Tag Archives: Doncaster

Doncaster Hare Coursing Gang: Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh, Jay Poole, Jake Reidy

CONVICTED (2024) | Eugene Meenaghan, born 10 February 2001, of 43 Crabgate Lane, Skellow, Doncaster DN6 8LE, Joseph Murtagh, born December 2001, from Woodlands, Doncaster, Jay Poole born 2 April 2004, of 3 The Circuit, Woodlands, Doncaster DN6 7TE, and Jake Reidy, born 23 May 2005, of 58 Princess Avenue, Stainforth, Doncaster DN7 5QY – for the possession of hare coursing equipment and destroying a farmer’s field.

CPS prosecution of Doncaster hare coursing gang members Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh,  Jay Poole and Jake Reidy.

The four men, who are all prolific wildlife persecutors, travelled from Doncaster to the hamlet of Apley, near Wragby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in the early hours of 1 October 2023. They then drove through a farmer’s field, damaging the land and destroying crops, before attempting to leave the area.

Eugene Meenaghan

The crime was reported to Lincolnshire Police and patrolling officers from Spec Ops quickly identified the vehicle and stopped the group near Burton Waters.

CPS prosecution of Doncaster hare coursing gang members Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh,  Jay Poole and Jake Reidy.

Officers found longdogs and equipment such as lamps – used in lamping to stun wild animals before dogs are set loose.

They were arrested and subsequently videos of animal fights were found on their phones.

CPS prosecution of Doncaster hare coursing gang members Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh,  Jay Poole and Jake Reidy.
Jake Reidy

All four men were charged with being equipped to hare course, breach of section nine of the animal welfare act and criminal damage. They pleaded guilty to these charges.

CPS prosecution of Doncaster hare coursing gang members Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh,  Jay Poole and Jake Reidy.
Jay Poole with father Craig Poole

On Thursday 25 April 2024 officials at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court told the group to pay out a combined total of £19,791.72 in costs and compensation.

Eugene Meenaghan will pay £5,262,93.
Joseph Murtagh will pay £4,842.93.
Jay Poole will pay £4,842.93.
Jake Reidy will pay £4,842.93.

Magistrates described the crimes as ‘cruel and despicable’ and said the events of that night had ‘caused great distress’.

CPS prosecution of Doncaster hare coursing gang members Eugene Meenaghan, Joe Murtagh,  Jay Poole and Jake Reidy.
Joe Murtagh

This result comes after a lengthy police investigation and PC Karen Irving, who works for the rural crime action team, insists this behaviour won’t be tolerated.

She said: “We are determined to make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit. This result shows we will use all avenues available to us to bring people to justice and protect our communities and wildlife.

Sentencing | costs and compensation; 10-year criminal behaviour order not to enter Lincolnshire with longdogs; 100 hours of community service. Forfeiture of mobile phones and lamping equipment. Disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years..

Lincs Police
Lincolnshire World

Doncaster, South Yorkshire: Andrew Durkin

CONVICTED (2024) | Andrew Durkin, born c. 1992, of 4 Farndale Road, Scawsby, Doncaster DN5 8SH – left two starving dogs in a “cruel and nasty state”.

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Andrew Durkin received an indefinite ban on keeping all animals

Father-of-one Andrew Durkin pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to his two dogs: a black crossbreed called Bruno and an Akita cross named Cody.

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Bruno was in an emaciated condition after being left to starve for months by twisted dad Andrew Durkin

The RSPCA began investigating Durkin in October 2020 after receiving a tip-off that two skinny dogs were being kept at his then address in New Street, Doncaster.

After Durkin failed to make contact with them, the animal charity enlisted the help of the police to enter and search the property.

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Cody, who’d been locked in a barren cage with no food or water, was also very thin

Inspectors found both dogs in the kitchen, where the floor was littered with old pizza boxes, and the counters covered in mouldy food and rubbish.

Inspector Kim Greaves said: “A police officer opened the door to the kitchen and it was then that I first saw Bruno, a black crossbreed, male dog around six years old.

“Bruno was loose in the kitchen, and there was no bedding or water for him,” she said.

“Bruno was very friendly, eager and wagging his tail to greet us, but he was wobbly on his legs, and I could clearly see every rib. His spine and hip bones were all sticking up clearly from his fur which was oily with dry skin flakes all over his coat.”

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Durkin with Bruno in 2017 photo

Tan and white Akita cross Cody was being kept in a dog crate at the rear of the kitchen. This had no base and only bare wires to stand on. There was no food or water inside the crate. Durkin later explained that Cody was kept in a crate because he was destructive. He too was found to be very underweight.

A vet report read to the court stated that the dogs were believed to have been starved for an extended period – possibly several months.

The report continued: “Any reasonable owner looking at these dogs must have noticed the advanced weight loss and either sought veterinary attention or increased their nutrition.

“The owner’s failure to act has undoubtedly caused a great deal of suffering in this case,

“Dogs experiencing food deprivation are likely to experience this in a similar way to people who suffer with extreme hunger, shakes, anxiety, distress and weakness and lethargy.”

RSPCA prosecution of animal abuser Andrew Durkin from Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Cody and Bruno were nursed back to health and adopted

Sentencing Durkin a magistrate said it was horrifying that he had put animals “into such a cruel and nasty state”.

Durkin was unrepresented and did not offer any mitigation, although the court heard that he had no previous convictions and was “of good character”. He had agreed to sign over both dogs to the RSPCA.

Cody and Bruno were rehabilitated by the RSPCA and are in loving homes.

Sentencing | 200 hours of unpaid work; £500 court costs. Indefinite ban on keeping all animals which he can’t appeal for at least 10 years.

National World
Doncaster Free Press

Epworth, Lincolnshire / Ferryhill, County Durham: John Lindop and Lucy Melrose

CONVICTED (2024) | John Cameron Lindop, born 20 March 2000, of 7 Albion Hill, Epworth, Doncaster DN9 1HU* but with family links to Gainsborough, and Lucy Elizabeth Melrose, born 20 June 2000, of Hawthorne Road, Ferryhill DL17 9DP but originally from Gateshead – killed and burned a puppy and abused other animals in a campaign of horrific cruelty.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
John Lindop and Lucy Melrose were convicted of a litany of cruelty offences against numerous animals including three dogs, one of whom was sadistically killed by one or both defendants, a chicken and a Shetland pony

John Lindop and Lucy Melrose committed a series of sickening offences against defenceless animals. These included killing a puppy and burning the remains, beating a second dog, riding a small lame pony, and setting a dog on a chicken while filming the carnage.

At the time the pair lived together in a flat in Fifth Street, Horden, County Durham.

It was said in court that the pair were in a tempestuous relationship and took out their frustrations on their pets.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
Lurcher Max, who was described as subdued and withdrawn, had suffered injuries to his abdomen. He required treatment by the PDSA for muscular damage and other injuries

They appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday 16 February 2024 and were given suspended prison sentences.

The crimes came to light following an RSPCA investigation led by Inspector Clare Wilson, which spanned two years and involved multiple animals.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

The charity was first alerted to the couple in February 2022 when a member of the public contacted the RSPCA after bringing Max, a lurcher they had recently rehomed, into the PDSA Gateshead with injuries to his abdomen, and blood in his urine.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Inspector Clare Wilson said: “Max was very subdued and withdrawn, he was hanging his head and was attached to drips when I first saw him.

“I immediately noticed that his muzzle was very swollen as was his right side near his shoulder. There was blood visible in the white of his right eye too. I was told that he had been weeing blood.

“There was bruising visible on his abdomen and sheath and there were blood marks on his legs and I saw old scars on his rear legs near his feet. His nails were not scuffed as we would expect if he had been hit by a car so the vet told me that they thought he had been beaten or kicked.”

The member of the public who brought the dog into the vets had rehomed him from Melrose and Lindop the day before and she had brought the lurcher to the vets as soon as she realised he was injured.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
Tally had inflammation of an ear which should have been treated by a vet

A vet report found Max had suffered blunt force trauma injuries, brought on by physical abuse.

The report said: “Max was bleeding from both nostrils which were dripping blood. He had soft tissue swelling around his left eye and bruising on his neck. He also had visible bruising and swelling on both sides of his ribs and thighs and heavy bruising on his abdomen. The injuries suffered by Max are consistent with low energy impacts, such as kicking, being hit by fists, or thrown from a few metres down or falling down the stairs.

“Out of each of these scenarios it is my opinion that being kicked is most likely due to the placement of all his injuries. In my opinion, he has been hit or kicked to the muzzle and kicked repeatedly – possibly multiple times to his abdomen as bruising and injuries were more extensive there.”

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

When interviewed, Melrose claimed that Lindop had, “kicked him like a football and stamped on his head.”

It was later revealed that during the investigation, the couple had hid other dogs from the RSPCA, including a lurcher called Bambi and a German Shepherd dog called Tally.

Melrose later showed these dogs to the RSPCA’s investigating officer. Tally was underweight and her right ear was crooked and inflamed with a severe ear infection.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Durham Crown Court heard how the vet found Tally suffered due to the ear condition which would have caused irritation and pain for at least 10 days or longer.

A report stated that the person responsible for Tally had failed to seek veterinary advice for her ear condition and therefore had failed in protecting her from pain and suffering.

During the investigation, Melrose’s phone was seized and found to contain shocking videos depicting more animal welfare offences. This included Bambi, a fawn coloured lurcher, being baited and set on a chicken. Lindop claimed Melrose was responsible for this but “accepted he found it funny at the time, but did not know if the chicken had died as he had gone to the chip shop”.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
A video on Melrose’s phone showed her riding a lame Shetland pony called Dinky, who was much too small for her

A series of other videos on her phone showed Melrose riding a Shetland pony called Dinky who was struggling under the weight of carrying her and was clearly lame in one leg.

Analysis of the videos by a vet revealed: “The female was far too large for both the saddle and the pony and as a result her body overhangs the back and sides of the saddle. The female is carrying a whip in her right hand and trying to force the pony to trot forwards.”

The 16-second video showed her hitting the pony with a stick 10 times.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

The pony tries to avoid having to move forward and only moves forward at a trot once she has been repeatedly smacked with the whip and this is due to the fear and pain of being hit. The mouth of the pony is often open due to her discomfort and the pony is visibly lame on the right forelimb.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Text messages between Lindop and his mother were also discovered in which Lindop asks “If a dog’s been hit and nearly dead am I not in the right to finish it off so it’s not in pain or does that mean I killed it?”.

With the reply: “She killed it, you put it out its misery but you would both get done as should have been done by a vet humanely.”

Lindop then replied to his mother: “Won’t find it now like coz burnt it (sic).”

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
The burned remains of Welsh herder puppy Hades were found on scrubland near a railway line in Horden, County Durham
RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

The charred remains of Hades, a 12 week old Welsh Herder puppy, were also found close to a railway line in an area of scrubland in Hordon, Peterlee, where there were burnt patches on the ground and fragments of Hades’ bones were discovered by the RSPCA.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Lindop claimed in graphic detail that Melrose had killed him whilst Melrose told investigators that Lindop had “hung him from a door until he was brain dead.”

The prosecution said they were unable to say who killed Hades but the method of his death was “sadistic” and involved him being hung from a door and killed with a hammer.

Lindop, whom it was said in court is living with his family in Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Melrose admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, plus one of causing an animal fight to take place by baiting a chicken with a dog.

In mitigation, the court heard how the pair had challenging backgrounds and it was felt that rehabilitation is possible, given their young age.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Philip Morley, for Lindop, said he was, “not a sophisticated man”, having had “limited education” and is thought to suffer with an undiagnosed learning difficulty.

He said despite that, he has held down a variety of jobs and, “largely kept out of trouble”.

Mr Morley said at one stage Lindop formed a relationship with Melrose which he described as “toxic” and for which there is, now, no prospect of any reconciliation.

“It was clearly an unhealthy relationship for either party and not a good environment for those animals to be kept in.

“He’s deeply sorry and ashamed for what happened.

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

“The relationship got on top of him and he clearly took his eye off the ball.

“Both have now moved on and he has a new life in Gainsborough, working with his step-father in roofing and window cleaning.”

Mr Morley said, ironically, Lindop has a background of looking after animals and won a number of rosettes for training dogs in his younger days,

But he added that his client does not accept responsibility for the death of Hades, for which he has shown “genuine upset and remorse.”

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.
Aspiring Only Fans skank Melrose shows off her tacky tattoos

Katie Spence, for Melrose, said her previous employment involved working with animals, but the entire experience of what went on during her relationship with Lindop has put her off any future involvement, regardless of the punishment and bars put on her by the court.

“She is extremely remorseful for any behaviour and wishes she had dome more than she did in these circumstances (to prevent it).”

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Judge Peter Armstrong also mentioned mental health issues and commented that Lindop was now in a secure relationship with a baby on the way.

He said due to their age, their immaturity, and lack of previous offences, he was “just” able to suspend the inevitable prison sentences on both defendants.

He said, given the volatile relationship the pair were involved in, “I suspect you were taking out your frustrations on these animals in your welfare.”

He said he would not try to pinpoint who was primarily responsible for, “this catalogue of most unpleasant offending.”

RSPCA prosecution of sadistic serial animal abusers John Lindop and Lucy Melrose.

Speaking about the case, RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson, said: “This has been the most challenging case of my career so far and has been extremely distressing to investigate. It is clear that many animals suffered untold pain and mental torture at the hands of these defendants and I am immensely relieved that they will not be permitted to care for animals again for a long time.”

The RSPCA said Dinky was owned by a third party and is doing better now after recovering from her mistreatment. The dogs were brought into the care of RSPCA Felledge Animal Centre in Chester-le-Street where they have now been rehomed.

Sentencing | each were given 16-month prison sentences, suspended for two years. Both will undergo 40 days of rehabilitation and Lindop was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Both were disqualified from keeping all animals for 15 years.

ChronicleLive
Northern Echo


*alternative address for John Lindop is Thurlby Road, Gainsborough.

Stainforth, South Yorkshire: Nicolas Henson

CONVICTED (2023) | Nicolas ‘Nicky’ Henson, born 30 July 1982 , of Coronation Road, Stainforth, Doncaster DN7 – relaxed in a hot tub, while his two bulldogs lived in squalor in faeces filled crates.

Animal abuser Nicky Henson from Stainforth, City of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Picture: Facebook
Heartless Nicky Henson frolicked in a hot tub with a woman while ignoring the suffering of his two dogs.

In a statement read to court, RSPCA inspector Kim Greaves said the two dogs – named Norris and Milly – were living in crates which measured 2ft x 2ft.

She said: “Norris looked underweight, I could easily see his spine and ribs. He had no water or food, nor did he have a comfortable resting area. In fact the odour of ammonia was overpowering as I bent down to look at him.”

Heartless Doncaster man Nicky Henson frolicked in a hot tub with a woman while ignoring the suffering of his three pet dogs.

Inspector Greaves added: “Milly’s enclosure was difficult to see into as it was quite dark despite being 10.30am. The reason for this, I believe, was the large amount of stuff piled high in front of it, so much so you could only open the door just wide enough as her body.

“The enclosure was horrific inside, there were three receptacles. Two of them were dishes that were empty and the third was a saucepan with dry food in it, with a pile of faeces on top. There was also a large amount of trodden in faeces throughout the small area.”

Heartless Doncaster man Nicky Henson frolicked in a hot tub with a woman while ignoring the suffering of his three pet dogs.

Both dogs had sore skin around the folds on their faces and Milly had a tumour on one of her rear legs.

There was also a cat at the property, named Twinkles, whose microchip showed that she was owned by Henson.

Inspector Greaves noticed that Twinkles was underweight and could feel her ribs when stroking her. She also had a flea infestation.

Heartless Doncaster man Nicky Henson frolicked in a hot tub with a woman while ignoring the suffering of his three pet dogs.

The court heard that Norris and Milly were examined by a vet, who found that they were underweight with skin conditions and that Milly required surgery to remove the tumour on her leg.

A flea-infested cat named Twinkles was also found at the Doncaster home of cruel Nicky Henson
A flea-infested and malnourished cat named Twinkles was also found at Henson’s home

In sentencing, the district judge said to Henson: “At 8.30pm on the 18 September 2023, you were sitting in a hot tub with a female, no doubt enjoying the relaxing feeling of the warm water whilst two dogs around you were kept in the most squalid possible environment.

“Any decent owner would have been cleaning the two cages. However, you are selfish and it is not clear whether this is a case of long-term suffering or short term neglect.

“However, you put yourself first. Any decent owner would have cleaned the animals, not got into a hot tub.”

Norris, Milly and Twinkles are in RSPCA care and have all made good recoveries.

Sentencing | four-month custodial sentence for each offence suspended for 12 months; 12-month community order; costs of £660. Banned from owning animals for ten years (expires December 2033).

Doncaster Free Press
Need to Know

St Austell, Cornwall: Bradlea Clay

CONVICTED (2023) | Bradlea Ann Clay, born c. 1996, previously of Landrew Road, St Austell PL25 3UQ, but now thought to be in Tickhill, Doncaster, South Yorkshire – punched and kicked a poor pony that was struggling under the weight of her daughter and left two poorly rabbits starving in their own filth.

Animal abuser and hoarder Bradlea Clay from St Austell, Cornwall, but believed to now be in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Mother-of-three Clay pleaded guilty to three animal welfare charges.

The court heard how Clay’s next door neighbour could see from her bathroom window into a field outside. One day she heard a lot of shouting and looked out to see Clay’s daughter on a pony.

Animal abuser and hoarder Bradlea Clay from St Austell, Cornwall, but believed to now be in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Clay was shouting at her daughter and the pony before she punched the pony several times and aggressively grabbed the reins. The pony didn’t want the child on his back and was ducking his head. Clay then walked over and kicked at the pony before punching him on his jaw.

Animal abuser and hoarder Bradlea Clay from St Austell, Cornwall, but believed to now be in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

The RSPCA was contacted and attended and when inspectors arrived they found two severely underweight rabbits. They were on wet hay and one of the rabbits had a parasitic condition which would have been easily treated.

The rabbits had to be euthanised and the cause of death was poor diet and environmental conditions.

Animal abuser and hoarder Bradlea Clay from St Austell, Cornwall, but believed to now be in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Sentencing Clay, Judge Simon Carr said: “Those who choose to take on the responsibility for animals take on an enormous task. They are responsible for making sure they are safe, well fed and properly treated. You failed in all of these tasks.

“To hit an animal is unforgivable and shows poor character.”

Judge Carr said the rabbits had “just been ignored”, adding: “If you can’t look after animals you take them to a sanctuary, not leave them to die which is what you did.”

It was reported that the pony is “under different care”.

Sentencing | four-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Five-year order banning her from taking on new animals. She is allowed to keep her pet bulldog due to his age as well as mice and fish.

CornwallLive


Additional Information

We understood that Bradlea Clay’s conviction in relation to rabbits and a pony are, according to one local, “the tip of the iceberg.” In a Facebook comment, they wrote that Clay “owned sheep, cattle, ponies, rabbits, ferrets, chickens, ducks, geese, quail, guinea pigs dogs and cats. With little income and definitely no knowledge of animal husbandry whatsoever, these creatures died/escaped, starved one by one.”

Animal abuser and hoarder Bradlea Clay from St Austell, Cornwall, but believed to now be in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Another wrote: “She kept her horses nearby from where I lived. She left them for days without checking on them. They had no food and water. She still has cattle which are not looked after and are left for days with no food. She claims she’s knows about farming but she hasn’t got a clue. She should never have animals again.”

Conisbrough, City of Doncaster: Gema Lang

CONVICTED (2023) | Gema Louise Lang, born 2 October 1982, of Windmill Avenue, Conisbrough, Doncaster DN12 2DR – for cruelty to a dog in a state of severe neglect.

Animal abuser Gema Louise Lang from Conisbrough, Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Picture: Facebook

Lang failed to provide the unnamed dog with timely and appropriate veterinary care for a severe skin condition, hair, loss, ear infection and/or ingrown claw.

Sentencing | fined £180 and ordered to pay £400 costs Three year ban applicable to all animals (expires August 2026).

Doncaster Free Press

Doncaster, South Yorkshire: David Farrow

CONVICTED (2022) | David Farrow, born c. 1951, of Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 – tortured squirrels by trapping and drowning them.

Farrow pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a squirrel under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. He also admitted using a Fenn trap in circumstances for which it was not approved for.

He was reported to the RSPCA by several people for trapping and drowning grey squirrels at his former home at Ranworth Close in Cusworth, Doncaster.

He said he’d used Fenn traps to catch the squirrels because they were pests, even though he was told the manner in which he was trapping them was unlawful.

RSPCA inspector Tamsin Drysdale visited Farrow’s bungalow on June 27, 2021 where the defendant showed her a humane trap he had set up in a lean-to.

Farrow explained he took the ensnared squirrels and drowned them in a water butt.

Inspector Dysdale said in a written statement presented to the court that she explained to Farrow that although his trap was legal, the drowning of squirrels was an offence.

He said he wasn’t aware of this and that he would now dispatch them with an air rifle,” said the inspector.

“He then said that he would get his nephew to kill them with a shotgun. I got the impression that he was not taking the situation seriously.”

Two weeks later the inspector paid another visit to Farrow’s bungalow with a police officer when he told them he was still trapping squirrels, but not drowning them.

He was told to stop his actions, but when RSPCA inspectors paid a further visit on October 15, 2021, a critically-injured squirrel was found dangling in a Fenn trap. The animal was put to sleep by one of the inspectors to end his suffering.

“The squirrel was hanging by its front leg from the trap, which was suspended with rope from the roof of the lean-to. The squirrel was alive, screaming and clearly in pain and distress,” said inspector Drysdale.

An expert report presented to the court by a veterinary surgeon said one of the squirrel’s front legs had been crushed by the trap and he would have been in “considerable pain”.

Fenn traps should be set in an artificial or natural tunnel and a person is guilty of an offence under the Pest Acts 1954 if they do not do so.

In mitigation, the court was told Farrow checked the traps twice daily and it was said had he known the animal was there he would have despatched it much earlier. He claimed he was unaware of the trap requirements and was trying to control the local squirrel population because they caused problems in his loft.

Magistrates fined Farrow £160 and told him his actions were incompetent, but were not those of “someone looking to deliberately ill-treat the animals”.

They said as he was now living in a bedsit without access to outdoor space he was unlikely to have an opportunity to continue this type of behaviour.

Farrow was also told to pay a £34 victim surcharge and £100 court costs.

Doncaster Free Press
Mirror

Thorne, South Yorkshire: Karla Sheldon

CONVICTED (2022) | Karla Sheldon aka Karla Dancer, born c. 1996, of Maple Road, Thorne, Doncaster DN8 4FA – caused unnecessary suffering to a cat.

Karla Sheldon. Picture: Facebook.
Karla Sheldon. Picture: Facebook.

Sheldon was given a community order of a curfew with electronic monitoring between 7pm and 7am until May 15, 2022. She was ordered to pay £95 costs.

No further details of the case – or the condition of the innocent victim – have been published online.

Doncaster Free Press

Hatfield, South Yorkshire: William Brazil

CONVICTED (2022) | William Brazil, born c. 1951, of Whitegates Caravan Site, Station Road, Dunscroft, Hatfield, Doncaster DN7 4EG – for cruelty to a Shetland pony found with a maggot-infested wound on his neck.

Shetland pony Alfie is pictured following his recovery.
Alfie was nursed back to health.

William Brazil, a traveller, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the pony, named Alfie.

RSPCA Inspector Tamsin Drysdale said: “I visited the site to check on Alfie after South Yorkshire Police reported their concerns to us about the poor little pony in the spring of last year.

“When I approached Alfie, I noticed a vile, strong smell coming from around his neck area where the tether and head collar were situated.

“I moved his thick black mane and immediately saw that the head collar and tether were embedded in Alfie’s skin quite deeply.

“I also saw maggots moving around within the wounds. The embedding was so deep I couldn’t remove the tether and I knew he needed veterinary treatment urgently. Mr Brazil agreed to sign Alfie over to us, so I was then able to arrange help for the suffering pony.”

Within the hour, a local equine vet had arrived to examine Alfie.

They found that a nylon rope tied round his neck had penetrated 5cm down into the skin, which had then grown around the rope.

This had resulted in a wound with a discharge and around his neck the vet found many flies in all stages of development – from maggots – which feed on the skin of a host – through to adult insects.

This indicated that the wound had been there – untreated – for at least two weeks.

In addition, blood tests results suggested chronic inflammation. They reported that the pony would require long term antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory treatment to assure his survival, otherwise the chronic and untreated infection could evolve into life-threatening sepsis.

After the case had concluded, Inspector Drysdale said: “This was a really upsetting case. For his neck to have got in such a terrible state, poor Alfie’s wound must have been ignored and gone untreated for at least two weeks.

“If someone is struggling to look after an animal, we really urge them to contact an expert organisation for help as soon as possible. As this case demonstrates, leaving the animal to suffer unnecessarily simply will not be tolerated”

After intensive ongoing treatment, Alfie has now fully recovered from his neck injury and is living in his forever home after being adopted earlier this year.

Sentencing | 135 hours of unpaid work; £595 costs and surcharge. Ten-year ban on keeping equines.

Doncaster Free Press
Everything Horse

Doncaster, South Yorkshire: Pauline Wilson

CONVICTED (2022) | Pauline Wilson, born 3 July 1976, of 19 Woodcross Avenue, Cantley, Doncaster DN4 6RU – kept two emaciated dogs in dog crates; neglected a third dog.

Two of Wilson’s dogs – a 12-year-old lurcher called Angel and an eight-year-old Akita named Roxy – were found in a poor condition living in dog crates in the kitchen at her home.

They were so underweight their ribs, skull and pelvic bones were visible.

Pauline Wilson left her dogs to get so thin their bones could be seen.

A third dog, a Jack Russell terrier called Dave, was also not being looked after properly and, while not in as bad a condition, his ribs were visible.

The court heard that after a complaint from a member of the public, RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Liz Braidley visited Wilson’s home on September 2, 2021, but she was not allowed to see the animals.

In a statement the ARO said: “Mrs Wilson was quite frustrated I was there advising she was ‘sick of being reported’.

“I asked if I could see the animals, she said no.

“I asked why, and she admitted that Angel was very underweight and she thought she needed putting to sleep and that she would arrange to take her.

“She told me she believed this was because she was pining after another dog she had that had died around a year ago.”

The animal rescue officer stated she discovered the condition of the dogs when she returned to the property the next day (September 3) and that she took them away for a veterinary examination.

Angel weighed just 14.3kg and had a weeping cut to her cheek and her claws were overgrown.

Roxy weighed 17.3kg and was also suffering from overgrown claws and a chronic eye condition.

In her statement she said she’d asked the defendant if she could take the Jack Russell, but “she refused stating ‘you won’t bring him back’ and that he was only that weight because he is always humping the Akita and she would arrange to take him to her own vet.”

RSPCA Inspector Kim Greaves attended at the Sheffield-based veterinary practice and she said of Angel in her statement: “This dog had every bone visible, she was able to walk around unaided but appeared quite weak.”

Of Roxy, the inspector stated: “She had a thick coat of hair covering her, unlike Angel. However, you could quite easily see she was also thin and her ribs were showing.”

Inspector Greaves said she removed the Jack Russell from Wilson’s home on the vet’s advice.

The vet’s report stated all three dogs were “markedly underweight” and that the conditions of Angel and Roxy met the criteria of emaciation. It stated that all three pets significantly increased their bodyweight and body condition scores after a month under RSPCA care.

“Such findings show that the suffering all three dogs experienced through malnutrition was avoidable and unnecessary if their keeper had provided their basic need of a nutritious diet to maintain healthy body weights,” stated the vet, in his report.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Phil Brown, highlighted the discrepancies between the defendant’s account of how she thought Angel should be put to sleep because she could not keep weight to how Angel and the other dogs had gained weight substantially when they were taken out of her care.

Hannah Edison,who was mitigating for Wilson, said that the defendant had endured a difficult period in her life.

Her home was hit by flooding and a close relative was also having health concerns

Wilson pleaded guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to three dogs, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on or before September 3, 2021.

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Greaves said: “This was a horrific case as the dogs were in a really bad condition. The owner had a total disregard for them.

“She could have asked for our help and advice, but she was blase as to why the dogs were so thin. Within a short period of time with the RSPCA they returned to their normal weights.

“Now all the dogs have been rehomed successfully and are doing really well. Angel and Roxy have stayed together and Dave has a new home of his own.

“This prosecution followed a member of the public reporting a concern and it is always worth letting the RSPCA know if you do see an underweight dog.”

The court also made a seizure order on three cats that were found living at Wilson’s property and they are to be rehomed.

Sentencing | 12-week prison sentence, suspended for two years; 20 rehabilitation activity days; a total of £556 in costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping all animals for life.

Doncaster Free Press
The Star