CONVICTED (2023) | Danisha Irving, born c. 2003, of Cornwall Road, Rubery, Rednal, Birmingham B45 0NQ – shaved and starved her cat until he was ‘ravenous’.
The RSPCA received a call concerning a “very thin” cat at an address in Cornwall Road, Rubery.
Upon arrival, officers found Prince a ginger and white cat, that weighed just six pounds, missing some fur.
The owner of Prince, Danisha Irving,, admitted that she had not taken him to the vet and had shaved him because he was shedding so much fur.
Prince and another cat were confiscated from Irving’s custody and put into proper care.
A vet who later examined Prince gave him a body conditioning score of two out of nine. The vet stated that Prince would have “suffered unnecessarily for a minimum of four to six weeks but in reality, likely longer”.
Irving pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences.
Inspector Kate Levesley, who was first on the scene when the RSPCA were called out stated that Prince “looked very, very thin” and was “lively and appeared frantic in his movements”.
In her report, the vet who treated Prince stated that he “arrived with anaemia and very poor body condition which in my professional opinion was due to ongoing lack of adequate nutrition. His appetite was ravenous and he exhibited aggressive behaviour around food, which I believe to have been caused by frustration due to hunger”.
“Once treated for parasites and on an appropriate diet and feeding regime, his weight quickly improved, with a 500g (1.1lb) increase after only four days of appropriate feeding, to nearly ideal condition within approximately five weeks. His anaemia resolved within a similar time frame.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order; ordered to pay a £40 fine and £140 costs. Banned from owning cats for five years (expires October 2028) . Deprivation order on Prince and a second cat.
CONVICTED (2023) | rogue horse traders Charlie Virginia Hingley, born c. 1996, of 55 Stoney Lane, Netherton, Dudley DY2 0AD, and Lucia Kate Stanton, born c. 2004, of 3 King Alfreds Walk, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4PY – allowed five emaciated horses to suffer with two having to be put down.
Lucia Stanton (left) and Charlie Hingley faced animal cruelty charges after five horses owned between the pair were found in poor bodily condition, with two having to be put to sleep by vets on humane grounds
Hingley and Stanton were sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 25 September 2023 after pleading guilty to horse cruelty charges at an earlier hearing.
Pictured are Sonny (left) and Celly (right). Both horses were owned by Charlie Hingley. Sonny later died due to the extent of his mistreatment. Photo: RSPCA .
Hingley admitted four offences of causing suffering to horses Sonny, Celly, Luna, and Bobby, between December 2022 and January 2023, while Stanton admitted causing suffering to miniature Shetland Waffles during the same period.
On 22 January 2023 witnesses contacted an equine bailiff after they saw a tractor being used to lift a collapsed horse, Celly, in a field in the vicinity of School Lane, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
Bobby’s coat was dull and scruffy and his spine was protruding. He was also suffering from rain scald and a lice infestation. Photo: RSPCA
The bailiff attended and requested that Hingley contact a vet immediately. When the vet attended, a second horse, Sonny, was found collapsed and was in “such a poor state” he had to be put down on welfare grounds immediately
Celly, who was in an emaciated condition, was relinquished by Hingley to the bailiff and removed from the site.
Little Waffles, who was owned by notorious horse trader Lucia Stanton, was also found in poor condition. Photo: RSPCA
The RSPCA was later called to check on the welfare of Luna, Bobby and Waffles, and RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith attended the field on 26 January, during which she called a vet over concerns for all three horses.
“My initial concern was for piebald mare Luna, and young Shetland Waffles, because both looked to be in poor body condition visually, despite fluffy winter coats, and Luna had rain scald on her back,” said Ms Smith.
“After taking a closer look at Luna, I could see she was significantly underweight. I could see her ribs, pelvis, spine and a shelf at the top of the ribs, and when I put my hands along Waffles’ back, neck and pelvis, I could feel all these structures easily with no muscle along the sides of the spine.”
Luna
Ms Smith was also concerned about the condition of colt Bobby, who was in a second field.
“When I asked Hingley to remove Bobby’s rugs so I could have a better look at him, I saw that his spine protruded with a clear obvious shelf each side of the spine, his pelvic bones protruded and were sharp, he had a ‘thigh gap’ with little muscle left on the legs, he walked with a weak gait,” she said.
An RSPCA spokesman said the vet confirmed the horses were suffering, and Hingley signed Luna and Bobby to the RSPCA. Waffles belonged to Stanton, and as she was not present, he was taken into possession by the police and placed into the RSPCA’s care. The three were taken to an equine hospital for further examinations and treatment.
In the vet’s witness statement, Lunda, Bobby and Waffles were described as having a body condition score of one out of five, the most likely cause a high worm burden. Waffles’ and Bobby’s coats were described as “dull and scurfy with a heavy lice infestation”, and Luna was “suffering with extensive rain scald over the back and rump”.
“Sadly, despite the vet’s best efforts, Luna’s condition deteriorated and the veterinary team made the decision to put her down to prevent her suffering further,” said the RSPCA spokesman.
Charlie Hingley, who works as a care assistant and has famiyl links to Cornwall, is now banned from having anything to do with equine animals for life
Ms Smith added that the vet confirmed the pasture management of the fields was “totally inadequate with extensive faecal contamination” and that extremely high worm burdens had caused the horses’ poor body condition.
“Worm and parasite management in horses can be easily managed with an effective parasite control programme, so it’s very sad that neither owner identified that the horses were underweight, nor had a parasite control plan in place which would have prevented this needless suffering,” she said.
“I am very pleased that thankfully, Waffles and Bobby made good recoveries in RSPCA care, and Celly has made a good recovery in the care of the equine bailiff. During the winter months, I would urge horse owners to get in the routine of using their hands to check their animals’ body condition through their winter coats, as well as regularly removing rugs to monitor their weight and check for sores.”
In mitigation it was heard that Hingley showed remorse and was of good character. Stanton’s mental health was raised as an issue.
Bobby has since been rehomed through the British Horse Society’s (BHS) second chance programme, a collaborative rehoming initiative between the BHS and welfare charities to give rescued horses and ponies a “second chance at life” through a BHS-approved yard.
Sentencing | Hingley: two 12-week prison sentences to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months; 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement; £400 in costs. Banned from owning equines for life, with no appeal allowed for 10 years. Stanton: £300 fine, £400 costs, and a £120 victim surcharge. Banned from owning equines for 10 years, with no appeal for five years.
The pair’s bans include being disqualified from dealing, transporting, or arranging the transport of horses.
CONVICTED (2011) | Tracey Munden (also known as Tracey Clarke), born 3 January 1972, of Lime Grove, Bromsgrove B61 8LX – left several animals to starve to death
Evil Munden locked her dogs in cages and left them to die
Following reports from concerned members of the public, RSPCA inspectors raided Munden’s former home in Hathaway Close, Dines Green, Worcester and were met with a scene of horror.
Inspectors discovered a dead Staffordshire bull terrier in a cage without any food or water, an extremely underweight bull mastiff, two chihuahuas and a Yorkshire terrier. The Yorkie was described as being “close to death”.
One of the dogs rescued from Munden’s property
An emaciated water dragon lizard that had been left in an unheated vivarium was also found.
Munden spouted the usual excuses about personal problems and depression. Thankfully the judge saw through the excuses and jailed her. Munden wept hysterically as she was handcuffed and led away.
Sentencing: 18-week prison sentence and banned from keeping animals for ten years (expired September 2021).
CONVICTED (2005) | Derek Thomas Monkton, born c. 1943 (deceased as of December 2021*), of 49 Broad Street, Bromsgrove B61 8LL – kept three ponies in diabolical conditions.
Monkton pleaded guilty to charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the ponies.
The neglect suffered by the three young colts was so bad it resulted in one having to be put down because of the irreparable damage done by the growing tendons on his legs.
Chief Field Officer at the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) Paul Teasdale, speaking after the court hearing, said he had visited a property at Upton Warren on July 1, 2003.
“I visited this property with an RSPCA inspector, Simon Dix, and found three colts, virtually imprisoned, in filthy conditions, in tiny pens.
“The conditions these ponies were kept in was diabolical, filthy and disgusting,” he added.
The barn the ponies were kept in was described as ‘dark, airless and acrid with the smell of ammonia and droppings.’
“Their hooves had clearly not been trimmed for over 12 months, they were the worst feet I have ever seen,” said Mr Teasdale.
The other two ponies have been left unrideable because of their distorted lower limbs.
Monkton agreed to sign the ponies over to the ILPH and they were taken to the Glenda Spooner Farm, at Hoarwithy, in Herefordshire.
No evidence was brought against Victoria Jean Manns, of the same address, who was also charged with the same offence.
Sentencing: concurrent seven-week custodial sentence. Banned from keeping domestic animals for life.
