CONVICTED (2024) | Aled Wyn Roberts, born 6 May 1991, most recently of High Street, Tywyn, but originally from Pwlhelli, Caernarfonshire – beat a puppy before choking him to death after the ‘novelty’ of owning a dog wore off.
Roberts admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a black collie called Twm by inflicting blunt force trauma and violence including strangulation.
Prosecuting counsel Gareth Bellis said Roberts was described by a friend as having a history of failing to care properly for animals. He would leave them in cages and forget about them at his dirty and grubby flat. Roberts didn’t know a hamster was dead in a cage.
He had also allegedly smacked his cats.
Details of Aled Roberts’ horrific cruelty towards a defenceless puppy were shared across social media with one animal lover starting a petition to demand justiceSome disturbing allegations were made about both Roberts himself as well as his mother
Mr Bellis said, during a video call with a woman in April 2023, Roberts had complained about the behaviour of his five-month-old border collie.
“The dog was crying in its crate,” the prosecutor said.
The defendant appeared to hit the dog forcefully with his hand. He’d also been witnessed kicking and punching the dog.
The same morning the friend had received another call and grinning Roberts said the dog was dead.
Twm’s body was taken to a vet where Roberts told a receptionist he didn’t know how the pet had died.
Roberts had previously attempted to choke a cat with a headphone lead and screamed at a budgie and refused to feed it, the court heard.
Jailing him for 18 months Judge Timothy Petts at Caernarfon crown court banned him for life from owning any animal.
The judge told Roberts that after acquiring the puppy “you clearly had no idea how to look after him properly. The novelty had worn off.
“You went from neglect to being cruel and violent towards him,” Judge Petts added.
Eventually Twm had been strangled with a chain.
“The suffering he sustained must have been considerable,” the judge said. A post-mortem examination showed internal injuries to the “defenceless” puppy including fractured ribs.
Roberts’ lawyer said his client’s “mental health problems” had led to the sad situation and had urged the judge to consider a suspended sentence.
CONVICTED (2022) | Daniel Gilmore, born c. 1971, of 106 Pensyflog, Porthmadog LL49 9LB – goaded his dog into chasing and attacking a terrified domestic rabbit, which was then killed.
Gilmore, a traveller, was given a suspended prison sentence after releasing a white rabbit before letting a dog chase it. He then posted a video of the chase on Facebook after he had killed the rabbit.
He was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after a trial.
Prosecutor Diane Williams told the court Gilmore released the rabbit from his hand then released a dog and posted a video of the chase on the Facebook page Bedlington Whippets. She said the protected animal was “the kind of animal commonly domesticated in the British Isles and that’s a white rabbit”.
Its white pelt and shape indicated it was a domesticated rabbit and therefore protected. It was not an albino.
But Gilmore’s lawyer, Michael Strain of Strain and Company, said, said it was an “unusual set of circumstances”.
He said his client, a self-employed scrap merchant who “comes from travelling stock”, had never been in trouble in 50 years.
He said rabbits destroy hedgerows and cause other problems and can be caught legally. Farmers pay people to dispose of rabbits and keep them under control, he added.
Strain said the white rabbit in this case “may have been domesticated at one time” but escaped and was “effectively wild”. Gilmore took it from the dog and twisted its neck which was legal, he argued.
Strain added: “Mr Gilmore has not caused it unnecessary suffering. He has just done the wrong thing because the rabbit is white.
“He has not gone out to be cruel. He has not caused the rabbit any additional suffering he would normally cause a brown rabbit.”
Sentencing | 12-week jail term, suspended for 12 months. Ordered to pay £740 court costs and £128 surcharge.
CONVICTED (2022) | wildlife killers Andrew Lloyd Pugh of Tyn Y Coed, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau LL40 2HW and Dominic John Thomas of 1 Ffordd Heulog, Dolgellau LL40 1HH – failed to treat their dogs’ facial injuries and dental disease.
Dominic Thomas (left) and Andrew Pugh were prosecuted following an RSPCA investigation into suspected wildlife crime
Pugh and Thomas each admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to their dogs by failing to provide veterinary treatment. The prosecution followed an investigation by the RSPCA’s special operations unit (SIU) into suspected wildlife crimes.
Pugh pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dark brown/black female terrier known as Storm by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of her severe dental disease.
Vets said the dogs’ facial injuries were consistent with badger fighting,
Thomas pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a brown male terrier dog known as Charlie by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of a severe and infected facial injury on the right side of the dog’s face.
The court heard that police warrants were issued at the men’s addresses on March 10, 2022, as part of the SIU’s investigation known as Operation Epona.
At Pugh’s address, Storm was found with extensive scarring to her face and lower jaw, and was exhibiting a degloving injury to her jaw. Storm was seized by police and placed into RSPCA care.
When not forcing his dogs to fight wild animals for his sadistic pleasure, Dominic Thomas plays for Dolgellau Athletic Amateur Football Club
At Thomas’s address five dogs were seized by police and remain in RSPCA care. One of these dogs was a terrier named Charlie who had infected fresh wounds on his muzzle as well as old scarring.
It was also heard that as RSPCA officers approached the address they were informed that a man had thrown a dog over the fence and ran off with it when police executed the warrant. North Wales Police later caught the man who ran off and returned the dog to the premises.
In witness statements from vets in attendance at both warrants it was stated that both Storm and Charlie suffered unnecessarily.
The vets gave the opinion that the injuries seen to the lower jaw in both dogs had the “appearance of a typical injury resulting from those type of activities involving dogs and badgers”.
The six dogs in the care of the RSPCA will now be rehomed – this includes Storm and Charlie who were part of deprivation orders made in court.
Sentencing | Pugh and Thomas were both ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £695 in costs and victim surcharge. They were each disqualified for five years from keeping dogs. An Animal Welfare Act section 35 order was made also for a female black Patterdale called Sally who was still owned by Pugh.
CONVICTED (2022) | Rhys Owen Davies, born 12 December 1993, of Bwthyn Grug, Llanbedrog, Pwllheli LL53 7HN – kept five dogs for animal fighting and failed to treat their injuries.
Davies, who has now returned to his home town of Llanbedrog in North Wales, admitted keeping and training five Patterdale Terriers to fight animals, as well as failing to seek veterinary treatment for two which had sustained injuries from fighting.
Davies, a former gamekeeper at the Millden shooting estate* in Glenesk, Brechin, Angus DD9, also pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of his firearms licence by having unsecured firearms and ammunition in his then home in Turnabrae House.
Davies kept trophy photos of dogs he used to fight and bait wild animals
The court heard that an employee of a photo print company contacted the SSPCA with serious concerns about the welfare of several dogs pictured in an order for 58 images placed by Davies.
Many of the dogs showed progressively more serious facial injuries over the period the images were taken and several males posing and digging into what looked like badger setts or fox dens. There were numerous images showing dead foxes.
Many of the images showed injured dogs and dead foxes.One horrific image showed a terrier latched onto a bleeding badger
The SSPCA identified them as ‘trophy’ photographs showing a group of males engaging in the organised fighting and killing of wild animals over an extended period. Davies was easily identifiable in many of the images.
Inspectors from the SSPCA and officers from Police Scotland went to Davies’ home in Brechin with a warrant on the morning of October 8, 2019. Police found a Benelli shotgun propped against a wall near the front door, two rifles were also found, a Tikka .243 rifle on the sofa and a CZ rifle in the hall cupboard next to the open gun cabinet.
An assortment of ammunition, including 23 bullets in a pot on the floor, five in a carrier bag behind the front door and one on top of a bed were seized by police.
Davies was pictured alongside others posing after digging into fox dens or badger setts.
Eleven dogs were found within kennels on the property. Five Patterdale Terrier dogs had obvious signs of injury.
Two of the terriers, Lola and Tuck, had fresh injuries. Lola’s were to her mouth and lower jaw and Tuck had part of his lower face missing and fresh injuries which produced an obvious smell when near the dog. There were also healing wounds to his forelegs.
All the dogs were taken to Scottish SPCA facilities for examination and treatment.
Inspectors found equipment on the property linked to illegal animal fighting including, locator collars, medication, needles and syringes and a staple gun used to staple up injuries.
Badger DNA was found on a red locator collar following forensic examination.
Photobooks were recovered from the property like the print order placed by Davies.
The dogs had been used repeatedly for fighting, resulting in serious disfigurement
Davies was interviewed under caution and admitted that the dogs had not received veterinary treatment in the time that he had owned them. He denied using the dogs to fight or kill foxes or badgers and claimed they had sustained injury from legal ratting and foxing.
Davies agreed to sign all the terrier dogs over to the Scottish SPCA for rehoming.
The injured dogs were examined by specialist vets. Their expert opinion was that the dogs had been kept for the purposes of animal fighting and their injuries were sustained from face-to-face combat with badgers or foxes.
Another dog is left disfigured after being trained to fight badgers and foxes for the entertainment of her sick owner
Davies’ phone was seized during the search and images of him engaged in digging activities and the dogs with fresh wounds were found. There were also numerous conversations with associates referencing digging activities and sharing photographs showing dogs pulling badgers out of setts.
A number of voice messages with associates were also found where they discussed digging with the dogs. In one message, Davies’ asks an individual about the size of photographs to print to make a digging album. Davies states, “And if I do get the knock for it at least everything’s all in the one place for them to find”.
GPS location data from Davies’ phone also placed him in two rural locations on 21 September 2019 where he was found to have had a conversation with the same associate about meeting to bait and later that night his associate sent an image of Davies standing in a large hole holding one of the terrier dogs.
Speaking after the sentencing, Karon Rollo, Head of the Wildlife and Environmental Crime Unit of COPFS said: “Animal fighting is a cruel illegal activity which causes terrible and unnecessary suffering to animals.
“The evidence clearly shows the scope of the involvement Rhys Davies had with an organised group that took pleasure in killing wild animals in such a wicked and inhumane manner.
“I welcome the sentence and the granting of the order preventing him from keeping animals for 15 years. I would like to thank Police Scotland and the Scottish SPCA for their part in investigating and gathering evidence of these offences.
“Hopefully this prosecution and the sentence will serve as a message to others who would cause such suffering that there are consequences and that they will be held to account for their actions and could also lose their liberty.
“COPFS will continue to work to ensure those who participate in these barbaric practices are prosecuted and would encourage anyone who may have information on animal fighting to contact Police Scotland or the Scottish SPCA.”
Sentencing | eight months in prison; £1,800 fine for firearms offences. Banned from owning or keeping animals for 15 years.
*The Millden Estate is one of a number of shooting estates in the Angus Glens. According to the insightful blog Raptor Persecution UK, the estate is “long- known amongst conservationists as a raptor persecution hotspot” where in 2009 a poisoned golden eagle named Alma was found, with a golden buzzard meeting a similar fate in the same year.
Another blogger, former police officer Alan Stewart aka the Wildlife Detective, described a “catalogue of criminality” taking place on the estate, with incidents including a working collie being poisoned in 2006. He continues:
Around the same time the eggs of a nesting hen harrier disappeared and two fresh shotgun cartridge cases were found near the nest. Despite DNA tests on the cartridge cases and the shotguns of the keepers being taken for comparison with the mark on the cartridge cases made by the firing pin no charges could be brought.
… in 2009 a dead otter was found in a fox snare.
In 2010 an egg tray and nitrile gloves, all with traces of pesticide, were recovered buried on the estate. It is likely that eggs baited with pesticide had been set out.
In 2011 a buzzard was seen being shot. The person doing the shooting drove off in a Land Rover. Neither the vehicle nor the person shooting could be identified. Despite a search on a rocky hill face, we were unable to recover the dead buzzard.
In 2012 … a satellite-tagged golden eagle probably caught in a spring trap, mysteriously moved overnight from Millden Estate and was found dumped, still alive and with two broken legs, on Deeside.
No one has ever been prosecuted for any of these alleged offences and Millden Estate has denied any responsibility.
On 1 November 2022 the Daily Record published an article revealing Rhys Davies’ links to other convicted wildlife persecutors Anthony Holloway (who’s also involved in dog fighting) and Liam Taylor.
CONVICTED (2022) | Samuel Matthew Hill, born 2 October 1993, previously of Croes y Waun in Waunfawr, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4YP and now at The Dolbadarn Hotel, Llanberis, Gwynedd LL55 4SU – allowed his dogs to become skeletal and emaciated.
The court heard that Hill had brought his two dogs – Labrador crosses Alexa and Finley – to a veterinary surgery.
Both were emaciated. Alexa was “skeletally thin” and “near death”. She was still breathing but “unresponsive” and covered in urine and faeces. Vets agreed it was in the dog’s best interests that she be put to sleep.
The condition of Finley was “the worst of a living dog he had seen”, according to one vet. He was emaciated and had sores.
The prosecutor said Hill admitted he should not have allowed the animals’ condition to have got so bad. One dog was 56% underweight the other was 44% underweight. The vets contacted the RSPCA and the police.
The court heard Hill said he had experienced a relationship breakdown and poor mental health at the time. He said his ex-partner had originally been jointly responsible for the dogs, but after the breakup he was solely responsible.
He was accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by not adequately investigating their weight loss and bodily conditions at Croes y Waun in Waunfawr, Gwynedd, between August 15 and September 7, 2021. He was also accused of causing unnecessary suffering by not providing a suitable diet of adequate nutritional value to the same dogs over the same period.
Finley was described in court as “alive and well”.
Andrew Scott, defending, said his client had had a mental breakdown and the treatment of the dogs had not been deliberate. The animals had however suffered from starvation and emaciation for a minimum of three weeks.
Bench chairman Elfed ap Gomer told Hill: “This is a very sad case.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 10-day rehabilitation activity; £1,095 costs and charges. Banned from keeping animals for an unlimited period but can appeal after just ONE year.
CONVICTED (2021) | Christopher Jesper, born 26 February 1972, from Pydar Street, Truro – slapped a husky repeatedly
Drifter Jesper, who has links to Plymouth, Chester, York and Bangor in Wales, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the unnamed dog by slapping him or her several times.
Jesper was sentenced on March 5 2021
Jesper was ordered to pay a fine of £40, a surcharge of £95 and costs of £85. He was barred from keeping a dog for a period of two years (expires March 2023).
CONVICTED (2019) | Justin Thomas Williams, born 10 June 1992, of Lon Ogwen, Bangor LL57 2UD -filmed a vicious fatal attack by his dog on a cat.
Justin Thomas Williams from Bangor, North Wales, allowed his dog to attack and kill a domestic cat
Justin Thomas Williams admitted allowing his greyhound-type dog to bite, drag and shake the cat in the South Stack area of Holyhead, Anglesey, in March 2018.
Prosecutor Diane Williams told a district judge at Caernarfon court that police seized a mobile phone at Williams’s home and a 24 second video clip showed the “vicious and cruel” attack on the distressed cat.
In December 2018 the defendant received a suspended sentence for disclosing private sexual snaps.
A probation officer said the jobless cannabis smoker was hunting rabbits on a farm that night and Williams claimed the dog went into a bush. The defendant maintained there was no intention to set the dog on the cat and he “accidentally” filmed the savaging.
Defence solicitor Bethan Williams said her client denied encouraging the attack. “The video shows Mr Williams. He’s deliberately filming, he can’t deny that he’s filming the dog attack the cat.
“There’s no evidence he deliberately set the dog on the cat but he certainly doesn’t intervene,” the lawyer said. “It appears the cat passed away.”
District judge Gerallt Jones told Williams: “This is a serious incident. It looks to me as you having pleasure from the distress and cruelty that was going on.
“You did nothing at all to help. Rather than try and assist the cat you took pleasure in filming it and encouraging the dog to do what it did.”
Sentencing | 15-week suspended jail term; 150 hours of unpaid work; £615 costs. Banned from having any animal for five years (expires August 2024).
CONVICTED (2018) | badger baiting ring members David William Lloyd Thomas, born 21/03/1966, of Cwm Bowydd Farm, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3EL, Marc Wynn Morris, born 19/05/1991, of Jones Street, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3YF, Jordan Alexander Houlston, born 04/08/1993, of Alexandra Road, Llandudno LL30 2DQ* and an unnamed 17-year-old
Convicted badger baiters and dog abusers David Thomas and Jordan Houlston
The four men were convicted following an RSPCA probe into badger baiting and animal fighting at Cwm Bowydd Farm, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, North Wales LL41 3EL.
The undercover investigation into the activities of Houlston and co, which was led by Ian Briggs of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, featured in a May 2018 documentary produced by BBC Wales entitled ‘The Secret World of Badger Baiting’.
The programme also uncovered a scene of horror at Cwm Bowydd farm, which is co-owned by David Thomas, sole master of the Dwyrd hunt .
Animal cruelty on a massive scale was taking place at the farm with dozens of neglected dogs found locked away in brick enclosures with no natural light.
Several dogs were kept in appalling conditions at the farm
Two foxes were found in a cage which had been placed close to a barn in which fox hounds were being kept.
At the farm the RSPCA discovered two foxes in a cage placed near to a barn containing fox hounds The terrified foxes were trapped in a cage which was placed next to kennels containing hunting hounds
A search of Jordan Houlston’s flat found several dogs in external and others living in tiny enclosures inside including in the property’s bathroom.
Investigators discovered animal medication at the flat and a number of books on hunting with dogs and badger baiting.
A total of 31 dogs were taken from Houlston’s flat and the farm to be examined by a vet.
One rescued Patterdale terrier had fresh injuries to her nose, damage to her jaw and a peeling wound on her chin.
The court heard how artificial badger setts were found at the farm along with seven skulls, possibly those of foxes or badgers.
The RSPCA said this fake sett was used to hold a badger
Pipes were used to hold captive animals and dogs were brought to a copse and forced to fight with them.
Video footage showed badger baiting, which has been illegal since 1835.
A badger had been brought to the area in advance and arrangements made for dogs to chase and injure the animal.
The presiding judge Gwyn Jones said: “Fortunately, we didn’t see how the badger was ultimately killed, but it’s quite clear the death would have been slow and no doubt extremely painful.
“That activity would also have had an adverse impact on the dogs.
“This was a deliberate and planned venture to cause suffering to an animal,”
“Mr Thomas and Mr Houlston played a leading role.”
Thomas was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a badger by causing it to fight with dogs.
One of the two terrified foxes saved from a cruel death at David Thomas’s farm
He was also found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to two foxes by keeping them caged close to dogs, causing the foxes to be terrified, and other animal welfare allegations.
Jordan Houlston was convicted of ill-treating a badger, and unnecessary suffering by causing a badger to fight with dogs at Cwm Bowydd Farm in February 2017.
Jordan Houston is approved by the Master of Foxhounds Association
He was also found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to four dogs and failing to meet the welfare needs of seven dogs.
Dogs rescued from the farm and Houlston’s flat
Morris pleaded guilty to wilfully injuring a badger, being present at an animal fight and causing unnecessary suffering to a badger by causing it to fight with a dog.
Sentencing: David Thomas – imprisoned for 22 weeks, and placed under close supervision for a 12-month period; costs of £5,000. Disqualified from keeping dogs for eight years.
Houlston – imprisoned for 20 weeks, and also placed under close supervision for a 12-month period; total of £750 costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping dogs for eight years.
Morris – 10-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months; 150 hours of unpaid work; total of £650 costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping dogs for four years.
The unnamed 17-year-old who had pleaded guilty to being present at an animal fight was ordered to pay a total of £220 in costs and banned from keeping dogs for four years.
Jordan Houlston is now reportedly living in Ffordd Gobaith, Mochdre, Colwyn Bay LL28 5BY.
March 2022
Jordan Houlston was back in court after being caught in possession of a lurcher in breach of his disqualification order. Houlston claimed the dog, named Scruffy, belonged to his farmer.
He told the court he had been visiting a farmer to help him catch a squirrel with a trap. His partner, who apparently has irritable bowel syndrome, went to the farmer’s toilet while Houston got the dog out of the boot.
But police turned up and found him alone with the dog – breaching his ban.
Houlston admitted breaching his disqualification under the Animal Welfare Act.
He was given a 12-month community order with a condition to do 140 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 surcharge.
David Thomas and his son Carwyn Lloyd Fazakerley appeared at Llandudno Magistrates Court where they pleaded guilty to multiple animal welfare charges .
Carwyn Fazakerley
It followed an investigation by the League Against Cruel Sports, at Cwm Bowydd Farm in Blaenau Ffestiniog. The charity found dogs were being kept there in awful conditions.
Footage obtained by the charity shows a foxhound being kicked and stamped on, another being chained up for days, some dead foxhounds being incinerated at the farm and a terrier being chained and kept in appalling conditions without water.
Source: League Against Cruel Sports
The investigation by the League Against Cruel Sports led to a raid by North Wales Police (NWP) and the RSPCA in November 2021 and the seizure of 34 dogs, including the entire foxhound pack.
The case was adjourned for sentencing on November 7 at 2pm.
David Thomas who’s also known as Dafydd Thomas or Dei Thomas
Chris Luffingham, director of external affairs at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “These dogs were treated disgustingly by people who should not have been allowed near them in the first place, and shows the blatant disregard those in the hunting community have for animals, whether wildlife or hound.
“Those who abuse animals for ‘sport’ will disgust the public and deserve to face the full weight of the law and go to jail.”
Thomas pleaded guilty to six charges under the Animal Welfare Act. Fazakerley pleaded guilty to a charge that 29 dogs were not kept in a suitable environment.
The RSPCA safely housed all the animals that were seized in the raid.
On Monday 7 November 2022, Snowdonia farmer David William Lloyd Thomas was jailed for 24 weeks after flouting his eight-year ban on keeping dogs.
Thomas, who had 2,000 acres and 2,000 sheep, admitted breaching a previous ban and failing to properly care for 29 dogs and two ferrets. He was also handed a fresh ten-year ban from keeping dogs or ferrets.
Source: League Against Cruel Sports
District judge Gwyn Jones told the hearing Thomas had three times breached a disqualification made in 2018 after a badger-baiting case.
Jones told the defendant: “I am quite satisfied it’s a wilful, deliberate and persistent breach of the order. No doubt you would have hoped with the passage of time people will no longer be concerned with regard to the way in which you deal with animals.”#
Carwyn Lloyd Fazakerley also admitted failing to provide a suitable environment for 29 dogs last November. Fazakerley, who was described by a probation officer as “loyal to his father”, was ordered to do 160 hours unpaid work and pay £600 costs.
He was also banned from owning dogs for ten years.
Deprivation orders were made for the two ferrets and 28 surviving dogs.
Speaking about the case Chris Luffingham, director of external affairs at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “These animals were kept in filthy, disgusting conditions and treated appallingly by Thomas and Fazakerley.
“When we reviewed our investigators’ footage we were shocked and appalled by what we saw – and incredibly concerned for the welfare of other animals we suspected were on the property.
“Unfortunately our fears were realised when the warrant was executed, and we are grateful to North Wales Police and the RSPCA for their work to safeguard these animals.
“We welcome today’s custodial sentence but are incredibly disappointed that as someone who has previously been jailed for animal cruelty that today’s sentence wasn’t far stronger, especially given the new sentencing powers available to the courts.”
Just a few days into his custodial sentence David William Lloyd Thomas was RELEASED from prison following a ruling by an incompetent judge.
Thomas appealed to Mold Crown Court and had his sentence reduced to 13 weeks suspended for a year. He must do 200 hours unpaid work and pay £756 costs. The additional 10-year ban on keeping dogs was lifted.
Appeal Judge Nicola Saffman said the new sentence was “just and proportionate.”
She ordered Thomas’s release from jail because of the impact on his brother running the farm and two children relying on Thomas’s emotional and financial support.
The League Against Cruel Sports, whose video evidence was crucial in securing Thomas’s conviction, reported the devastating news in an email to its followers. They wrote: “Thanks to our work all the animals on his farm are now safe, but this sentence is nowhere near enough to deter those who would do harm to animals. As a repeat offender Thomas should have been banned for LIFE from keeping animals.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that someone previously jailed for animal cruelty that the sentence wasn’t far stronger, especially given the new sentencing powers available to the courts.
“We were instrumental in the new Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act for maximum custodial sentences increasing from six months to five years. Now is the time to push for these sentences to be applied in extreme cases of animal abuse like this”.
CONVICTED (2017) | farmer Richard Japheth, born 20 June 1963, of Glanllyn, Llanaelhaearn, Caernarfon LL54 5AY – neglected a herd of cattle
Farmer Richard Japheth was not banned from keeping livestock despite leaving a herd of cattle to their fate in adverse weather.
Richard Japheth was charged following an investigation by Gwynedd Council amid concerns about conditions in which a herd of cattle were being kept.
RSPCA inspectors and officers from the Animal and Plant Health Agency were called to farmland in Rhoslan, near Criccieth , in January 2016, where cows were said to be getting stuck in deep mud after heavy rain. One cow was later put down.
Japheth also admitted failing to dispose of a sheep carcass without undue delay on land at Llanaelhaerarn in January 2016, and failing to register the birth of a calf within the required seven days in December 2015.
He also admitted failing to notify the authorities of the death of animals on his land.
Judge Gwyn Jones said the matters were made more serious because Japheth was an experienced farmer who had been offered advice. He told him: “You could have done more to ensure the welfare of these animals.”
Carys Parry, defending, said her client had done all he could but the wet weather of December 2015 had meant although he carried food to the animals he could not get on the land itself.
She pointed out Japheth had cooperated fully with officials in their investigation and had accepted their recommendations.
Sentencing: 120 hours of unpaid community work; total of £15,000 in fine and costs. No ban on keeping livestock was imposed.
CONVICTED (2017) | Nathan Lee Fisher, born 06/02/1993, previously of Kinmel Bay, Conwy County Borough, north-east Wales, with a last-known address of Wesley Street, Amlwch LL68 9EY – banned from keeping animals after a dog was found dead under a trampoline while another was severely emaciated
Nathan Fisher was banned for keeping animals for a decade after starving two Akitas
Nathan Fisher admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the dead Akita named Kuma and the puppy’s mother Layla who was described as a ‘bag of bones’
Puppy Kuma was found dead underneath a child’s trampoline in the garden of Nathan Fisher’s house
RSPCA Cymru got involved after North Wales Police attended Fisher’s address where they found Kuma dead in the back garden underneath a trampoline.
Layla was also found at the house and was described as “so skinny that bones were clearly visible through her coat”.
Fisher’s other dog was so thin her bones were clearly visible through her coat.
The RSPCA said the dogs suffered unnecessarily due to a failure to adequately explore and address their weight loss.
RSPCA inspector Phil Lewis said: “These poor Akita dogs were subject to outright neglect and ill-treatment, which cost one of the dogs their life.
“Fortunately, the other has been happily re-homed from an RSPCA animal centre.
“When she was found at the Kinmel Bay property, she looked an absolute bag of bones but thankfully her suffering is over.”
Sentence: 12-week prison sentences for the two charges, to run concurrently, suspended for 18 months; 12-month community order, 180 hours of community work; nine-month alcohol treatment order; fined £750 and ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires March 2027).
