ill-health and frequent breeding of a number of dogs”.
Some of the puppies sold by the McDonaghs were found to have microchips from Poland, Hungary, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Ireland. In some cases they had been taken to vets in the UK to make them look like dogs from Britain before then being mixed with other puppies from different origins – thereby further increasing the risks to their welfare.
On one occasion two of the McDonagh couples – Martin Joseph and Rosaleen Marie along with Eddie and Mary Christina – were stopped by officers from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs at the Port of Dover with Dachshunds from the Czech Republic and Hungary in crates in their vehicles.
Martin McDonagh told an animal welfare officer that he and his wife had seen the pups while travelling on the Continent “on business”.
The passports for the puppies were in the names of Anthony Francis McDonagh and John Paul McDonagh. The prosecutor said five of the imported dogs were subsequently abandoned when it transpired they needed veterinary attention.
The court heard that as part of the investigation the RSPCA collected details of all the microchips implanted in the puppies and dogs in the case, traced the date the chips were implanted and to whom they were registered, and the details of who subsequently then sold the animals.
The results of this analysis showed the links between the movements of the puppies between the various members of the McDonagh family.
The investigation also showed that as well as many puppies having been imported some were being bred on the travellers’ site and other dogs were stolen.
The McDonaghs’ Facebook adverts were designed to dupe people into believing the puppies they sold had been bred in a loving home environment.
One read:
“This stunning little tri-coloured cavalier king Charles spaniel pup is now ready to leave for his new homes. We have one boy available he is very loving affectionate pup that likes to play and have cuddles. He has been raised in our family home with our kids and he is well socialised. Mum is our family pet and can be seen with pup”
while another was worded:
“I’ve come to the very sad sale of my beautiful beagle. He is four months old I have had him since he was eight weeks but I hate to say this but my circumstances have changed and I sadly cannot have him no more I am so upset about this as I really do love him but I can no longer give him the time that he deserves and has forced me into putting him up for sale”
The prosecutor said analysis of Facebook adverts and messages and of phone records showed the defendants had used 41 different residential addresses, 47 mobile phone numbers, and 39 email addresses during the puppy-selling scam.
It is estimated that between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, a total of £532,300 worth of dogs were advertised for sale online and the prosecutor said for the purposes of the case the value of the fraud was put at £300,000.
The court heard 20 victims of the scam had given statements to the RSPCA and between them they had paid the McDonaghs more than £30,000 for what they believed were socialised and healthy pups from a family home.
A number of those puppies subsequently required vet treatment with some being diagnosed with pneumonia, some with campylobacter, giardia; two puppies were diagnosed with parvovirus.
The prosecutor said many of the purchasers had been left with large vets bills.
Judge Geraint Walters said there was “carefully coordinated action” where the use of multiple properties, different vehicles and different vet practices had been used, along with false adverts, false documentation and various mobile numbers.
Ms Stephens said there were two sets of victims in the case: the puppies themselves and also the purchasers who suffered “considerable expense and considerable emotional upset through the illness and in some cases death of the puppy”.
She said the defendants “exploited the emotional vulnerability of potential purchasers, some of whom had small children excited about their new member of their family”.
The court heard that as part of the investigation an analysis was carried out into some of the bank accounts belonging to the defendants and “multiple deposits of large quantities of cash” were identified as well as multiple income transactions from “third parties”.
The court heard Patrick McDonagh Snr had 10 bank accounts and saw payments into his accounts totalling more than £120,000 a year while receiving a legitimate income from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and child tax credits accounts of approximately £16,500 per annum.
Francie McDonagh had a turnover in his bank account of £96,800 between December 12, 2019, and August 12, 2021, with cash deposits of in excess of £8,600 and third-party transfers of more than £76,000.
John Paul McDonagh had income from the DWP accounting for £18,310 of a total turnover of £63,122 with more than £14,000 directly referenced to “dogs”.
Martin McDonagh’s Halifax account saw cash deposits of almost £56,000 and only £64,000 of a turnover of £167,331 could be accounted for by DWP transactions.
Martin McDonagh, Francie McDonagh, Patrick McDonagh Jnr, John Paul McDonagh, Patrick McDonagh Snr, and Eddie McDonagh all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and to failing to meet the needs of puppies in the their care under Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Rosaleen McDonagh, Angela McDonagh, Mary Louise McDonagh, Mary Christina McDonagh Snr and Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr all admitted failing to meet the needs of puppies in their care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Heath Edwards, for Martin McDonagh, said the operation had been “unsophisticated” and said only a “fraction” of the dogs sold had been unwell. He said the criminality lay in misrepresenting the animals as home-bred and purchasers got “the same pet just not exactly the one they thought they were buying”. He said his client was a hardworking father-of-six and a good neighbour and he said they were his instructions that the defendant “has no available funds”.
Clare Wilks, for Patrick McDonagh Snr, said the father-of-six had been alcohol-dependent for more than 20 years and battles with his addiction on a daily basis. She said the defendant had been a scrap car dealer and said while the prosecution put the figure of the fraud at £300,000 that cash had been shared between members of the “family network”. The barrister said the defendant “led a rather solitary lifestyle” with his family, had depression and anxiety, and was “something of a closed book” in regard to opening up about the difficulties in his life.
Clare Wilks, for Eddie McDonagh, said the defendant had joined the conspiracy when it was already in existence and said his role had been limited to transporting puppies between locations including importing five puppies from the continent. She said the defendant was on medication for depression.
Andrew Taylor, for Francie McDonagh, said his client had been a roofer but when his work dried up due to Covid he became involved in the puppy conspiracy. He said the defendant was expecting his fifth child in June and was “extremely fearful” of the outcome of the case. The barrister added that “if chivalry exists it exists in his family” with the males taking responsibility and pleading to conspiracy while not guilty pleas on behalf of the females had been accepted by the prosecution.
Steve Burnell, for John Paul McDonagh, said the defendant had been involved in the buying ang selling of vehicles prior to the Covid pandemic and regrets getting involved in the puppy operation. He said the father-of-two was on anti-anxiety medication and was not currently in work.
James McKenna, for Patrick Christopher McDonagh Jnr, said his client had been aged 18 at the time of the offending and had been involved in the sale of some of the dogs. He said the client was married and had a one-year-old daughter and was keen to improve his literacy skills.
Andrew Kendall, for Mary Christine McDonagh Snr, said the defendant had no previous convictions and was the sole carer for her children.
The barrister also represented Mary McDonagh Jnr and said on her behalf she been present at Dover with her husband Eddie when dogs had been imported into the UK.
Stephen Donoghue, for Rosaleen McDonagh, said a report before the court concluded the mother-of-four presented a low risk of reoffending and it had not identified any rehabilitation needs on her part.
Rhodri Chudleigh, for Mary Louise McDonagh, said the mother-of-two was suffering with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Timothy Evans for Angela McDonagh, said the defendant was heavily pregnant with her fifth child and had dedicated her life to raising her family. He said his client had spent the last three years “agonising” over what would happen to her and her husband and said it was fair to say that she approaches the next year or so with “terror”.
Judge Geraint Walters said the background to the case was the dog population of some nine million animals in the UK and the buying and selling of around 800,000 puppies every year.
He said the McDonagh family fraud had been a sophisticated and carefully planned operation involving the transportation of animals likely bred in East European puppy farms into the UK as well as the breeding of pups in Wales, the keeping of animals in dirty and unsanitary conditions, a range of documentation, and the use of multiple emails, names, and addresses.
He told the defendants their motivation had been financial and they had paid little regard to the welfare of the animals involved. He said the puppy breeding selling had caused “unspeakable distress” to its victims.
The judge noted that in the cases of the female defendants the maximum sentence available at the time of the offending was one of six months in prison for a summary-only offence though that maximum had subsequently been increased to five years. However he said he was bound to pass sentence having regard to the law as it applied at the time and would effectively sit as a district judge to exercise the power to sentence a summary-only matter.
Following the sentencing RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall, said: “We’d very much like to thank all those who helped us bring this case to court, from Gwent Police, veterinary practices, witnesses, Newport Council trading standards and The Animal and Plant Health Agency. The heart-breaking reality of puppy farming is that the welfare of the puppies comes second to making money.
“The sums of money involved are just eye-watering; and it’s another reminder of how unscrupulous this trade can be; and how dangerous poor breeding and trading practices are for dogs, pups and unsuspecting consumers. For anyone looking to buy a puppy, rather than adopt – we urge them to do their research, know the signs of an unscrupulous breeder and use tools such as the Puppy Contract to avoid becoming another victim of the puppy trade.”
Gwent Police constable Bianca Robson-Mallet, who was the officer in charge of the warrant, said the force works closely with the RSPCA in animal cruelty cases and said colleagues had been receiving “intel” for a few months prior to the warrant.
PC Robson-Mallet later rehomed one of the dogs seized during the operation.
Sentencing |
Martin Joseph McDonagh: three and a half years in prison Patrick Christopher McDonagh Snr: three and a half years in prison Francie Gabriel McDonagh: three years and two months in prison John Paul McDonagh: three years in prison Eddie McDonagh: 20 months in prison Patrick Christopher McDonagh Jnr: 18 months in prison.
They will each serve up to half those sentences in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
Rosaleen Marie McDonagh, Angela Christina McDonagh, Mary Louise McDonagh, Mary Christina McDonagh Snr, and Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr were each made the subject of a 12-month community order and were ordered to complete rehabilitation courses.
Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr was also ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work, Mary Louise McDonagh was ordered to do 160 hours of unpaid work,
Rosaleen Marie McDonagh was fined £200, Angela Christina McDonagh was fined £200, and Mary Christina McDonagh Snr was fined £500.
The male defendants were banned from keeping dogs for 15 years while the female defendants only received a 10-year ban on keeping dogs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Brian Hughes, born 27 September 1982, of 69 Lister Avenue, East Bowling, Bradford BD4 7QR- beat a German Shepherd with a broom causing injuries so severe the dog lost a leg.
Hughes was found guilty after a trial in a prosecution case brought by the RSPCA.
Caesar’s leg was broken beyond repair after enduring a brutal beating by his owner, Brian Hughes
The court heard that the dog – a German Shepherd-type called Caesar – was taken to a vets by a member of the public on September 8, 2022, after he was found tied to a fence.
The examining vet said in a written statement: “[The member of the public] worried that he (the dog) was going to be killed if left with his owner.
“Caesar was carried into the surgery unable to walk. On arrival he was unable to stand, however, he could do so with support though he tired easily.”
Due to concerns for his welfare, Caesar was handed over to the RSPCA, who began an investigation.
A second vet examination confirmed that Caesar had a broken leg, which later had to be amputated.
Caesar was nursed back to health by the RSPCA and rehomed
The vet’s statement said: “[Hughes] describes being bitten by the dog when trying to remove him from his bed. A sustained attack by the dog is described – during which the owner admits to having beaten the dog with a brush handle over the head and possibly the back, before then tying the dog to a gate.
“Blunt trauma such as that described would be a consistent finding with the injuries and bruising noted in the initial witness statement around the neck (from being tied to a gate forcefully) and being beaten with the broom on the body.
“The fracture and the significant amounts of fresh bruising present on both hind limbs would be consistent with a severe blunt force trauma – likely from ‘in front’ of the dog.
“The fractured limb has likely taken the main impact, with the other limb bruising as a result of more minor contact from the same blow.”
They added: “I would also suggest that it is very unlikely for this dog to have reacted in such an aggressive manner towards the owner solely as a result of being in pain when trying to be moved.”
“Whilst in my care, in an unfamiliar veterinary environment, despite being in considerable pain and discomfort, the dog at no stage showed any signs of aggression, even upon manipulation and examination of the affected limb.”
During sentencing, the judge told Hughes he was “not fit to be near animals”.
Inspector Jo Hartley, who investigated for the RSPCA, said: “Caesar was in a bad way when he arrived in our care and he had been so badly injured that he needed his leg amputated. Thankfully, he has made an amazing recovery and has been happily rehomed.
“We’re really grateful to everyone who helped in our investigation.
Caesar has now got a second chance at life and he is a happy boy now.”
Sentencing | two-year custodial. 15-year ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | John Cameron Lindop, born 20 March 2000, of 7 Albion Hill, Epworth, Doncaster DN9 1HU* but with family links to Gainsborough, and Lucy Elizabeth Melrose, born 20 June 2000, of Hawthorne Road, Ferryhill DL17 9DP but originally from Gateshead – killed and burned a puppy and abused other animals in a campaign of horrific cruelty.
John Lindop and Lucy Melrose were convicted of a litany of cruelty offences against numerous animals including three dogs, one of whom was sadistically killed by one or both defendants, a chicken and a Shetland pony
John Lindop and Lucy Melrose committed a series of sickening offences against defenceless animals. These included killing a puppy and burning the remains, beating a second dog, riding a small lame pony, and setting a dog on a chicken while filming the carnage.
At the time the pair lived together in a flat in Fifth Street, Horden, County Durham.
It was said in court that the pair were in a tempestuous relationship and took out their frustrations on their pets.
Lurcher Max, who was described as subdued and withdrawn, had suffered injuries to his abdomen. He required treatment by the PDSA for muscular damage and other injuries
They appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday 16 February 2024 and were given suspended prison sentences.
The crimes came to light following an RSPCA investigation led by Inspector Clare Wilson, which spanned two years and involved multiple animals.
The charity was first alerted to the couple in February 2022 when a member of the public contacted the RSPCA after bringing Max, a lurcher they had recently rehomed, into the PDSA Gateshead with injuries to his abdomen, and blood in his urine.
Inspector Clare Wilson said: “Max was very subdued and withdrawn, he was hanging his head and was attached to drips when I first saw him.
“I immediately noticed that his muzzle was very swollen as was his right side near his shoulder. There was blood visible in the white of his right eye too. I was told that he had been weeing blood.
“There was bruising visible on his abdomen and sheath and there were blood marks on his legs and I saw old scars on his rear legs near his feet. His nails were not scuffed as we would expect if he had been hit by a car so the vet told me that they thought he had been beaten or kicked.”
The member of the public who brought the dog into the vets had rehomed him from Melrose and Lindop the day before and she had brought the lurcher to the vets as soon as she realised he was injured.
Tally had inflammation of an ear which should have been treated by a vet
A vet report found Max had suffered blunt force trauma injuries, brought on by physical abuse.
The report said: “Max was bleeding from both nostrils which were dripping blood. He had soft tissue swelling around his left eye and bruising on his neck. He also had visible bruising and swelling on both sides of his ribs and thighs and heavy bruising on his abdomen. The injuries suffered by Max are consistent with low energy impacts, such as kicking, being hit by fists, or thrown from a few metres down or falling down the stairs.
“Out of each of these scenarios it is my opinion that being kicked is most likely due to the placement of all his injuries. In my opinion, he has been hit or kicked to the muzzle and kicked repeatedly – possibly multiple times to his abdomen as bruising and injuries were more extensive there.”
When interviewed, Melrose claimed that Lindop had, “kicked him like a football and stamped on his head.”
It was later revealed that during the investigation, the couple had hid other dogs from the RSPCA, including a lurcher called Bambi and a German Shepherd dog called Tally.
Melrose later showed these dogs to the RSPCA’s investigating officer. Tally was underweight and her right ear was crooked and inflamed with a severe ear infection.
Durham Crown Court heard how the vet found Tally suffered due to the ear condition which would have caused irritation and pain for at least 10 days or longer.
A report stated that the person responsible for Tally had failed to seek veterinary advice for her ear condition and therefore had failed in protecting her from pain and suffering.
During the investigation, Melrose’s phone was seized and found to contain shocking videos depicting more animal welfare offences. This included Bambi, a fawn coloured lurcher, being baited and set on a chicken. Lindop claimed Melrose was responsible for this but “accepted he found it funny at the time, but did not know if the chicken had died as he had gone to the chip shop”.
A video on Melrose’s phone showed her riding a lame Shetland pony called Dinky, who was much too small for her
A series of other videos on her phone showed Melrose riding a Shetland pony called Dinky who was struggling under the weight of carrying her and was clearly lame in one leg.
Analysis of the videos by a vet revealed: “The female was far too large for both the saddle and the pony and as a result her body overhangs the back and sides of the saddle. The female is carrying a whip in her right hand and trying to force the pony to trot forwards.”
The 16-second video showed her hitting the pony with a stick 10 times.
The pony tries to avoid having to move forward and only moves forward at a trot once she has been repeatedly smacked with the whip and this is due to the fear and pain of being hit. The mouth of the pony is often open due to her discomfort and the pony is visibly lame on the right forelimb.
Text messages between Lindop and his mother were also discovered in which Lindop asks “If a dog’s been hit and nearly dead am I not in the right to finish it off so it’s not in pain or does that mean I killed it?”.
With the reply: “She killed it, you put it out its misery but you would both get done as should have been done by a vet humanely.”
Lindop then replied to his mother: “Won’t find it now like coz burnt it (sic).”
The burned remains of Welsh herder puppy Hades were found on scrubland near a railway line in Horden, County Durham
The charred remains of Hades, a 12 week old Welsh Herder puppy, were also found close to a railway line in an area of scrubland in Hordon, Peterlee, where there were burnt patches on the ground and fragments of Hades’ bones were discovered by the RSPCA.
Lindop claimed in graphic detail that Melrose had killed him whilst Melrose told investigators that Lindop had “hung him from a door until he was brain dead.”
The prosecution said they were unable to say who killed Hades but the method of his death was “sadistic” and involved him being hung from a door and killed with a hammer.
Lindop, whom it was said in court is living with his family in Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Melrose admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, plus one of causing an animal fight to take place by baiting a chicken with a dog.
In mitigation, the court heard how the pair had challenging backgrounds and it was felt that rehabilitation is possible, given their young age.
Philip Morley, for Lindop, said he was, “not a sophisticated man”, having had “limited education” and is thought to suffer with an undiagnosed learning difficulty.
He said despite that, he has held down a variety of jobs and, “largely kept out of trouble”.
Mr Morley said at one stage Lindop formed a relationship with Melrose which he described as “toxic” and for which there is, now, no prospect of any reconciliation.
“It was clearly an unhealthy relationship for either party and not a good environment for those animals to be kept in.
“He’s deeply sorry and ashamed for what happened.
“The relationship got on top of him and he clearly took his eye off the ball.
“Both have now moved on and he has a new life in Gainsborough, working with his step-father in roofing and window cleaning.”
Mr Morley said, ironically, Lindop has a background of looking after animals and won a number of rosettes for training dogs in his younger days,
But he added that his client does not accept responsibility for the death of Hades, for which he has shown “genuine upset and remorse.”
Aspiring Only Fans skank Melrose shows off her tacky tattoos
Katie Spence, for Melrose, said her previous employment involved working with animals, but the entire experience of what went on during her relationship with Lindop has put her off any future involvement, regardless of the punishment and bars put on her by the court.
“She is extremely remorseful for any behaviour and wishes she had dome more than she did in these circumstances (to prevent it).”
Judge Peter Armstrong also mentioned mental health issues and commented that Lindop was now in a secure relationship with a baby on the way.
He said due to their age, their immaturity, and lack of previous offences, he was “just” able to suspend the inevitable prison sentences on both defendants.
He said, given the volatile relationship the pair were involved in, “I suspect you were taking out your frustrations on these animals in your welfare.”
He said he would not try to pinpoint who was primarily responsible for, “this catalogue of most unpleasant offending.”
Speaking about the case, RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson, said: “This has been the most challenging case of my career so far and has been extremely distressing to investigate. It is clear that many animals suffered untold pain and mental torture at the hands of these defendants and I am immensely relieved that they will not be permitted to care for animals again for a long time.”
The RSPCA said Dinky was owned by a third party and is doing better now after recovering from her mistreatment. The dogs were brought into the care of RSPCA Felledge Animal Centre in Chester-le-Street where they have now been rehomed.
Sentencing | each were given 16-month prison sentences, suspended for two years. Both will undergo 40 days of rehabilitation and Lindop was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Both were disqualified from keeping all animals for 15 years.
CONVICTED (2023/24) | Lauren Angela Downes, born 3 May 1985, of Parc Mellan, Penzance TR18 3PB, and Wayne Hickman, born c. 1979, also of Penzance – left their dog in constant pain with chronic dental disease.
Lauren Downes pleaded guilty to causing suffering to the Staffy-type dog named Ruby and was sentenced in August 2023. Her partner, hotel worker Wayne Hickman, initially denied the charges, but later changed his plea. His sentencing hearing was in January 2024.
Wayne Hickman and his partner Lauren Downes left Ruby in constant pain from untreated dental disease
Hickman’s defence barrister told the court that his client had no money, was in arrears with his rent and was in the process of being evicted from his home.
“He accepts that he can’t have a dog for the foreseeable future and there is genuine remorse that at a time when he was struggling with a relationship breakdown,” he said.
“His dog was neglected in a way that it should not have been.”
Sentencing Hickman, Judge Simon Carr said the circumstances of this case were “chilling”.
“You were joint owner with your partner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier,” he said.
“One of the features in the reports of this case that I have read is that this was one of the most mild mannered and gentle and amenable dogs it was possible to imagine.
“In some ways that makes the brutality it experienced even worse.”
He said in 2022 when Hickman was living with Downes it was obvious during a veterinary visit paid for by others that this dog needed “substantial” dental care.
The photographs of the dog’s teeth were not easy to look at, he said, and it would be obvious to anyone seeing them that work needed to be done.
“The dog would have been in constant pain,” he said.
He said despite separating from his partner he continued to see the dog and would have been aware she was suffering and the appalling conditions in which she was kept and yet he did nothing.
He said even if Hickman could not have afforded a vet he could have contacted the RSPCA and any other organisation.
“Instead you chose to close your eyes, turn your back and allow your dog to suffer as this dog suffered every minute of every day with those pains,” he said.
“When you take on responsibility for an animal you take on a huge responsibility. It is you they look to for security and food for treatment when they need it. Taking on an animal is not something you take on part time and you failed consummately in your obligations.”
During Lauren Downes’ sentencing hearing the court noted that custody was appropriate given the prolonged incidents of serious neglect that caused very high levels of suffering to the dog , despite warnings and professional advice.
Sentencing | Wayne Hickman: 12-week custodial suspended for two years; £1,000 towards costs. Banned from owning a dog for 10 years (expires January 2034) . Lauren Downes: 12-week custodial suspended for 18 months; rehabilitation; 200 hours of unpaid work; £400 towards costs plus £154 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping all animals for 15 years (expires August 2038).
CONVICTED (2024) | Mark Baker, born c. 1975, of Lyngford Place, Taunton TA2 7EP – neglected an injured and emaciated elderly horse so badly the animal had to be euthanised.
An equine vet said that Squealy suffered for a prolonged period after Taunton man Mark Baker, who had him on loan, neglected him
Baker was loaned 25-year-old horse Squealy between December 14, 2022 and February 16, 2023.
But instead of being kept in a clean and tidy stable, the elderly horse was found shut in filthy conditions with two rugs on. One rug had slipped and rubbed until it caused a large open sore on the horse’s back. His teeth were also in a poor condition and he was unable to properly consume his food.
The RSPCA launched an investigation with specialist equine vets horrified by Squealy’s condition. In their report, they wrote that there had been “no attempt … to palliate the horse or alleviate his pain, let alone investigate the cause of his poor body condition.
“He was not free from pain, injury or disease. His needs were not being met as specialist dental care was not sought or provided and his diet was not adequate given his additional needs.
“He was not free from hunger since he did not have access to a diet to maintain his health and vigour. He was exclusively confined to his stable in the barn alone and was denied freedom to exhibit normal behaviour since he did not have company of his own kind.
“His environment was not comfortable given the wet and soiled bedding he was found on. He was not free from discomfort. From my findings, it is my opinion that pain and suffering had been ongoing for many months.”
Due to the severity of Squealy’s condition, a decision was taken with the support of his owner for a vet to euthanise him on site.
In court Baker admitted two charges of causing or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and failing to ensure the needs of an animal were met between December 14, 2022 and February 16, 2023.
Sentencing Baker to a 15-year ban on keeping equines, the judge told him: “Looking after an animal is a privilege and you failed in that privilege and the court cannot allow you to fail again.”
RSPCA Inspector Jo Daniel, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “As a result of this not being noticed and addressed, the rug continued to rub and caused a large ulcerating wound. The degree of granulation suggested the wound wasn’t recent and either had not been treated or hadn’t even been noticed.
“Squealy also had very worn painful teeth and it was very evident from the environment that he had been dribbling his food for a considerable time as large amounts of dried food was stuck to his stable door. He was hungry but unable to consume the calories needed to maintain good health.”
Sentencing | 150 hours of unpaid work; £1,200 costs. 15-year disqualification order against keeping equines (expires 2039).
CONVICTED (2023) | Georgette Georgia Grey of 30B Blenheim Park Road, South Croydon CR2 6BD – starved a puppy and left him exposed to the elements, causing him to become hypothermic.
South Croydon woman Georgette was banned from keeping animals after her puppy was found emaciated and hypothermic
Grey pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in relation to an eight-month-old dog called Milo. She was investigated by the RSPCA after the bull-breed puppy was brought to the vet in a collapsed and unresponsive state with severe dehydration and hypothermia.
Milo was given emergency care, but he was so poorly that vets recommended he was put to sleep to end his suffering.
In mitigation, Grey said she was remorseful and claimed she had monetary issues centring around lack of care, child care. She said her neglect of Milo was “not intentional”.
The vet said: “In my professional opinion, the owner failed to meet Milo’s needs in that she did not ensure that he has access to preventative healthcare in the form of his initial vaccination course and ongoing veterinary review.
“Based on his physical presentation, it is highly unlikely that his presentation occurred overnight and he is likely to have been suffering and in a significant level of discomfort for a sustained period of time.
“His low body condition score is likely to have occurred over a matter of months; either as a result of severe neglect, underlying pathological processes or a combination of the two.
“His body weight of 9.1kg on 20th January 2023, was lower than the weight recorded in September 2022, of 9.50kg.
“In my opinion, this shows that he was not growing in line with his expected timescales.
“At the very minimum, it is my opinion that Ms Grey did not seek veterinary assistance from which Milo could have benefitted, leaving him to suffer unnecessarily.”
Inspector Lynn Serrano, who led the investigation for the RSPCA, said: “It was clear that Milo had not received appropriate veterinary care despite continuing to lose weight over a period of months.
“Grey was sentenced for failing to address his poor body condition and weight loss.
“As a result he was left to suffer, and it’s very sad that his life was so short due to a lack of care.”
Sentencing | three-month suspended prison sentence. 11-year ban on keeping animals (expires December 2034).
CONVICTED (2023) | Dudley Payne, born 27 August 1994, of Braintree Avenue, Penwortham, Preston PR1 9UN – tortured a puppy to death.
On September 1, 2023, Dudley Payne was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the 11-week-old American bully puppy after a four-day trial at Preston Crown Court.
He was back in court for sentencing on Friday, 20 October.
Rocko was subjected to a litany of sadistic abuse at the hands of Dudley Payne and eventually succumbed to his injuries
During the trial, the jury heard that the RSPCA was contacted by a vet after the puppy, known as Rocko, was taken in dead on arrival on February 2, 2022.
The puppy, who had died 12 hours earlier, was taken to a vet with multiple non-accidental injuries
A post-mortem examination showed a number of non-accidental injuries including cigarette burns, head trauma and an eyeball prolapsed from the socket.
The puppy’s injuries included head trauma and a prolapsed eyeball
Rocko had been seen at the vet three days before for his vaccinations and was reported to be bright, alert and responsive.
In a statement read in court, RSPCA inspector Emma Dingley said: “The vet received the post-mortem results back and immediately contacted the RSPCA. He told me on the phone it was the worst post-mortem examination report he had ever read.”
Inspector Dingley contacted Payne, who confirmed he had owned Rocko for six days and bought him from a breeder named George Wilson.
When interviewed by inspector Dingley, Payne answered no comment to all questions.
A vet who gave evidence in court said Rocko’s injuries suggested “intentional harm”.
Cigarette burns were found on the puppy’s groin
The puppy had a ruptured liver, head trauma, a partial hip fracture and abrasions consistent with being scratched by fingernails.
He also had cigarette burns to his groin area and injuries to his abdomen, and lacerations to his liver and had inhaled the contents of his stomach.
Rocko’s heart also showed signs of having a massive rush of adrenaline before he died, showing the pup was terrified.
When the vet saw the results of the post mortem, he made a report to the RSPCA, and Payne was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
In a statement read in court at the trial, RSPCA inspector Emma Dingley said: ‘The vet received the postmortem results back and immediately contacted the RSPCA.
‘He told me on the phone it was the worst postmortem examination report he had ever read.’
Payne denied the offence, claiming Rocko was in poor health when he collected him from Mr Wilson, and needed ‘a bit of love’.
Payne’s defence said in court that Rocko’s injuries were caused by his owner while he was trying to do CPR on him, however this was disproved in court by the vet giving evidence.
The court heard that further enquiries were made with George Wilson, who confirmed he sold the puppy to Payne, adding that he was the biggest of the litter and very healthy when he left.
According to Wilson, Payne told him he had left the puppy alone with his five-year-old son while he went to the shop and thought the child must have injured the puppy.
Handing down a custodial sentencing of two years and nine months, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, said: ‘The only conclusion I can draw is that you tortured that dog to death. He must have died in agony and terror.
‘You have shown no remorse. I am driven to the appalling conclusion you did it to him because you enjoyed it.’
Speaking after the hearing, inspector Dingley said: ‘I will never be able to comprehend what happened to Rocko and why such a young animal was treated in such a cruel way.
‘This investigation will stay with me forever, but I’m pleased that we were able to get some justice for this little puppy, and I think the long custodial sentence reflects the gravity of this case.’
Sentencing | sent to prison for two years and nine months. Banned from keeping animals for 15 years.
CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder / wildlife persecutor Brian Birch, born 17 September 1993, of Ash Grove, Shirebrook, Mansfield NG20 8QA – kept 17 injured, flea- and worm-riddled dogs in filthy conditions and allowed multiple ferrets to starve to death.
Monstrous animal abuser Brian Birch from Shirebrook, Derbyshire, was allowed to keep one Jack Russell dog
In September 2022 officers from the Shirebrook Safer Neighbourhood Team were called to the home Birch shares with partner Kayleigh Iles, born 19 August 1994, who was also charged originally.
Despite living at the property where 17 neglected dogs had been callously mistreated, Birch’s partner Kayleigh Iles had the charges against her dropped
Officers found 17 dogs of various breeds living in filthy conditions, with faeces and urine covering the garden.
The animals were seized and taken to kennels.
They were found to be riddled with fleas, they had bleeding paws and were suffering with worms.
Police say as well as the dogs, they also seized two rabbits and two malnourished ferrets.
They found the bodies of between five and ten dead ferrets piled on top of one another in the ferret cage.
Fourteen of the dogs have been rehomed, but two had to be put down.
The two rabbits and two ferrets seized were taken by the RSPCA.
The court allowed him to keep one dog
Birch initially denied any wrongdoing.
He eventually pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of an animal, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
No evidence was offered for the same charges against Iles and these were dropped at court.
Sentencing | 25-week prison sentence suspended for 24 months; ordered to pay £4,000 Banned from keeping animals for 15 years, except for an unfortunate Jack Russell who the court allowed him to keep.
