CONVICTED (2024) | drug addict Niall O’Kane, born 21 January 1987, of Altinure Road, Claudy, Londonderry BT47 4DG – punched a dog repeatedly, bit her then tried to strangle her during domestic violence incident.
Junkie O’Kane, who has a string of criminal convictions dating back 14 years, also attacked his sister in bed and set fire to her bedroom door while she was inside.
The court was told that on July 10, 2023, O’Kane returned to the home he shared with his mother and sister in a state of intoxication.
He asked his sister, who was in bed, if he could borrow her phone, but she refused.
O’Kane then became “violent, aggressive and threatening” and turned his attention to his sister’s dog,.
The court heard he “punched the dog a number of times, bit the dog and then grabbed it by the neck as if trying to strangle it”.
As his sister grappled with him to protect her pet, O’Kane “grabbed her by the back of the head and bit her on the cheek” before he staggered from the bedroom.
A short time later, the sister noticed flames at her door and rang some friends to come to her aid.
When they arrived at the property, O’Kane, who was slumped on the sofa, told them to “f*** off”.
They ignored him and extinguished the fire, which he had started by piling clothes against the door and setting them alight.
O’Kane was unfit to be interviewed by police until the following day. He said he recalled nothing of the previous evening because he had been on a drink and drug binge. He denied attacking the dog, however, and claimed to have a good relationship with his sister.
Ultimately O’Kane, who has links to Limavady, County Londonderry, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal alongside assault, criminal damage and arson.
The court heard that Kane had amassed 51 previous convictions — half of them related to his drug habit.
Sentencing | one-year custodial of which half will be spent on licence. No mention of a ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | prolific backyard extreme bully breeder Troy Eric Bowyer, born January 1992, of 5 Aberthaw Drive, Alway, Newport NP19 9QB* and Sam Hudacek, born c. 1999, of Albert Avenue, Maindee, Newport NP19 8FF – filmed themselves trying to artificially inseminate a pet dog.
The men were described in court as making a “crude and amateurish” attempt to inseminate a dog. A judge said when he first saw the footage he thought it showed “some sort of sexual perversion”.
The attempts of Troy Bowyer, who bred and sold cropped-eared bull-breed dogs under the name ‘One Hunna Bullys’, and Hudacek to impregnate the latter’s dog came to light after police executed a drugs search warrant and found the video on a mobile phone. The phone also showed Hudacek had been involved in dealing cocaine.
The video showed a female bull dog standing on her front legs with her back legs being held up and Bowyer moving his fingers in and out of the dog. A syringe could also be seen in the footage.
The court heard the footage was being shot by Hudacek and he could be heard laughing and giving Bowyer “encouragement” to carry on.
The court heard the footage appeared to show “some kind of artificial insemination” of the bitch.
When interviewed about the video footage Hudacek answered “no comment” to all questions asked while Bowyer accepted it was him on the footage but denied causing the dog unnecessary suffering.
Hudacek pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, while Bowyer pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Defence counsel for Hudacek said the defendant had moved to the UK from Slovakia as a 12-year-old boy and initially struggled at school in Newport as he could not speak English. When his parents later returned home, however, he decided to stay in Wales. He said “there are people who think he is capable of a lot more” and said the defendant wants to support his partner and be a better role model. He said his client’s role in the animal offence had been “peripheral”.
Counsel for Bowyer, who is no stranger to the Welsh courts, said the dog belonged to the co-defendant Hudacek and his client had been “asked to assist with the artificial insemination”.
He said Bowyer had a long-term partner of 18 years with whom he had two children with a third was on the way, although the couple did not actually live together.
Judge Simon Mills described the matters involving the dog as “frankly unpleasant”, and said when he first saw the footage he “thought there was some sort of sexual perversion going on” but in reality it was a “crude and amateurish attempt at artificial insemination” which would have caused the dog considerable discomfort.
Sentencing | Hudacek: three years in prison with one month to run concurrently for the animal welfare offence. Bowyer: 24 month community order for the animal offence with rehabilitation course; £500 fine. Neither man was banned from owning animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | serial domestic abuser and dangerous career criminal Arran Swift aka Arran Adey, born c. 1986, originally from Cowdenbeath, Fife but with links to the Lochend and Restalrig areas of Edinburgh and Cumbernauld in Glasgow – killed and mutilated a hamster with a hammer in a sick revenge attack against his partner.
The death of the little hamster, named Timmy, came to light after Swift sent the woman a chilling message, stating “Timmy isn’t going to survive”.
Police found the body of the animal, along with blood splatters where he had been thrown against a wall and a hammer covered in blood and hair.
The court heard that Swift carried out a litany of abuse after entering into a relationship with the woman in 2018 or 2019.
Fiscal depute Ronnie Hay detailed the abuse, including the destruction of the victim’s pet, committed after she took Swift back following a previous split.
He said: “The complainer felt sorry for him and invited him to stay with her.
“The accused’s behaviour did not vary – he began controlling what she was doing.
“He punched and kicked at walls and mirrors.
“They separated in September 2021 and she left her flat, leaving her pet hamster Timmy.
“Between September 6 and 16 telephone records showed 391 communications were made from his phone to her.
“These messages were also threatening – she received one saying ‘Timmy isn’t going to survive. Where are you?….bad move, goodbye’.”
Police went to the property and found evidence Swift was still living there – along with the grim discovery of the pet’s body.
Mr Hay continued: “They observed the deceased hamster, which appeared to have been struck off the wall.
“They contacted the SSPCA and an inspector attended and found the hamster and blood spatters on the wall.
“She saw a hammer with blood and hair on it.”
On an earlier occasion Swift trapped the woman inside her house, tied her hands together and followed her around the house – even watching as she used the toilet – and threatened to stab her.
On another occasion he hit her, resulting in her waking from unconsciousness in the bathroom.
After the woman left Swift initially, she found him inside her house. Swift had taken some important items, including jewellery and photographs, telling her he had taken “things that matter to you”.
He invited her to a Travelodge in Edinburgh with the promise of returning the items.
She texted her mother asking her to call the police as she needed help, only for Swift to beat her with a gin bottle.
Other incidents included stealing a television that had been taken in by a neighbour following delivery, making threats to kill her former partner, sending her photos to suggest he was in her local area and he stated he had put cameras in her home.
Swift, a prisoner at Edinburgh, admitted engaging in a course of conduct abusive of a partner or ex-partner at addresses in Fife, Edinburgh and Cumbernauld between October 2020 and January 2022.
Swift’s heinous crimes were so serious the case was remitted to the High Court in Dundee.
Presiding judge Lord Arthurson ruled that Swift poses a significant threat to the public should he be released from custody.
He said reports showed that Swift had “sadistic” tendencies and scored highly on a test to assess psychopathic behaviour.
He said: “You demonstrated extreme violence, controlling and somewhat sadistic behaviour towards your victim. You have used different aliases in relationships.
“When you are heavily intoxicated and in a state of inebriation you have felt the overwhelming desire to inflict serious pain on others. You have shown a lack of empathy. You have shown no anxiety about the consequences. There is an extremely high likelihood of you committing other offences and you have the capacity to cause lethal harm.
“You scored highly on the assessment for psychopathy. The risk of harm posed by you has been persistent over time. You have been violent against strangers and intimate partners.
“You have found it impossible to take responsibility for your behaviour. You have had eight previous partners and have shown concerning behaviour towards seven of them.
“You have described your own fantasies about harming others in the past. You killed your victim’s pet animal and mutilated the body. You repeatedly threatened to kill your victim and her family and burn down her house. This was sustained, coercive and controlling behaviour over 16 months.”
Lord Arthurson said: “I have concluded that the nature, gravity and pattern of offending are such as to demonstrate that your liberty will endanger the lives of the public at large.”
Swift will initially serve three years and nine months in prison but will be subjected to a lifelong restriction order meaning that only the parole board can decide if Swift can be managed in the community.
Swift was also made subject to a lifelong non-harassment order.
The court was told that Swift was already subject to two other non-harassment orders, had served 19 previous prison terms and was on a community payback order at the time of the latest offence.
Sentencing | three years and nine months in jail. Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR).
CONVICTED (2024) | Robert Manton aka Rob Philpot, born 1986, and Natasha Butler, born November 1979, of Stonham Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea CO16 7EH – neglected and physically abused their two dogs.
Butler and Manton were banned from keeping animals for life after being captured on video abusing their two dogs.
The RSPCA investigated Manton and Butler after receiving video evidence of their cruelty towards a Staffy called Bruce and Jack Russell-type Snoop. This included footage showing Manton kicking and hitting both dogs.
On January 13, 2023 the charity attended the couple’s home in Clacton with police and removed the dogs.
Bruce (pictured) and Snoop thrived in the RSPCA’s care and have been rehomed
Further evidence was provided of the two dogs fighting outside and running loose in the street and one of the dogs attacking the other. There was no intervention by their owners, thereby facilitating the suffering of the animal being attacked The two dogs were kept together and there was no provision to keep Snoop safe.
Snoop
Both dogs had skin disease and were infested with fleas. They were also being kept in unsuitable conditions.
Manton, who is no stranger to Essex Police, was found guilty in his absence while Butler pleaded guilty to failing to meet the welfare needs of Snoop and Bruce by one or a combination of the following:
Failing to address the skin condition affecting one or both dogs
Failing to adequately control the dogs resulting in the dogs fighting each other
Keeping the dogs in an unsuitable environment containing hazardous items and which was contaminated by urine and faeces
Failing to protect the dogs from stress by punching or kicking them
Exercising the dogs on the highway without the dogs being kept on leads meaning that the dogs were not under control or safe
Failing to provide routine preventative health care such as vaccination and parasitic control.
In mitigation, the court was told Manton was suffering from mental health issues and he had lost a relative to cancer. The dogs were not his, but he was aware of their conditions. In mitigation Butler also said she had been suffering with mental health issues.
Speaking after the case RSPCA inspector Emma Beynon said: “Bruce and Snoop should have been protected and kept safe, but sadly this was not the case. The couple failed them in so many ways.
“Both dogs were taken into RSPCA care and both continued to thrive and they have now been rehomed.
“I would also like to thank the witnesses in this case – which was a difficult one for all involved.
Sentencing | Manton: 17 week prison sentence for the animal welfare offence with one further week added for his failure to surrender. He also activated a previous suspended sentence – which resulted in a further 40 weeks’ imprisonment to run consecutively.
Butler: 12-week prison sentence with additional time added for failure to surrender; 30 days of rehabilitation activity; costs of £600 plus £154 victim surcharge.
Both were disqualified from keeping animals for life.
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) | Adam Lee Bone, born c. 1991, of 29 Taylor Grove, Wingate, County Durham TS28 5PA – assaulted a dog and his female owner.
Bone, a career criminal with numerous previous convictions for violence dating back to his teens, pleaded guilty to two counts; assault by beating, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The offences took place on August 27, 2023, when Bone assaulted a woman and a Bedlington Terrier in Wingate.
Sentencing | 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs. Disqualified from keeping dogs for five years (expires March 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeder and conman Timothy Ronald Springett, born October 1973, with a last known address of Whinfell Avenue, Ramsgate CT11 0QE – kept a Russian terrier in conditions that exposed him to the elements and allowed his fur to become severely matted and full of dirt and faeces.
Convicted fraudster Tim Springett repeatedly ignores the RSPCA’s advice to groom his dog and failed to provide him with a sheltered sleeping area.
Following an RSPCA investigation former company director Tim Springett, who was jailed for four years in 2015 for serious tax fraud and money laundering offences, was found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to the dog, called Barney. This states that owners must protect the animal from suffering by grooming regularly, and provide the animal with a safe and hygienic environment.
The weight of filth in Barney’s coat affected his mobility
Police seized Barney at Springett’s home, after finding him wandering in the garden clambering over mess and smelling of faeces.
The Russian Terrier was found to have been carrying an extra 21% of its body weight from the excess hair. The RSPCA shaved 7.8kg of matted fur, with staff suspecting it was a result of the dog being left to sleep outside, with no shelter or dry areas.
The dog had not been groomed for nearly two years despite the RSPCA making “several attempts” to encourage Springett to properly care for his pet.
Persistent liar Springett told RSPCA inspectors that he believed the breed did not need clipping.
In court he pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences.
In a witness statement, investigating RSPCA Inspector Tina Nash said Barney was: “extremely matted, with big clumps of fur hanging off of him that appeared to be full of dirt or faeces and tightly bound to areas around his back”
Describing how the pet’s poor odour made her feel ill, Tina said: “The dog did not smell very nice and made me want to wretch.
“The environment was very untidy with lots of stuff everywhere and very dirty.
“I went into the back garden which was covered in faeces and very dirty.
“There were no dry areas for the dog.”
The vet who shaved Barney said: “The dog had been made to support a coat weighing approximately 21% of his body weight as he moved around. The weight of this coat would have risen considerably when the dog was wet. I am in no doubt that this would cause the animal physical stress as he moved.
“It is my professional opinion, based on the information provided to me, that the person responsible for the care of the dog had failed to provide the dog with a sheltered sleeping area with bedding. The person had also failed to groom the dog over many months and, as a consequence, had left him in a position where he was likely to suffer.”
During mitigation, Springett said that he loves dogs and has experience working with them, and claimed his ill-health was behind the issues.
Barney has been transformed after months of care by the RSPCA. Currently in private boarding, he will be made available for rehoming soon.
Sentencing | 12-month community order. Five year ban applicable to all animals (expires February 2029).
In 2015 Kimberley White, founder of The Retreat Animal Rescue, was given a conditional discharge after admitting illegally receiving 10 “malnourished” dogs from Tim Springett after he was arrested for fraud.
Kimberley pleaded guilty to handling three German and Belgian Shepherd dogs and seven puppies, all of whom were microchipped to Springett.
The court heard that while in custody Springett had asked his estranged wife to arrange care for the dogs, who were housed at his home in Whinfell Avenue, Ramsgate.
On his release from custody Springett discovered the dogs were missing and initially thought they had been seized by a landlord in lieu of non-payment of rent. But neighbours confirmed they had seen a van bearing the logo of The Retreat and a complaint was made to the police.
Kimberley’s lawyer told the court her client had spent £5,000 of her own money caring for the dogs, who she said were seriously malnourished.
She said: “Many of the puppies were close to death and she had wanted to care for them. She has now learned a harsh lesson.
“But she is a person who lives, breathes and sleeps her work looking after dogs. She made no money out of placing the animals. Her objective was to find them good and loving homes”.
The lawyer added that after some of the animals were later returned to Springett and after his jailing were given to the RSPCA and later put down.
The presiding judge, Heather Norton, gave Kimberley a conditional discharge and questioned whether her prosecution was in the public interest.
CONVICTED (2024) | Joseph Fogg, born c. 1984, of South Parade, Pensarn, Abergele LL22 7RH – kicked a dog with force during a domestic violence incident.
Fogg admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal alongside charges of assault by beating, using threatening behaviour, criminal damage to property and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Prosecuting, Thomas McLoughlin told the court that, at about 5.30pm in Rhyl on October 2, 2023, Fogg pushed a woman, bruising her and causing her to fall to the floor.
Fogg then kicked a dog with such force that she retreated and urinated.
He then caused roughly £1,100 of damage to the woman’s mobile phone, rendering it unusable.
While carrying the child, the woman was then punched on multiple occasions by Fogg, though one of his blows struck the child in the face instead.
The woman suffered swelling, bruising and cuts, and both she and the child suffered reddening under their eyes.
After the woman told Fogg that he had hit the child, he replied: “I’ll do it again.”
Defending Fogg, who had 16 previous convictions for 23 offences, but none for violent matters since 2012, Jade Tufail asked if the court could consider suspending his custodial sentence.
She said he has been “out of trouble” for three years, and suffers from mental health issues and alcoholism – though he “hasn’t touched a drink since the incident,” she added.
Ms Tufail described Fogg as “not somebody who is without hope”.
Sentencing, Judge Nicola Saffman deemed Fogg’s offences too serious for immediate custody to be avoided.
“You were clearly intoxicated,” she told Fogg, who spent much of the hearing weeping and with his head in his hands.
Judge Saffman added: “In my judgment, this is a matter where only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Sentencing | two-year custodial. No mention of a ban.
CONVICTED (2024) | Kyle Hollingsworth, born 21 June 1991, of Moor Street Mansfield – repeatedly punched and kicked a police dog.
Lifelong thug Kyle Hollingsworth was jailed after kicking and punching a police dog
Violent career criminal and drug addict Hollingsworth was reported to police after he broke into a woman’s back garden in Gladstone Street, Mansfield, and began banging on windows.
A dog officer on routine patrol attended the scene at around 9.30pm on 27 October 2023 and challenged Hollingsworth in the street. Hollingsworth, who was carrying a large bottle at the time, refused to comply with instructions from the officer and approached her.
PD Max wasn’t badly injured and soon returned to police duties
Doing his job, Police Dog Max bit the thug on the hand and stomach.
Hollingsworth then lashed out at at the dog and continued to punch and kick him even after he was taken to the floor.
Hollingsworth was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to criminal damage, affray and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The court heard Hollingsworth has 44 previous convictions for 100 offences, including criminal damage, threats and abusive behaviour. He was last before the courts in 2022 for dwelling burglary and a string of thefts
Max, a two-year-old German shepherd who already has an impressive service history, escaped serious injury in the attack and is now back on the beat.
CONVICTED (2024) | brothers Kristen Christopher Cooper, born 2 May 1999, and Todd James Edward Cooper, born c. 1994, of 24 Westbury Close, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8AZ* – tortured wild animals to death and filmed their agonies.
Sadistic brothers Kristen Cooper (left) and Todd Cooper
Career criminal brothers Kristen and Todd Cooper, who are gypsies, made a series of sick videos showing hares and deer being abused and mutilated.
During one depraved incident, the pair mutilated the genitalia of a deer – to the extent that officials could not tell if the animal was male and female – and stabbed another in the eye on camera, causing an ‘extreme level of suffering’.
In another twisted video they held a hare by his head and encouraged a dog to bite him.
A vet reviewing the videos as part of the investigation described the footage, filmed in 2021 and 2022, as the “worst case of animal abuse” he had seen in his 24-year career.
“These images will stay with me forever,” he said.
Other videos showed deer being dragged by their antlers having appeared to have suffered spinal injuries from possibly being hit by a car, with one piece of footage showing a man raising a wooden object above a helpless deer’s head as if he was going to strike it.
The brothers were caught after police seized a phone containing the shocking videos.
Kristen Cooper was charged with seven counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal with Todd Cooper being accused of one count.
But after appearing at the crown court for these offences and being released on bail, just days later the pair were apprehended again after attacking a mother and her son outside a Co-Op in Betsy Lane in Bransgore on March 4, 2023.
In a video shown in court, the pair can be seen with a third unknown man, ramming another car before getting out and attacking the vehicle with a catapult, a crowbar and a baseball bat.
The victims of the attack later gave evidence at trial with the mother saying she “genuinely believed they wanted to kill us”.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said the animal abuse was “sadistic” adding that the animals were in “distress and suffering”.
Aleks Lloyd, defending Kristen – who has eight convictions for ten offences – said this is the first time his client has been in custody adding that he “appears to be getting his head down and getting on with it”.
Ruba Huleihel defending Todd, who has 24 convictions for 52 offences, said her client has ADHD and was exposed to violence from a very young age.
Judge Peter Henry sentenced the pair for a variety of offences committed in the New Forest and in Dorset, including actual bodily harm, criminal damage and threatening a person with an offensive weapon.
He said: “One would have thought that both of you being brought up in the New Forest you would have had more respect for such defenceless creatures.
“It was being filmed, other people were present and other people seemed to find it all very amusing.”
Both men were given restraining orders banning them from ever contacting the mother and son they attacked ever again.
This image shows the Cooper brothers and an as yet unidentified accomplice participating in hare coursing, a cruel sport in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and turn a hare
Police Constable Sebastian Haggett, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team – who led the case alongside Hampshire police – said after the sentencing: “These are without doubt some of the most horrifying offences I have ever investigated.”
Angharad Thomas, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “The level of cruelty displayed in this case is beyond comprehension and the brothers showed an inexplicable disregard for the welfare of these animals peacefully existing in the wild.
“An expert witness for the prosecution described the actions of Kristen and Todd Cooper as the worst case of animal abuse they had ever come across in their 24-year veterinary career.
“The CPS welcomes today’s sentence and hopes it sends a clear message that we will continue to work with the police to bring offenders of these disturbing crimes to justice.”
Sentencing | Kristen Cooper: jailed for five years; 10-year criminal behaviour order. Banned from owning a dog for ten years. Todd Cooper- jailed for three years and eight months.
