CONVICTED (2024) | Bryan Owens and previous offender Katrina Bernadette Elstob of 48 Fox Avenue, South Shields NE34 9RN – failed to address their pets’ health conditions and weight loss.
Elstob, who was previously banned from owning animals, and partner Bryan Owens admitted cruelty to an elderly Jack Russell called Jack and a cat named Jess. Jack was in poor bodily condition, suffering skin inflammation and dental disease and was infested with fleas, while Jess had an untreated skin condition.
RSPCA Inspector Trevor Walker visited the couple in September 2023 and was immediately concerned about the poor condition of Jack and Jess.
Jack was dehydrated after being denied water and had a number of untreated health conditions
In his witness statement he said: “I observed an aged and very lean, Jack Russell Terrier type dog, that would have been described as tri-coloured at one stage, but now appeared more yellow possibly due to a heavy flea burden and his age.
“The cat, a medium long haired brown cat appeared in better condition, but once I had picked him up I could feel the very scabby skin under his medium long haired coat.”
RSPCA Inspector Walker transported Jack and Jess to a vet for further examination.
Jess had a severe skin condition, which had not been addressed by her cruel owners
Inspector Walker continued in his witness statement: “Arriving at the door to the vet’s surgery, I noticed [Jack] was lapping the rain water that had collected on the top of the drainage cover, indicating that he was dehydrated.
“This condition was confirmed inside the consultation room when he drank from a bowl of fresh water for an entire minute, before it was removed.”
The vet said in their witness statement about Jack the dog: “There were four main concerns which included a very poor body condition score, which would have likely been present for at least a few months, a heavy flea infestation, secondary skin inflammation and severe dental disease.
“Based on the examination and the further test results; Jack had experienced unnecessary and avoidable suffering.”
Following the case, Jack and Jess were officially signed over to the care of RSPCA, where staff will now look to find them both loving new homes.
Sentencing | Elstob – ordered to pay a fine of £164, a £66 victim surcharge and £250 in costs. Owens -ordered to pay a fine of £80, a £32 victim surcharge and £250 in costs. Both were given a seven year ban on owning all animals, with no appeal for five years (expires April 2031).
CONVICTED (2024) | Sean R Palmer, born 19 September 1987, of Langtoft Road, Hamilton, Leicester LE5 1FU – found with 18 poorly dehydrated dogs inside his van after being stopped by police; breached a previous ban.
Other dogs discovered in cramped conditions in Palmer’s vehicle were severely underweight and had untreated wounds, with one later dying.
Palmer, who has links to Syston and Loughborough, was driving the white van when he was stopped by officers from the Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Policing Team on the A47 in Leicestershire last February during a routine procedure.
Inside the van, officers discovered 10 bulldogs and eight puppies all with a variety of welfare issues inside cages.
Three were even found wearing shock collars, while a number were underweight and dehydrated.
Untreated wounds were also found on a number of the dogs, with one dying of malnutrition before he could reach vets.
A subsequent investigation by police and the RSPCA revealed that Palmer had been handed a a three-year disqualification order on keeping dogs by Lincoln Magistrates in February 2022. .
Despite the order, Palmer admitted to owning all of the dogs, but claimed he was dealing with “personal issues” at the time. He told investigators he was also sleeping in the same van alongside the dogs.
Following an RSPCA prosecution, Palmer pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences including “causing unnecessary suffering” and “failing to provide veterinary treatment” for the dogs’ injuries.
He was given a suspended prison sentence and woeful seven-year ban on keeping dogs.
Speaking after sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Richard Durrant said: “The conditions inside the van were shocking – to have such a large number in such cramped conditions.
“A vet deemed many of the dogs including the pups were suffering. We are so very grateful to the Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Policing Team for all their support in what was a very upsetting case.”
Sentencing | 15-month jail term suspended for two years; 25 rehabilitation activity days; 100 hours of unpaid work; £250 court costs. Banned from keeping dogs for seven years (expires March 2031).
CONVICTED (2024) | wildlife killers Thomas Graham Michael Lloyd, born 28 December 1986, of Slaidburn Drive, Lancaster LA1 4QX; Jay Stuart Jones born 5 March 1987, of Barley Cop Lane, Lancaster LA1 2PP; and Steven Dixon, born 9 November 1983 of 63 Keswick Road, Lancaster LA1 3LF – for sadistic cruelty towards multiple deer and at least one badger.
Tom Lloyd (left) and Jay Jones were both sent to prison for serious wildlife offences
The sadistic trio were all convicted of a range of wildlife offences, including cutting a deer’s throat and restraining a deer to enable dogs to attack it.
Tom Lloyd was the ringleader of the sick gang of criminals
Tom Lloyd pleaded guilty to four offences of causing unnecessary suffering to deer and a badger, with videos showing the deer’s neck being stood on to enable dogs to attack the animal, and the deer’s throat being cut repeatedly. He was sentenced to 33 months in prison and was disqualified from keeping dogs for life.
Jay Jones pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a deer by restraining the animal to allow dogs to attack it. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and was disqualified from keeping dogs for six years.
Steven Dixon pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a deer by repeatedly cutting its throat. He was sentenced to 17 months in prison which was suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days, a six-month mental health programme and 100 hours of unpaid work.
One man was caught on camera slashing a terrified deer’s throatOther videos showed dogs being set upon a badger and a deer
In February 2022, Lancashire Police seized a mobile phone from Jay Jones which revealed videos showing wildlife offences and the RSPCA were called to assist.
The charity’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) worked with police who executed warrants at premises occupied by all three defendants in May 2022.
Two dogs of the four seized from backyard breeders Tom Lloyd and Jay Jones were pregnant
Four dogs were seized: a black lurcher called Hector and a tan and white lurcher, called Chanelle from Lloyd; and a dark brindle lurcher, called Blaze, and a grey merle lurcher, called Dixie, from Jones.
Dixie and Chanelle were both pregnant and had puppies in the RSPCA’s care.
A number of videos showed the cruelty inflicted on deer and a badger.
A written statement, presented to the court in an expert witness report said: “The videos presented have been produced in darkness with the use of a lamp to illuminate the activity of a number of lurcher type dogs pursuing and attacking deer and a badger.
“Two videos indicate a male person to have repeatedly stabbed and cut the skin of the animal’s neck causing further suffering via the mechanism of pain while already being attacked by dogs.”
In one of the videos, Lloyd, who is filming, says: ‘Here we are lads, got a stag’, and shows a deer that has been caught being attacked by dogs.
Later in the video, one of the men can be seen holding the deer’s head while he cuts its throat with a knife.
RSPCA SOU officer Jason Bowles, who led the investigation, said, after sentencing: “We investigate some horrific cases and, sadly, see animals suffering truly gruesome acts at the hands of people.
“The videos in this case are yet another example of the barbaric torture that we regularly see being inflicted upon wildlife we should all be trying to protect and help.
“Sadly, people who enjoy these hideous pastimes continue to offend across the picturesque, rural countryside of England and Wales. “But the RSPCA will not rest in bringing people like these to justice.”
Tom Lloyd’s feral offspring are doomed to turn out just like their evil father
Sergeant James Pinder, who led the warrants and searches for Lancashire Police, said: “The guilty pleas in this case were entered/im after a two year-long, detailed investigation by the RSPCA and Lancashire Police’s West Division Rural Task Force. I’d firstly like to praise the thoroughness and tenacity of those investigators.
“The extremely graphic nature of the many videos recovered shocked all who worked on the case.
“I welcome the sentences imposed and hope they send a clear message to those people who would seek to commit similar offences. “I would encourage anyone with information about the illegal persecution of wildlife to report it by calling 1010, or anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Blaze, Chanelle (and her nine puppies), and Dixie (plus her seven puppies) can all now be rehomed.
Hector will remain in RSPCA care subject to a further court hearing regarding his ownership.
CONVICTED (2024) | Claire Mitchell, born 4 September 1973, of First Avenue, Teignmouth – failed to treat a lurcher with a skin condition so severe that he was left almost bald.
Mitchell pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
The offence stated that between May 26, 2022 and July 7, 2022 Mitchell caused unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a male lurcher called Thor, by a failure to ensure he was provided with timely and appropriate veterinary care for his hair loss and/or skin condition.
RSPCA rescuers were contacted with concerns about Thor, who was suffering from a skin condition that had left him almost bald with sore red skin.
Mitchell failed to attend veterinary appointments that had been made for her and continued to leave Thor in a suffering state. She also ignored return visits from RSPCA officers following up on dog’s welfare.
Thor pictured in healthier times. Source Claire Mitchell/Facebook
Thor went on to make a full recovery in RSPCA care.
Sentencing | 160 hours of unpaid work and 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days; £126 costs and £114 victim surcharge. Seven-year ban on keeping dogs (expires March 2031).
CONVICTED (2023) | sadistic Daniel Taylor, born c. 1992, of 99 Shrewsbury Road, Manton, Worksop S89 2TX – tortured, killed and mutilated more than 100 deer, foxes, badgers and pigeons.
A police search of the home Daniel Taylor shares with company director wife Georgina Ruth Taylor, née Georgina Brigham, revealed over 100 graphic phone videos and images which showed him attacking, decapitating and encouraging his dogs to fight and kill wildlife.
Prosecutor Lucy Woodcock told the court: “In some videos he is seen dissecting the animals and ripping internal organs out”.
Officers also found 15 deer heads and 14 fox tails, as well as snares and weapons.
Police found a shocking hoard of deer skulls, fox tails and weapons at Daniel Taylor’s family home
A blood-stained quad bike and lamping equipment were also recovered.
Police arrested Taylor, confiscated his phone and removed his dogs from the house as part of the investigation.
Officers were able to map the images and videos on his phone to specific locations.
PC Mark Holland, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “From this we were able to prove when and where most of the animals were killed and link this evidence in with several reports of poaching.
“We also received intelligence which helped establish Taylor was in areas at the relevant times.”
PC Ben Harrison said: “At the back of Taylor’s premises we found what was essentially a slaughterhouse for animals.
“Taylor clearly took pleasure out of his dogs torturing these animals.
“They were clearly being trained to get hold of these animals and rip them to shreds.
“The videos were gruesome and the sounds of the animals squealing in pain were horrible.
“In one particular video, while Taylor was filming one of these acts, he dropped his phone and it flipped over. He bent over to pick it up and it captured a full face shot of him. There was no question over who was doing the filming or who was the owner of these videos.”
The court heard Taylor had played a leading role in “sadistic behaviour” which was “prolonged and repeated” between August 2021 and February 2023.
Sentencing Taylor, Judge Mark Watson told him: “These offences cannot in any way be described as sport. This was a barbaric hobby of yours.
“This was planned activity by you and you clearly revelled in the suffering of these animals.
“You encouraged your dogs to attack these animals with ferocity and they suffered immeasurably.
“These were prolonged and repeated incidents of serious cruelty and examples of sadistic behaviour.”
Sentencing | jailed for two years and eight months. Banned from owning, keeping or participating in keeping dogs for at least seven years
CONVICTED (2024) | Jessica Paige Pugh, born 8 December 2002, of Arlingham Place, Worcester WR5 2SZ, her mother Kerry Ruth Pugh, born 17 March 1980, of Brook Cottage, Bosbury , Ledbury HR8 1PX, and Oliver Daelan Fairy, born 31 December 2002, of Tanhouse Lane, Malvern WR14 – for the starvation and neglect of two horses with one having to be put down.
The case involved two equines – Autumn and Totti – who were found to be in an emaciated bodily condition likely due to high worm burdens and lack of a suitable diet.
Oliver Fairy pleaded guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence which concerned a grey mare named Totti in that he failed to meet her needs. Kerry and Jess Pugh pleaded guilty to one offence relating to chestnut mare Autumn in that they failed to meet her needs.
RSPCA inspector Suzanne Smith attended a stables in Ledbury on March 22, 2023, after the charity received a call concerning underweight horses.
In a written statement provided to the court, Inspector Smith said that a horse called Autumn “was wearing a rug, but despite the rug I could see she was extremely angular with the rug hanging on her like she was a coat hanger
“There was no food or water in the stable, there was no bedding, there was some faeces.”
The owner of the stables named the owners as Jess Pugh and Oliver Fairy.
Fairy told inspector Smith that the horse was Jess Pugh’s horse and he had spoken to a vet the night before as the horse had had ‘choke’, but he didn’t know when the horse had seen a vet prior to that.
Inspector Smith continued: “I went into the stable and removed the rug. As I suspected, the horse was extremely underweight with all bones exposed, a clear thigh gap between her buttock cheeks, the rib cage was fully visible with a shelf along the top where it met with the spinal processors.
“Whilst waiting for the vet, as Autumn had no food or water I asked if some could be provided and a slice of hay in a small haynet was hung in the stable and the small empty bucket which was in the stable was filled.”
A vet attended and remarked that Autumn was the thinnest horse he had ever seen. In his statement, he said the mare’s body condition was 0.5 out of five and that there was strong evidence “to support parasitism for the poor body condition of the horse.”
The Pughs also attended the stables on March 22, and a transfer of ownership form for Autumn was signed by Kerry Pugh, who said she was the owner and the passport was in her name.
The court heard that inspector Smith was also able to locate the contact details with regards to Totti, who had been on loan to Fairy but removed by her owner on 17 March.
The owner was called and it was requested that a vet attend to assess Totti. It was confirmed that she had been suffering with the vent finding an “above normal faecal worm egg count”.
The vet added that blood and faecal test results were consistent with a “high intestinal parasite burden” which could contribute to weight loss. However, the test results could also be present with other diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
The weight loss was described as “severe” and would have occurred over a long period of time. The current keeper was informed and treatment for parasites was recommended.
Totti was in good health and in excellent condition on arrival at the yard where Fairy kept her. Months later while in Fairy’s care her condition had deteriorated dramatically
Fairy accepted full responsibility for his failure to ensure Totti was provided with the correct vet assistance and nourishment.
He claimed his involvement with her was relatively limited, however. He said that another person was attending to the horses but accepted he had the overriding responsibility for her care.
In the RSPCA’s care Autumn received remedial farriery alongside a re-feeding programme. Although she regained weight her lameness problems didn’t resolve and the sad decision was made to put her to sleep.
Sentencing | Fairy was handed a £450 fine, victim surcharge of £180, and ordered to pay £200 costs. Kerry Pugh and Jessica Pugh were handed a £196 fine, a victim surcharge to pay of £78 and they were ordered to pay £200 costs. All three were disqualified from keeping equines for seven years (expires February 2031).
In October 2023 Kerry and Jess Pugh loaned out a cob called Lizzie.. On arrival at the loanee’s yard, she was described as being “overweight with a matted mane and tail”.
Lizzie was overweight and her mane and tail were severely matted when she first arrived at the loanee’s yard
The loanee continued: “I had to cut off her mane as it was too matted to brush out. I washed her as she was covered in scabs and dirt. She had to have six visits from a farrier before he was happy her feet were back to normal.
The loanee spent thousands of pounds in farrier and vet fees to restore
“The saddle they gave me was described by my saddle fitter as being only fit for the bin. It was causing Lizzie pain to be ridden in.
“She has now lost 150kg and is under supervision from me and my vet.
“As well as the usual costs of livery, hay, bedding, insurance, etc, I’ve had to pay for remedial farrier work, saddler appointments, dental treatment and vitamin balancers.
“This week alone I’ve had to spend £150 for the vet callout, microchip check and vaccinations
“I also had to buy new rugs (she came with two but both were broken) as well as new tack because neither her saddle nor bridle fit her”.
The Pughs apparently told the court that they had sold Lizzie in October 2023, when she remains on loan.
They have now asked the loanee to return her. The loanee has offered to buy her for £2,000 but the Pughs have demanded £5,000.
There are allegations that Kerry Pugh may transfer ownership of her horses to her boyfriend, Craig Cross. Cross is said to be terrified of horses so this would be an obvious and cynical attempt to skirt their court-ordered disqualification order.
The loanee is desperate to keep Lizzie who she describes as a “sweet horse who’s now been getting lots of love and care” and enjoying the companionship of two other horses.
CONVICTED (2023) | Daniel Banham, born 6 September 1999, of Carters Hill Park traveller site, Carters Hill, Billingbear, Wokingham RG40 5QL – left his horse to suffer with a painful untreated skin condition.
Daniel Banham received a suspended prison sentence and eight-year ban on keeping horses following his mistreatment of an unnamed colt
Banham, a traveller, was visited by the RSPCA after calls of concern over a young horse in Fordingbridge in Hampshire who had severe skin lesions over his body. The lesions were crusty, the skin was dry, red and painful.
The horse was signed over to the RSPCA and can now be rehomed following his recovery
A vet carried out an examination of the unnamed horse and found him to be in a suffering state.
Banham was asked about the skin condition and said he thought it was rain scald so had used coconut oil on the lesions.
In their report, the vet said: “This horse was suffering from the consequences of inadequate management. The poor management led to dehydration, malnutrition, painful skin condition and severe liver disease that can have life-threatening consequences.
“He failed in his duty by failing to seek veterinary help for his horse’s very obvious and severe skin condition and concerning weight loss.
“Added to this his choice to apply coconut oil to his skin significantly increased this animal’s pain and suffering by conducting and amplifying the sun’s heat onto his severely damaged skin.”
RSPCA Inspector Tina Ward, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Our plea to all animal owners is to make sure they always receive care and treatment from veterinary experts when they need it.
“They are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and they are kept safe and healthy.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate veterinary care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them. It’s so sad that, in this instance, that responsibility was not met.”
The horse was also signed over into the care of the RSPCA and can now be rehomed.
Sentencing | eight-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days; £300 costs and £154 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping horses for eight years.
CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeders Dominic Lewis Fouracre, born June 1988, of Ballymote, St Nicholas Road, Barry CF62 6QY, and Rachel Lewis, born c. 1979, of Y Rhodfa, Barry CF63 – kept English bulldog adults and puppies in “appalling” and “disgusting” conditions, with five of them having to be put down.
Prolific breeder Dominic Fouracre, a director of newly formed company DS Cladding Solutions Ltd, and former partner Rachel Lewis attempted to sell the puppies before police officers entered Fouracre’s then-home in Clive Road, Barry, to find it covered with dog faeces and urine.
Fouracre owned three adult bulldogs found in the Clive Road house and care worker Lewis had been caring for nine bulldog puppies who were also in the filthy property.
Image credit: Hope Rescue
Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said the neglect was uncovered on June 10, 2022, after a complaint was made through Hope Rescue. The charity alerted Vale of Glamorgan Council, whose officers gained entry to the home with police officers.
“There were eight bulldogs behind a baby-gate which was covered in dog hair and faeces, with food pushed underneath that they could not access,” said the prosecutor.
“There was faeces pushed into the floor and one dog was seen to eat faeces from the floor. The dog bedding was littered with faeces and urine. There was no water or food in the bowls. Blood could be seen in the shredded paper in a crate.
“Four puppies were confined to a small box and many dogs were suffering from cherry eye, which is where the eye pops out and becomes exposed.
“All 12 dogs were seized.”
Image credit: Hope Rescue
A vet found health issues including severely low weight, spinal problems, corkscrew tails, an inability to walk properly, breathing difficulties, conjunctivitis, alopecia, yeast infection and ear infection.
Three puppies and one adult dog had to be put down. Others will have long-term medical problems. The vet said the dogs had not been fed properly or given enough water.
One dog was put down because of a severe rectal prolapse which Fouracre had tried to treat by bathing the puppy.
Fouracre said he had only seen a smaller prolapse at that stage and did not think it needed a vet’s treatment.
Image credit: Hope Rescue
Lewis had owned the mother of the puppies but she claimed Fouracre had offered to vaccinate the litter and sell them at eight weeks of age.
But the court heard Fouracre — who by this point was her ex-partner — was “not happy” with the litter and ignored messages from Lewis. She accepted she should have sought help from a vet but said she became “overwhelmed” by caring for the dogs and her three children as well as working.
Video credit: Hope Rescue
Two days before the puppies were found in Fouracre’s home, Lewis had brought them there. Fouracre returned from a holiday abroad and was surprised to find the puppies inside. He then neglected the puppies but the court also heard their health issues had started before Lewis left them at his home.
Fouracre had been advertising bulldog puppies for sale online since 2017 and Lewis had tried to use Facebook to sell puppies the month before the offences came to light. Ms Smith-Higgins described the pair as seeking “commercial gain”.
Fouracre admitted nine animal welfare offences while Lewis pleaded guilty to four offences.
Their crimes included causing unnecessary suffering and not meeting animals’ needs. The court heard the adult bulldogs had not been in Lewis’ care and her offences only involved the puppies. Neither defendant had previous convictions.
Ruth Smith, representing Fouracre, said her client had not expected to see the puppies at his home when he returned from holiday and he had then tried to wash one puppy’s prolapse. She added that the prolapse had not been as severe at this point and that Fouracre was shocked when the authorities showed him a picture of it at a later stage.
The court heard Fouracre was in financial difficulty after losing his job during the pandemic and is now living with his parents. Ms Smith added he no longer wants to own animals and has recently got a job at an agency.
Will Bebb, for Lewis, pointed out her children would have to be taken in by social services if she was jailed. He said she had cared for a family dog for 12 years with no issues but found herself “struggling to cope” with the puppies due to “the quantity of the dogs” and her “active work schedule”, which led to “well-intentioned but incompetent care”, he told the court.
Image credit: Hope Rescue
The judge, Recorder Ben Blakemore, said the pair had been hoping to make a profit after keeping the dogs in “appalling” and “disgusting” conditions. He added that there had been no ventilation in the Clive Road property and no toys for the dogs, who “resorted to chewing anything the could”.
The conditions “beggared belief”, he told the defendants.
Fouracre was banned from keeping animals for eight years but Lewis escaped a ban after the judge noted her “adequate” care of two family dogs.
Sentencing | Fouracre: 22-week jail term suspended for 12 months; 180 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation activity Eight-year ban applicable to all animals (expires November 2031). Lewis: 14-week jail term suspended for 12 months; 120 hours of unpaid work and eight days of rehabilitation activity. No ban. Each must pay £4,000 towards prosecution costs — £1,000 lower than the amount requested by the prosecutor.
Following the sentencing of Dominic Fouracre and Rachel Lewis, Hope Rescue took to Facebook to express their disappointment over the court’s leniency. Of the 12 dogs rescued from the vile pair, the charity said there were only seven survivors, all of whom had “suffered so much”. Two were euthanised immediately due to their appalling suffering. This included a male puppy with a necrotic rectal prolapse. The surviving 10 dogs then had to battle parvovirus but pulled through thanks to the efforts of Hope Rescue and their veterinary team. Sadly, further investigations and x-rays revealed serious joint and spinal issues with three more dogs – one of whom had been adopted – having to be put to sleep.
In total, the charity spent £25,000 in veterinary costs to give the rescued dogs a fighting chance of survival.
The charity noted that the couple had boasted to buyers about their links to another dodgy breeding operation, Posherbulls. The owners of Posherbulls, Karl and Victoria Shellard, faced prosecution in their own right in 2022 for illegal breeding and animal welfare offences and were exposed in a BBC documentary on unethical and extreme dog breeding.
CONVICTED (2023) | William Thornton, who has a number of aliases including Dennis Thornton and Hugh McGinley, born June 1998, of 69 Upton Road, Kidderminster DY10 2YB but with links to Shrewsbury – allowed an emaciated mare to become so poorly she lost her foal and later died.
Willie Thornton, an Irish traveller who works as a self-employed driveway contractor, was disqualified from owning horses after failing to properly care for a pregnant horse that later had to be put down after losing her foal.
Thornton admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Monday 6 November 2023.
Bay mare Gypsy Speedy lost her foal and was later put to sleep following months of neglect by her owner, Willie Thornton
The offences related to a bay mare named Gypsy Speedy kept at a travellers site in Timber Lane, Stourport.
RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith attended the site , on December 9, 2022, after the charity received reports about the welfare of horses kept there.
She left an advice notice regarding Gypsy Speedy, who at that point was identified to be underweight. Thornton was advised to provide additional forage and to ensure a farrier attended.
But after returning on January 18 she found no action to have been taken and the mare’s condition had deteriorated.
In her witness statement, inspector Smith said: “The pregnant bay mare was visibly severely underweight. She had deteriorated a lot in the five and a half weeks, with her spine, pelvis and shelf above her ribcage being exposed despite a thick winter coat.
“There was no additional forage, and the grazing available was insufficient to meet the needs of the equines.”
Inspector Smith called a specialist equine vet to attend, who examined the horse and confirmed she was suffering unnecessarily given her poor body condition and lack of nutrition available.
West Mercia Police attended and placed Gypsy Speedy into the care of the RSPCA.
In their witness statement, the vet stated Gypsy Speedy’s body condition score was just one out of five.
They added: “The body condition score of the animal was unacceptably low and the animal was being caused unnecessary suffering.
“In my opinion, the cause of the poor body condition was due to malnutrition, starvation and/or or an inadequate parasite control programme.
“The mare has been caused suffering for at least six weeks and would continue to suffer if the circumstances did not change.
“In my opinion, the owner has failed in their duty of care by failing to provide adequate food, by failing to implement a suitable parasite control programme, by failing to provide adequate farriery and by failing to seek veterinary advice.”
Inspector Smith added: “It’s very sad when we identify an animal that is at risk and clearly discuss with the owner changes and improvements they need to make in order to prevent their animal from suffering, but that advice isn’t taken.
“Thankfully, in the vast majority of our work, owners take on board this advice and make the changes that are needed and the lives of the animals are vastly improved. Sadly there are some cases, such as this one, where animals are caused to suffer as a result of owners who refuse to take the required action.”
Due to her poor health, Gypsy Speedy lost her foal, despite the best efforts of vets and the RSPCA’s equine care teams.
She later became very unwell herself, and vets made the difficult decision to put her to sleep to prevent her suffering further.
Sentencing | community order with 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months; costs of £400. Banned from owning horses for six years (expires November 2029).
CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder Mark Amos Mabey, born c. 1964, of Bridge Close, Peatons Lane, Lytchett Matravers, Poole BH16 6HW – for cruelty to 11 severely neglected dogs kept in poor conditions.
Mark Amos Mabey, who is from a notorious Dorset-based traveller family, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Mabey, who has previous for wildlife crime, was prosecuted alongside others* after police paid him a visit on 26 November 2022 and found 11 dogs living in poor conditions. A vet certified the animals to be suffering and they were seized by police under the Animal Welfare Act.
Alongside a suspended prison sentence and curfew order, Mabey is disqualified from having anything to do with dogs for the next seven years. This prohibits him from:
Owning dogs
Keeping dogs whether on a temporary or permanent basis
Participating in the keeping of dogs
Allowing any dogs to be kept at his residence or any property to which the defendant has control or ownership of
Being party to an arrangement under which he is entitled to control or influence the way in which dogs are kept
Participating in the sale or exchange of dogs
Transporting or arranging the transportation of dogs
PC Sebastian Haggett, of the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team, said:
“Mabey was responsible for causing unnecessary suffering to a significant number of dogs.
“As part of our proactive work, we ensured that the dogs have all since been lovingly rehomed and are being well looked after.
“I am pleased that the disqualification order was granted over an extended period of time to prevent Mabey from causing further harm to any dogs. This is an essential bit of legislation that can be used to protect animals.
“I would urge members of the public to please contact Dorset Police if they are aware of Mabey contravening the terms of his order.”
Sentencing | five-month custodial suspended for 18 months; five-month tagging order; 60 hours of unpaid work. Seven-year ban in relation to dogs only (expires October 2030).
Clockwise from top left Lewis Longstaffe, Jay-Lee Arnold, Lee Mabey, Tani MabeyCharges against Lee Mabey and two other suspects have been dropped
We are advised that the prosecution offered no evidence against Jay-Lee Arnold, Kylie Davies and Lee Mabey and the charges against them have been dropped.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
