CONVICTED (2022) | Kathleen Townley, born 12 March 1969, of Wellington House, Glebe Road, Downham Market PE38 9QN – failed to seek veterinary care for her injured cat.
Kathleen Townley was only convicted of failing to take her injured cat to the vet, but was initially charged with attempting to kill him.
Townley was charged alongside co-accused Mark Baylis of the same address, although he was cleared following a trial. Townley’s son Zach Townley, born 17 March 1999, of 14 Silver Green, Fairstead, King’s Lynn PE30 4SG, was charged with inflicting the injuries on the male tabby cat, Ozzy, but pleaded not guilty and the case against him was discontinued .
Townley with Mark Baylis, who was cleared of cruelty to Ozzy after a trial.
Townley pleaded guilty to failing to ensure Ozzy’s welfare. She pleaded not guilty to a second charge of attempting to kill the cat but this charge was also discontinued.
The court heard that RSPCA officers, acting on a tip-off about the cat, went to Townley and Baylis’s home on the morning of January 19, 2022.
Prosecutor Hugh Rowland said there were four other cats, two dogs and two corn snakes, all in apparent good condition.
After seeing Ozzy’s condition, the officers agreed with Townley that he would be signed over to the RSPCA.
Mr Rowland said: “When Inspector Kirby lifted Ozzy to place him in the cat basket, he tried to get away but couldn’t use his back legs properly.
“He was falling to one side and standing on his hocks and it was Inspector Kirby’s view that he needed to see a vet.”
The court heard that Ozzy’s apparent injury or disease was “readily observable”.
During Baylis’ trial, he admitted being jointly responsible for Ozzy but said he had denied the charge because his partner was the cat’s owner.
Baylis said he had noticed Ozzy limping “a day or two” before the RSPCA came and he intended to take him to the vet when he got paid that week.
Magistrates found Baylis not guilty, saying there was doubt over whether Ozzy needed urgent attention as the RSPCA had not examined him until the day after he was signed over to the charity.
During her sentencing hearing, Townley said she would have taken Ozzy to the vet’s but did not have enough money.
Her solicitor Ruth Johnson said: “I must stress that from the outset she has vehemently denied there was any mistreatment of the cat.”
The court heard that Townley had since rehomed all of her pets apart from two Chihuahuas.
Zach Townley was accused of inflicting the injuries on Ozzy but the RSPCA were unable to prove this.
Earlier in 2022 Zach Townley pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, which related to inflicting a blunt force trauma and physical violence to Ozzy between January 1 and January 20, 2022.
The RSPCA also discontinued that case this week after offering no evidence.
The court heard that Ozzy’s condition improved with anti-inflammatory medicine and he has since been rehomed.
Sentencing | Townley was fined £80 and ordered to pay £100 costs and £34 victim surcharge.
CONVICTED (2022) | East Essex Hunt terrier-man Paul O’Shea born c.1973, of Lower Jennies, Mount Bures, Bures CO8 5AP – stabbed a terrified fox with a garden fork.
Secret filming caught cruel Paul O’Shea using a dog to flush a fox from an artificial earth before attacking it with a garden fork
O’Shea admitted hunting a wild mammal with dogs and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The terrier-man was captured on camera alongside 16-year-old daughter Scarlett O’Shea in Great Monks Wood in Pattiswick, Essex, in December 2021. Secret filming by the North London Hunt Saboteurs showed O’Shea using a Patterdale terrier dog to flush a fox out of artificial earth and catching it in a net placed over the entrance. He subsequently attacked the fox with a garden fork by ‘stabbing it’ several times before kicking it.
Magistrate Paul Jee said there was a “deliberate” and “high level” of suffering.
“In the first instance, there was the use of a ‘hard terrier’ which was chasing and biting the fox underground, and still hanging on to it when it came out,” he said.
“We heard that the fox was picked up by his brush, which would have caused terror and suffering ,and we saw for ourselves repeated attempts to stab the fox with a fork. Whether it pierced the skin or not, we don’t know, the body was never found.”
Scarlett O’Shea, who was present throughout the harrowing incident, was also charged with hunting a wild animal with dogs, but the case against her was discontinued.
PC Jed Raven, of Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team said: “This was a particularly nasty incident. The fox was attacked by the dog until O’Shea grabbed the fox by its tail to pull it out of the net. He then attacked the poor fox with a large garden fork, stabbing it several times, before kicking it.
“Sadly, we don’t know exactly what happened to the fox as the film did not capture this. What is certain is that the fox would have been caused a great deal of physical pain and discomfort, as well as mental terror. This is simply not acceptable.
“The film footage of the incident was extremely distressing. We were determined to ensure O’Shea did not get away with his cruel acts so we immediately sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, which helped us to secure the charges against him.”
“O’Shea maliciously targeted a fox with his dog before violently stabbing it with a garden fork. The footage that was captured showed his cruel treatment of the fox, and this key evidence led to O’Shea’s guilty pleas. Cruelty to animals is unacceptable and we are working closely with specialist police rural engagement teams across the country to bring perpetrators to justice.”
CPS district prosecutor Sally Robinson said: “This was an abhorrent example of animal cruelty and hunting committed by a terrier-man in the East Essex Hunt. Mr O’Shea flushed a fox and then utilised a pitchfork to commit unnecessary suffering to it. The Crown Prosecution Service take all cases of animal cruelty and hunting offences seriously and where the Full Code Test is met, will take steps to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Sentencing | 18-week suspended prison term; 200 hours of community service; £233 total costs. Banned from keeping any dog for five years. O’Shea received no separate penalty for hunting a wild mammal with dogs – an offence under the Hunting Act 2004.
Paul O’Shea is employed as a project manager with the Orchard Group. The CEO of that firm, Simon Fordham, is reportedly an ex huntmaster himself.
Paul O’Shea with wife, Wendy
O’Shea is married to Wendy O’Shea, who is one of the Joint Masters of the East Essex Hunt
Paul O’Shea with children Charlie and Scarlett
In addition to 16-year-old Scarlett, the couple have an adult son named Charlie O’Shea, who like his father is a terrier man for the East Essex Hunt. He also operates an agricultural business named O’Shea Contractors
CONVICTED (2021) | puppy farmer/horse dealer Geoffrey John Bennett, born c. 1954, of Hurst Farm, Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Woking GU23 6EY – kept dozens of animals in squalor on his puppy farm; some found collapsed and dying in filthy conditions.
Geoffrey Bennett
Geoffrey Bennett, a dealer of low value horses and donkeys with strong links to the travelling community, was jailed for 19 weeks having pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to two horses and one goat, failing to meet the needs of 171 animals, and six offences of failing to properly dispose of animal by-products.
Bennett “accepted no responsibility nor expressed anything resembling remorse” in relation to the charges, Recorder Darren Reed told the court.
A total of 204 animals were discovered and tragically two starving horses and a collapsed goat had to be put down at the scene to prevent them from any more suffering.
The 201 others were taken for appropriate care, including 129 horses and donkeys, 59 dogs, three alpacas, five goats, four chickens and one duck.
Some of the sickest animals received immediate veterinary care while others were taken for treatment nearby, and those that were considered fit to travel by on-site vets were transferred to various charities and sanctuaries.
Bennett and partner Christine Kelly went on trial, accused of 24 counts, most of which were related to animal cruelty. The case against Kelly was later discontinued although she went on to be prosecuted for other animal welfare offences*.
RSPCA rescuers worked with Bransby Horses, Redwings, The Horse Trust, The Donkey Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare in “one of the biggest coordinated rescue missions the UK has ever seen”.
Rescuers discovered two starving ponies, suffering from cyathostominosis, in one pen and a goat collapsed in another. Sadly these animals couldn’t be saved.
Herds of ponies, many riddled with worms, were living out in fields with hazardous metal and broken fencing sticking up from the thick mud. Inside two barns were pens full with donkeys, goats, alpacas and ponies, many of them standing on top of 2ft to 3ft of months’ worth of waste and faeces.
Bennett failed to provide drinking water, parasitic treatment, adequate nutrition, dental care, hoof and nail trimming, veterinary treatment for infections, disease and lameness, clean and dry resting places and living space.
The charity also found dogs, some heavily pregnant, chained and tethered in a filthy yard, with others shut inside small cages or makeshift kennels.
During the raid, “bones and carcasses” were discovered wrapped in horse rugs on a muck heap including “one equine [carcass]”, prosecutor Hazel Stevens told the court.
Bone samples were collected for analysis and according to Ms Stevens, a goat leg was also found.
A video showing upsetting scenes of what the RSPCA discovered upon executing the warrant was played in court as Bennett watched on.
Twenty foals were born in charity care, two of which were stillborn, as well as six goat kids, one alpaca and nine puppies – but two died shortly after birth.
Defending, Michael Fullerton said Bennett was retired and had “no intention” of going back to farming.
He added: “In respect of the general condition of the farm, December 2018 and January 2019 were particularly wet.
“The areas with significantly muddy tracks, that was because tractor would go through to spread the hay for the horses. Muddy yes, but food was available for those in the field.”
Bennett was sentenced for causing unnecessary suffering to two horses and one goat, failing to meet the needs of 171 animals and six counts of failing to properly dispose of animal by-products.
Speaking about the case, RSPCA Special Operations Unit case officer Kirsty Withnall said: “The RSPCA and World Horse Welfare officers had received complaints about the farm and had been looking into these concerns and gathering evidence.
“This was a huge multi-agency rescue mission which was the culmination of weeks of planning and evidence gathering. In total, there were 100 staff from different agencies working on the case to help round up the animals.
“It took almost 12 hours on the day to assess all of the animals, load them into horse boxes and animal ambulances, and move them off-site; making it one of the biggest coordinated rescue missions the UK has ever seen.
“We had to have a plan in place that would allow us to remove a large number of animals on the day but we hoped that wouldn’t be necessary and had no idea what action would be taken until vets were able to assess all of the animals.”
She added: “The reason I do my job is because I care passionately about animals and I’ll be overjoyed when all of these animals are in loving homes being given the care, love and attention they deserve.”
PC Hollie Iribar from Surrey Police commented: “As a Rural and Wildlife Crime Officer for Surrey Police, I have witnessed some devastating acts of animal cruelty over the years.
“This was one of the most difficult cases I’ve seen, and I am grateful to the RSPCA and our other partner agencies for the hard work put in to bring this case to trial.
“I’m very glad that this heartbreaking case has seen a resolution in the courts, and that the animals involved were rescued and given a second chance at a happy and healthy life.”
A spokesperson from World Horse Welfare described the case as “challenging”, and added: “We are relieved that we were able to help remove so many horses from these conditions so they could have a better life and receive the care they deserve.”
Sentencing: jailed for 19 weeks and disqualified from keeping all animals for life.
Christine June Kelly was found guilty of 15 offences under the Animal Welfare Act after a trial over dates in June and August 2022.
Christine Kelly
Kelly was found guilty of failing to meet the needs of 131 equines by failing to provide a suitable environment, a water supply, adequate nutrition, routine dental or farrier care, or adequate parasitic treatment or control and treatment for prevention of illness and disease.
She was also convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a number of horses, dogs and goats.
She was handed a 26-week prison sentence – suspended for 18 months – as well as being disqualified from keeping all animals for life. A deprivation order – relating to 12 dogs and seven horses – was also issued, meaning the charities can now rehome them.
All other animals had previously been signed over for care by the charities or to be rehomed.
#MostEvil | Charlene Elaine Latham, born 22 March 1988, of Wild Wood B&B, 15 St Brannocks Road, Ilfracombe EX34 8EG – tried to drown a dog in a freezing river
Charlene Latham with Leigh Johnson
Charlene Latham pleaded guilty to attempting to drown elderly Belgian shepherd Bella in the the River Trent near Lincoln.
The dog’s lead was attached to a carrier bag tied to a large rock. She was rescued by passer-by Jane Harper after she was discovered struggling and submerged in the water near Long Lane in Farndon near Newark on January 6, 2020.
Elderly Bella was thrown into a freezing river to die
Latham, then of Newark, Nottinghamshire, was arrested by police alongside partner Leigh Craig Johnson, born 28 November 1987, previously of Worksop and now of 35 Yew Tree Road, Retford DN22 8AY. Johnson denied the charge and the case against him was discontinued.
The RSPCA were criticised for not pursuing the case against Leigh Johnson despite Latham naming him in her statement as the person that had thrown the dog into the river. The charity determined that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction against Johnson, so magistrates agreed to the withdrawal of the charge against him.
After being widely named on social media in the aftermath of the incident, Johnson and Latham were escorted from their Newark home by poli and into hiding in a Devon B&B, such was the public revulsion at what had happened to Bella.
The couple were jointly charged with the attempted drowning of Bella on January 6, 2020.
Harry Bowyer, prosecuting, said Bella was found by dog walkers at around 8.20am with her head on a concrete plinth with the rest of her body submerged in the freezing January waters. A portion of her lead was attached around her neck to an Aldi bag containing a rock weighing 34.7kg that had weighted her to the river bed.
A dog walker waded into the river to pull Bella out. At the vets, her temperature was too low for a thermometer to read.
She was also found to be underweight and had a matted coat.
Mr Bowyer said police attended Latham’s address and she opened the door, phone in hand, to say that she was just ringing the police as Bella was missing.
Latham’s daughter told police that her mother and mother’s partner had gone out the previous evening at 9.20pm with Bella, but she was unable to say whether the dog returned with them.
Latham was borrowing a friend’s car at the time and found in it was the remainder of the severed lead that had been used to weigh Bella down.
Mr Chignell, mitigating for Latham, said his client was five months pregnant at the time and could not have thrown Bella into the river herself.
Latham had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity on the basis of a failure to safeguard Bella’s welfare rather than any involvement in her attempted drowning. Mr Chignell described what happened to Bella at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court as an awful case and awful treatment of an animal and genuine unpleasant cruelty, but not cruelty by her.
“Her role was limited,” he said.
He said Johnson and Latham had driven to the river but Latham had no idea what Johnson intended to do and had begged him not to drown Bella.
“I am concerned to hear the RSPCA is not proceeding against the person she named in her statement,” he said
“The RSPCA, it appears now have decided that they are not going to try him as they are not obtaining the evidence to try him.
“The case was adjourned so he could have his trial.”
Of Johnson, he said: “He is someone who is aggressive and controlling in that relationship, she’s not.
“These are very different people with very different roles.
“As a result only one person is going to take the fall for this.
“The reality is the person convicted of this heinous offence is not here and that’s not her fault.”
Mr Chignell said his client accepted she should have got immediate help for Bella when she went back to the car or afterwards.
He argued his client had suffered greatly already as a result of the abuse she had suffered on social media and suggested a conditional discharge.
The 11-year-old dog has remained at the RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham since the incident as she has complex veterinary needs.
She has however been completely transformed from the dog who almost didn’t make it to the bouncy elderly girl she is now.
Ella Carpenter, manager at Radcliffe Animal Centre said after the case that they are now desperate to find Bella a loving new home.
The home would need to be in the vicinity of the Radcliffe Centre.
Ella said: “We are both proud and privileged to have cared for Bella over the past fourteen months.
“At times we thought she just wouldn’t make it, with her age and underlying health conditions all against her. But Bella has fought every day, showing enviable strength and courage, not wanting to give up her fight to recover.
“We hope that she will now be able to live out the rest of her life with the love and respect that she has always deserved and are looking for that special forever home for Bella.”
The incident prompted over 165,000 people to call for tougher sentences and justice for Bella.
Sentencing | 12-month community order; ordered to pay a total of £312. Disqualified from keeping dogs for three years (expires March 2024).
WALKED (2019) | alleged dog killer Klaudiusz Maria Grzesiak, born c. 1973, of Ballacannell Estate, Laxey, Isle of Man IM4 – walked free from court after the sole witness, his wife, refused to testify against him
Charges against Klaudiusz Grzesiak in relation to the brutal death of his family dog were dropped after his wife refused to give evidence against him
The case against Polish national Klaudiusz Maria Grzesiak, who was accused of strangling a cocker spaniel named Milka to death, collapsed after his wife, Marta Adamczewska-Grzesiak, withdrew her evidence.
IOM Today previously reported that the dog had been found dead in a children’s shed in the garden of the family’s home in Ballacannell, Laxey on Tuesday November 19, 2019. The court heard she was wrapped in clear plastic and a black bag.
A post mortem examination carried out on Milka confirmed the cause of death was strangulation to the front of the neck.
They were also injuries consistent with trauma to the dog’s back.
Mrs Grzesiak had advertised the dog as missing on Facebook before her body was discovered.
Prosecutor Roger Kane told the court during an initial hearing that Mrs Grzesiak had received text messages about the dog following a verbal altercation with her husband the previous day.
Grzesiak had denied causing unnecessary suffering to the dog and damaging property. But just days before a pre-trial review hearing on Christmas Eve 2019, his wife retracted a statement she’d made to police.
Prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon said by law she was prevented from compelling Mrs Grzesiak to give evidence against her husband.
She said under the circumstances, all the prosecution could do was offer no evidence on both counts.
Marta Adamczewska-Grzesiak
Mrs Hughes told Grzesiak no further action would be taken against him, and formally dismissed the charges.
She also said the prosecution wasn’t to blame for the trial’s collapse, and didn’t order defence costs to be paid.
CONVICTED (2019) | William Tatler, born c. 1973, of The Green, Idridgehay, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 2SJ, and Samuel Staniland, born c. 1987, of Hadleigh, Ipswich IP7 – for illegal fox hunting, with cubs being targeted.
Will Tatler (left) and Sam Staniland received pitiful fines after being filmed illegally hunting a fox
Joint master Will Tatler and huntsman Sam Staniland admitted hunting a wild mammal with dogs at Spath Covert, in Sutton-on-the-Hill, Derbyshire, on October 2, 2018.
The men were charged under the Hunting Act 2004, which says people who illegally hunt foxes can be fined but not sent to prison.
Sam Staniland has since left the hunt and moved from Sudbury to Hadleigh near Ipswich
It was the second time people from MSSH have been prosecuted for fox hunting. Two other men from the hunt – Johnny Greenall and Glen Morris – were caught illegally hunting fox cubs in 2011.
The case against four other associates of the hunt was dismissed.
Charges against assistant terrierman Sam Stanley were dropped
They were assistant terrier man Samuel Stanley, 25, of Burton Road, Needwood; terrier man Andrew Bull, 51, of Meynell Hunt Kennels, Ashbourne Road, Sudbury; whipper-in John ‘Ollie’ Finnegan, 33, of Gaddesby Lane, Kirby Bellars; and joint master Peter Southwell, 61, of Tolldish Lane, Great Haywood.
Terrierman Andy Bull also had the charges against him dropped
All six men had previously pleaded not guilty and were set to face trial, but Staniland and Tatler changed their plea to guilty before the trial.
The prosecution came after the League Against Cruel Sports filmed a fox being hunted and gave the footage to police.
League Against Cruel Sports investigator Roger Swaine captured the footage on 2 October 2018 at Spath Covert in Sutton-on-the-Hill, Derbyshire – the same area where two other men from the hunt were caught illegally hunting fox cubs in 2011.
Mr Swaine said they were “cub hunting”, which is when hounds are trained to hunt fox cubs.
“They were in the same place, it was the same hunt, doing exactly the same thing,” said Mr Swaine, who also filmed the previous footage.
He said he was “disappointed” by the fine.
“The problem is they are very well financed and they have a very good legal defence team,” he said.
“To receive just a fine for this barbaric activity shows the need to strengthen the Hunting Act, including the introduction of prison sentences,” he said.
Still from footage filmed by the League Against Cruel Sports showing a fox being illegally targeted by Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt associates
In a statement issued through the Countryside Alliance, the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt said the Hunting Act was “a difficult and troublesome piece of legislation”.
“It is complex and open to misinterpretation,” the statement said.
“The Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt regrets that in this case some individuals were unable to show that they had fulfilled all the conditions of the relevant exemption, as set out in Schedule 1 of the Act.
“The Hunt confirms that moving forward it will continue to operate within the law, utilising both artificial trails and the exemptions provided in the Act.”
Sentencing: fined £535 and ordered to pay £150 towards legal costs.
CONVICTED (2016) | serial wildlife persecutors Sam Louis Boylett, born 20 September 1982, of 127 Burtondale, Brookside, Telford TF3 1PP and Mark James Paddock, born c. 1970, of no fixed abode – failed to treat their dogs’ bite wounds. Animal fighting charges thrown out.
Sam Boylett (left) and Mark Paddock
Boylett and Paddock were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering in relation to several dogs seized in a joint raid by police and RSPCA.
Boylett was found guilty of five charges of cruelty to dogs Tess, Jack, Pinto, Arnie and another unknown dog.
Paddock was found guilty of one charge relating to a single dog.
Boylett with father Charlie Boylett. The elder had cruelty charges against him thrown out by the court.
The court had heard how the dogs kept at the home of Samuel Boylett and his father Charles Boylett, born 23 October 1945, of Cardington House, Arleston Manor Mews, Telford TF1 2HS, were encouraged to fight with wild animals, including badgers, but charges related to animal fighting were ultimately thrown out by the court.
All charges against Charlie Boylett, who was originally prosecuted alongside his son and hunting associate, were also thrown out.
During an earlier hearing RSPCA prosecutor Paul Taylor told the court that the seized dogs were found with injuries consistent with them “fighting mammals”.
A mobile phone belonging to Boylett and a laptop were also seized and revealed evidence of earlier involvement with animal fighting.
Mark Paddock
Mr Taylor said that the phone was used to send and receive text messages about dogs and to set up animal fights. Photos were found that proved the dog fights happened and that the defendants had been present. He said that, in one of the images, Samuel Boylett was holding a dog which had an injury to its mouth.
Mr Taylor said that text messages also showed he had tried to avoid taking an injured dog to the vets. He said the evidence suggested Boylett had been responsible for putting a dog down a hole to fight a wild mammal, such as a badger, underground. He said Boylett and Paddock had communicated with each other to set up dog fights.
Boylett is a father of four
Giving evidence, Constable Gerry Plant said he had found nine terrier and lurcher-type dogs – some injured – when he went to Boylett’s home on March 28, 2014 following intelligence received from the RSPCA, and the animals were seized.
The trial was shown pictures of the accused out hunting with their dogs.
These showed Paddock, with Boylett holding a firearm, and other men, digging with an animal tracker nearby, a small terrier dog covered in mud wearing a tracker and another dog being sent down a hole. It was not clear from the images when the firearm was discharged.
Video footage taken at Boylett’s address showed a number of dogs, some with injuries, and a treadmill with a dog lead attached and a tool box containing veterinary equipment.
Veterinary surgeon William Walker, who examined a number of the dogs, told the court he found a catalogue of injuries – and that he thought they had been suffering for “one week or more”.
William Walker was called in to examine the dogs at the home of Samuel Boylett and his father Charles Boylett in Burtondale, Brookside, Telford.
He told Telford magistrates he found a number of injuries to the mouth, face and feet of the dogs that were so serious the animals had to be sedated before he could treat them.
Mr Taylor asked Mr Walker about one dog specifically: “Was the animal suffering?”
“Yes,” the vet replied.
Mr Taylor said: “For approximately how long was that animal suffering?”
Mr Walker replied: “It was caused to suffer for a period of one week or more.”
The prosecutor asked him: “How could that suffering have been alleviated?”
“It would have been obvious to a reasonable owner that the animal required a vet,” the vet replied.
Another vet, Deborah Wragg, told the court how she carried out surgery on a dog after it had been seized by the RSPCA following animal welfare concerns. She said that some of the injuries around the dog’s face were fresh with additional injuries to its nose and lip.
Ms Sara-Lise Howe, for Boylett, suggested the animal had been attacked while in the RSPCA’s care.
Sam Boylett had all charges against him related to animal fighting thrown out
Despite the weight of evidence that the dogs had been forced to fight wild mammals, animal fighting charges were thrown out in January 2016 by District Judge Nigel Cadbury. He said it had not been proven that an animal had been placed with another animal for the purposes of fighting. He ruled there was “no case to answer” for the charges relating to animal fighting.
Sentencing the pair on the unnecessary suffering charges, District Judge Cadbury said: “You did not take these dogs to the vet because you were worried and concerned about the vet discovering how they had been caused and that would have led to reports to the police and or the RSPCA.”
Sentencing |
Boylett was sentenced to 24 weeks in jail and was told he could not have anything to do with dogs for 10 years (expires February 2026).
Paddock was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered not to have anything to do with dogs for five years (expired 2021).
PROSECUTED (2011) | Christy James Draper, born 14/11/1985, of 6 Dulas Road, Kirkby, Liverpool L32 8TL and Peter James Finnegan, born 06/05/1986, formerly of Mintor Road, Kirkby and as at November 2019 of 36 Browning Street, Bootle, Liverpool L20 4HH – caught on CCTV goading their dogs into ripping apart a tame feral cat; walked free after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no case
Cat killers Christy Draper of Kirkby and Peter Finnegan now of Bootle laughed as the prosecution case against them collapsed
Animal lover Alf White used to look after Tooch, a feral tabby which lived near his workplace in Kirkby for five years and was treated by staff as a pet.
But in January 2011 the tile showroom manager arrived at Knowsley Industrial Park to find the cat’s body on the ground.
After searching through CCTV footage covering the yard, the 54-year-old discovered shocking images showing Tooch being ripped apart by dogs before being kicked by a thug who was watching on.
Merseyside police later charged Christy Draper and Peter Finnegan with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
But at a trial which was due to begin on 2 November 2011, prosecutors offered no evidence and the case against the two men was dismissed by District Judge Ian Lomax
He said: “As always it is for the prosecution to prove you are guilty rather than for you to prove you are innocent.
“I do not know what the flaws in the prosecution’s case are but clearly they were spotted and it was decided no evidence is to be offered.
“The case against you is dismissed.”
The two men, wearing tracksuit bottoms and T-shirts, raced from the dock laughing, with one shouting: “You have wasted everyone’s time.”
Mr White, who was waiting to give evidence in the trial, told the ECHO: “I am absolutely fuming. I am shaking with rage. I cannot get my head straight.
“The man from the Crown Prosecution Service told me although they had the CCTV, it was not of the front of the building, only the side, so they could not prove our Tooch was alive when the dogs got hold of her.
“Would you be alive after four dogs got hold of you? I told him she was alive 29 minutes before the attack because I visited her to bring her a blanket and say goodnight.
“But he said that was not in the evidence.”
Mr White, who paid £360 for a vet to fix Tooch’s teeth, said: “You can see another cat, Sylvie, on the video.
“She was lucky to survive.
“She has been moved now to Liverpool Cat Sanctuary so at least now she will be safe.”
The ECHO asked the CPS why the trial collapsed and why it took until the trial date to decide it had no evidence but it failed to respond.
