CONVICTED (2013) | Karen Mary Anderson, born 08/09/1954, and husband John Anderson, born 07/06/1961, both of Kingsway South, Warrington WA4 1LS – kept two dogs in a cage behind a sofa for 22 hours a day for two years leaving them covered in sores and scars
Vile: Karen and John Anderson are banned from owning animals until August 2023
The Andersons kept Staffies Jet, aged 10, and Tye, aged 12, locked in a small cage 22 hours a day for two years.
John and Karen Anderson shunned their elderly dogs Jet and Tye.
When rescued by the RSPCA on January 20, 2013, both dogs had damaged teeth and were covered in sores and scars from trying to escape the cage.
Inspectors found the broken wires of the cage were bent back into place by the pair to keep the pets contained, concealed behind an old sofa in a dirty, disused bedroom.
Both dogs were emaciated with ribs, spines and skulls all visible.
Kevin Worthington, prosecuting, said both dogs were ‘emaciated with ribs, spines and skulls all visible’.
They were rarely fed while trapped, with paws stained from urine and faeces. Neither dog could walk.
The court heard how the defendants had two other dogs, both Dogue de Bordeaux, who Mrs Anderson described as her ‘babies’.
They slept in the bedroom with the couple and were treated as part of the family. The couple also kept barn owls and tropical fish.
All pets were seized by the RSPCA.
At Halton Magistrates Court, District Judge Bridget Knight said: “This case is truly shocking.
“I have seen the photographs of these two dogs that were family pets kept as prisoners.
“I can’t conceive how you as human beings and dog owners could sleep night after night when you knew these two animals were suffering greatly.
“You had grandchildren visiting and I can’t bear to think of young children knowing animals were being treated in this way.
“I almost despair.”
All pets have now been seized by the RSPCA.
Jonathan Conder, defending, said the dogs were separated because they started to fight.
He said: “The defendants fully accept the cage was completely inadequate accommodation for the dogs.
“That wasn’t the right way to keep them.
“The treatment of the dogs is an aberration for people who have kept pets all their lives.”
Sentencing: 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. 26-week curfew. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires August 2023).
John Anderson, on long-term sick from self-employed work as a removal man, was told to pay £600 towards a £4,000 vet bill.
Karen Anderson, who is on benefits, will pay £520.
CONVICTED (2013) | Kalson George Abbey, born 28/09/1972, of Devon Close, Macclesfield SK10 3HB – subjected his dog to regular beatings over three months before she was rescued by a ‘posse’ of neighbours
Kalson Abbey and beaten puppy Mishka, who had blood on her coat and horrific bruising under her fur
Former soldier Kalson Abbey repeatedly whipped six-month-old Northern Inuit Mishka with a braided strap in a series of “punishment” beatings because she kept soiling his carpet.
His aggressive yells of “bad dog” and the terrified yelps of pain from the animal so distressed neighbours in the cul-de-sac where he lived that in a dramatic rescue mission they confronted Abbey on his doorstep and forced him to hand over his pet.
They took Mishka to the RSPCA, whose vets discovered savage bruising on her body.
Former soldier Abbey whipped his dog in a series of beatings. He was caught out when concerned neighbours confronted him on his doorstep
Jobless Abbey denied causing unnecessary suffering and claimed he was the victim of a “vendetta”. But he was convicted after four neighbours gave evidence.
One nearby resident who asked not to be named said yesterday: “Abbey is nothing but a cowardly bully. That dog is only tiny and a fraction of his size. It’s no wonder the neighbours had to step in to rescue her.”
The court heard Abbey had fed and walked Mishka regularly but routinely gave her severe beatings and on one occasion was seen holding the dog off the ground by dangling her from a lead around her neck.
A policeman and an RSPCA officer took Mishka into kennels after her rescue. There, a vet discovered she was suffering from “very extensive bruising and superficial lacerations with one area consistent with an injury from a braided strap or similar object”.
Prosecutor Claire Aldridge said even Abbey’s ex-girlfriend complained about his behaviour and produced a video on her iPhone in which he is heard shouting “bad dog Mishka, bad dog Mishka”.
Miss Aldridge added: “The defendant is an angry man who beats his dog and an incident caused several neighbours to attend his home.
“They acted out of concern for a puppy they felt was in need of rescuing. He inflicted repeated emotional and physical trauma. Even a healthy dog can be an abused dog.”
Abbey’s defence lawyer John Gallagher said his client had two prolapsed discs and could not have harmed the dog. He added: “My instructions are that he intends to appeal.”
But bench chairman Shelagh Mayer said: “The offence occurred over a prolonged period of time and we believe that the act was committed with intent and there was injury.’’
RSPCA officer Emma Timmis said: “We are very happy that he has been given a ban and thankfully Mishka is not going back to him.”
Sentencing: six-week custodial sentence suspended for two years. Ordered to pay £250 towards the £5,000 costs of the prosecution and Mishka’s kennel feels. Banned from keeping any animal for five years (expired March 2018).
Abbey was convicted of animal cruelty for a second time in connection with a kitten’s untreated fractures, which a vet said had been caused by ‘high energy blunt force trauma’
An investigation was launched into the welfare of kitten, called Missy, after a concerned member of the public reported Abbey to the RSPCA.
Abused kitten Missy
Abbey was visited by Inspector Jenny Bethel on January 2, 2020, who asked to see the four-month-old kitten.
Inspector Bethel could see the kitten was struggling to walk and offered to take her to the vet but Abbey refused. She advised Abbey that he must take her to a vet as soon as possible and that she would be checking if he had.
However, a few days later, on January 8, a neighbour found the injured kitten struggling outside Abbey’s property and took her to a nearby vet for treatment.
The vet was concerned about how the injuries to Missy were caused and called the RSPCA.
Inspector Andy Harris collected Missy from the vets and she was transferred to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for treatment where staff could see she was struggling to walk due to her injuries.
An X-ray revealed that Missy had a fractured left hip joint and two fractures of the left thigh bone. All showed various signs of bone remodelling.
A vet report stated the injuries were caused by ‘high energy blunt force trauma’ which would not have occurred in the home environment – and Abbey stated the kitten had not been outside his garden.
The vet added that injuries to the kitten were what he would expect to see in the case of a road traffic accident and said Missy would have suffered for at least 14 days as Abbey failed to get her veterinary treatment.
Missy was given pain relief but needed an urgent operation and the RSPCA returned to Abbey’s house to seek permission for this.
The hearing was told Abbey was in breach of a lifetime ban on keeping animals at the time of the offence, which was imposed in 2013 after he was convicted of another animal welfare offence.
Inspector Andy Harris said: “Missy’s leg was saved and she adapted to her disability.
“I am pleased to say that last week she was rehomed by the RSPCA Bury and Oldham district branch and is now enjoying life.”
During the interview, Abbey said he thought the kitten, which he said he found as a stray, dragged her leg because she was in-bred.
He said he intended to take the cat to the vet following the RSPCA visit but that Missy went missing before he could.
Abbey also said he thought he had been banned from keeping animals for five years [this is what was originally reported].
Abbey pleaded guilty to one animal welfare charge.
At the sentencing on November 5, 2020, Abbey was given a lifetime ban and also ordered to pay £500 costs, an £80 fine and £32 victim surcharge.
CONVICTED (2012) | Raymond Glyn Weedall, born 3 September 1950, of 97 Crook Lane, Winsford CW7 3DN – found guilty of charges relating to cockfighting and animal cruelty.
Weedall, a farrier*, was sentenced on May 18, 2012 for offences including mutilating cockerels and possessing sharpened metal spurs to attach to birds during fights.
The prosecution followed a joint RSPCA and police raid on Weedall’s home at 9am on June 8, 2011, when police seized more than £15,000 and found dozens of cockerels in Weedall’s care that had had their wattles cut off – a practice common in bird fights. They also seized cockfighting DVDs and metal spurs.
Weedall claimed the seized cash was accrued legitimately, and that he was only interested in exhibiting cockerels, but he was found guilty of ten offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Those were that on June 8 2011 at a property in Crook Lane, Winsford, he kept seven cockerels for use in animal fights, kept sets of metal spurs for use in animal fights, carried out a banned procedure on seven cockerels by removing their wattles, and failed to properly care for three polecat ferrets.
He was also found guilty that, on June 8 2011 at a smallholding in Dalesford Lane, Northwich, he failed to properly care for 59 cockerels, failed to provide suitable perching for18 cockerels, removed the wattles of 37 cockerels, and kept 37 cockerels for use in animal fights.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, he pleaded guilty to keeping a wild goldfinch. He was found not guilty of failing to meet the needs of a black lurcher-type dog.
The RSPCA spokesman added: “Cockfighting is a barbaric and outdated so-called sport. Birds can take up to an hour to die in a fight.
“We hope that anybody connected with cockfighting will see from this case that there are very serious repercussions.”
Sentencing | 20-week custodial sentence – suspended for two years; 150 hours of community service; six-month curfew; ordered to pay a total of £50,000. Banned from owning animals for life.
Source: Winsford Guardian (no longer available)
Update | February 2013
*Weedall was struck off by the disciplinary committee of the Farriers Registration Council after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct.
The finding was made on the grounds that Weedall had been convicted in May 2012 of various offences under the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Fire Arms Act 1968 following his prosecution by the British RSPCA.
On the direction of the committee, in the absence of an appeal, Weedall’s name was removed from the register of farriers on January 13, 2013.
This means Weedall can no longer legally carry out farriery or describe himself as a farrier, or any term which suggests he is one. For him to do so would be a criminal offence under the Act.
