Tag Archives: indefinite ban

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Bournemouth, Dorset: Christopher Rushton and Kirsty Hales

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CONVICTED (2016) | Christopher Rushton, born 05/02/1978, and Kirsty Hales (aka Kathleen Johnston), born 07/08/1986, previously of Henley Green, Coventry, but more recently of Christchurch Road, Bournemouth BH7 6DT – prosecuted for animal cruelty after handing in “walking skeleton” puppy to RSPCA

Chris Rushton and Kirsty Hales, who were banned from keeping animals after handing in a starved puppy to RSPCA
Christopher Rushton and Kirsty Hales told the RSPCA they had found a starving puppy on the streets when he had been living with them for two months

Four-month-old lurcher William was handed into the RSPCA centre in Allesley by NHS workers Christopher Rushton and Kirsty Hales, who lied that they had found the starved puppy in the street. However, RSPCA investigators eventually uncovered their deception to reveal the couple had in fact failed to feed William properly, causing him to become seriously malnourished.

William the lurcher, who was found curled up and unable to stand by a passer-by in Willenhall Lane, Binley, in September 2015.
William the lurcher was found curled up and unable to stand by a passer-by in Willenhall Lane, Binley, in September 2015.

One RSPCA inspector said it was the worst case she had seen in ten years.

The pair had bought William – who was initially named George – on impulse after seeing him advertised for sale on the internet. But they had not done their research on how to look after a puppy or how much to feed him, leading him to lose so much weight that he became seriously ill.

Chris Rushton and Kirsty Hales, who were banned from keeping animals after handing in a starved puppy to RSPCA
The pair, who have two children, relocated to Bournemouth from Coventry

As well as the effects of starvation, a vet said William was also anaemic and dehydrated when he was taken into the RSPCA’s care.

The couple pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the puppy between August 26 and September 9, 2015.

Chris Rushton and Kirsty Hales, who were banned from keeping animals after handing in a starved puppy to RSPCA

RSPCA inspector Nicky Foster, who investigated the case, said: “This would never have happened if they had done their research before getting him.

“Getting a dog should never be done on impulse, and this is evidenced by what happened to William. It is heartbreaking to think that, because of this, four months ago he was close to death.

“Thankfully, William has made a fantastic recovery and has now been rehomed with a family who dote on him.”

Lurcher William has recovered from his ordeal
William came on leaps and bounds in the RSPCA’s care and was eventually rehomed

The ban means parents-of-two Rushton and Hales had to give up their two other pets – a dog and a cat – who had to live with relatives.

Sentence: 12-week prison sentence suspended for a year; 35 hours of unpaid work; £889 costs each towards the RSPCA investigation and court case plus £80 victim surcharge. Banned indefinitely from keeping animals (can re-apply to keep animals after five years, i.e. 2021).

CoventryLive

Dogs, Lifers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Bromley, South-East London: Everald James

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CONVICTED (2015) | Everald Hugh James, born 03/08/1967, formerly of Mottingham, South London and more recently Lewis King House, Plaistow Lane, Bromley BR1 3TE – strangled a bull mastiff and hung him outside his house with rope as the dog gasped for air

Dog killer Everald James from Bromley, South East London

Callous James, who is also known as ‘Shadow’, was found guilty of hanging the three-year-old dog, known as Boyzee, while punching him in the face as the terrified dog “gasped for air”. He had denied the charge, claiming Boyzee died accidentally during a “tug of war”.

Giving evidence, James’ neighbour Harlon Horsford told the court how he had heard shouting at about 8pm on September 6, 2015. He opened the front door and saw James with Boyzee.

He said: “He had the dog with a rope wrapped round its throat, repeatedly hitting the dog in the face and throat with his left hand.”

He stated the rope was wrapped around a metal railing, one end strangling the dog and the other end being pulled by James’ right hand, as he hit him with his left.

Mr Horsford continued: “The dog was secured to the railings.

“I confronted him, I said let go and he wouldn’t. He said he doesn’t care about the police or RSPCA, he’s named Shadow and no one can tell him nothing, It’s his dog.

“So I punched him in the face, he fell back on the floor and Boyzee dropped to the floor.

“I took the rope off of Boyzee’s neck. He couldn’t breathe properly, he was gasping for air. I pushed his tongue to the left, he had saliva all in his mouth, I was trying to breathe air into him.

“His back legs were twitching, he made his last breath and passed away. He was a lovely dog, very loving, very gentle.”

While giving evidence, Mr Horsford broke down in tears and had to compose himself. He said that throughout the attack Boyzee’s legs were not able to reach the floor, and he scrabbled to get a footing.

James was arrested later that day. He initially stated he was taking the dog outside to do his business, and dragged him through a crowd of people, inadvertently strangling it. But while giving evidence he claimed it was actually a tug of war between him and Mr Horsford which accidentally killed the dog.

James, who admitted he had been drinking that day, said: “He grabbed the lead, I said let go of my dog. He said he wanted the dog.

“I just kept pulling my dog not looking back. When I turned back around I saw the dog on the floor.

“I could never harm my dog, it’s what keeps me alive. I’ve got a 15-year-old daughter I can’t see, I bought the dog to keep me company.”

When passing the verdict, magistrates described his testimony as “not credible”.

Sentencing: 18 weeks in jail. Indefinite ban on keeping animals.

Newsshopper
ITV News

Dogs, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Totton, Southampton: Michelle Brown

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CONVICTED (2015) | Michelle Louise Brown, born 14/10/1986, formerly of Jessica Crescent, Totton, Southampton and more recently (2019) Farringford Road, Sholing, Southampton SO19 6PF- buried a dying puppy in a cardboard box covered by a bin bag before dumping the box in a ditch next to a children’s play area

Dog killer: Michelle Brown previously of Totton, Southampton

In June 2015 mother-of-three Brown abandoned puppy Narla, who was covered in urine and faeces, in a cardboard box hidden inside a bin bag near a playground on the Hazel Farm estate, Totton.

The emaciated crossbreed was found on the brink of death, whimpering inside the box by a dog walker.

Puppy Narla died a cruel death at the hands if wicked Michelle Brown from Totton, Southampton
Starving puppy Narla was buried alive by sick Southampton woman Michelle Brown

The puppy had been so hungry that she had started to eat the box and had so many infections from such poor living conditions that she couldn’t even open her eyes.

Eventually vets were forced to put down the mistreated animal and were only able to track down Brown because of Narla’s microchip.

Brown told inspectors that she thought the dog was dead and buried her in a hole in the garden, but eventually admitted she neglected the puppy.

Puppy Narla died a cruel death at the hands if wicked Michelle Brown from Totton, Southampton

In a statement read out to the court, the dog walker who found Narla said her dogs kept sniffing a particular area in the field near some bushes and as she got closer she heard a faint whimpering sound and knew immediately that it was a puppy.

The woman immediately called for the help of a young man nearby, who climbed down into the ditch.

In the ditch, there was a pungent smell. A bin bag was wrapped around a cardboard box, with Narla’s dying, skeletal body inside. She was collapsed and so emaciated she couldn’t even lift her head.

The woman took Narla home and tried to clean her eyes because they were forced shut from an infection which was making her weep, but the puppy seemed too distressed. The pup was rushed to the vets for emergency treatment but couldn’t be saved. She was found to be severely malnourished and dehydrated and vets guessed that she had been starving for between four and eight weeks.

Her body had started to shut down because of malnourishment and she had picked up infections, her breathing was shallow and she was so weak she couldn’t stand or lift her head.

The vet was forced to put her down because Narla would not have recovered from the infections.

RSPCA Inspector Penny Baker visited Brown to investigate what had happened.

Puppy Narla died a cruel death at the hands if wicked Michelle Brown from Totton, Southampton

Prosecuting, Sarah Wheadon said: “On entering the house Inspector Baker noticed a strong smell of urine.

“She told Miss Brown that Narla had been found alive dumped in a box in a bin bag but had been euthanised.

“Inspector Baker found Miss Brown’s behaviour very odd – she didn’t cry or get angry.”

Brown said Narla was poorly and thought it was because of the weed killer she had put down in the garden.

The next day Brown said she found Narla laying still and she didn’t appear to be breathing so she dug a hole in the garden, put her puppy in a bin bag and buried her.

The court was told that Inspector Parker could not find any evidence of a hole in the garden but Brown insisted that someone must have dug up the grave and stolen Narla.

Mitigating, Brown’s solicitor told the court that her client is a full-time carer for her partner who has cerebral palsy and also battles severe depression, claiming this could have contributed to her serious neglect of the new pet.

RSPCA inspector Penny Baker, who led the investigation, said: “This is honestly one of the most bizarre and horrific cases I have dealt with in my whole career at the RSPCA.

“Narla was a bag of bones and had not been taken to the vets. This was a severe case of neglect.

“We hope this case sends a message to people that not only will cruelty of this nature never be tolerated but it comes with a penalty.”

Sentencing:
12 week suspended sentence; £630 financial penalty. Disqualified indefinitely from owning any animal.

Daily Echo
Huffington Post

Hoarders, Lifers, rabbits, Small Furries, Worst of the Worst

Erskine, Renfrewshire: Steven Riddell

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CONVICTED (2015) | Steven Riddell, born 22/09/1971, of Park Green, Erskine PA8 7HJ – kept mice, rats and rabbits in appalling conditions to feed to his pet snakes

Animal abuser: Steven Riddell from Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Steven Riddell

Animal cruelty inspectors found 130 creatures, including mice, rats and rabbits, kept in filthy conditions by father-of-four Steven Riddell.

Riddell used his greenhouse to breed the rodents as “live” food for the 50 snakes which filled a room of his home.

A seasoned SSPCA inspector was sickened by what they found at Riddell’s mid-terraced house in Erskine, following a tip-off in April 2014.

It was stifling inside as a tarpaulin had been used to cover the virtual tomb in which the mice and rats were found, providing little ventilation or natural light to enter. Many were dead, dying, dehydrated, starving and stuck in their own faeces.

One of the inspectors could only remain inside for a brief moment as she had difficulty breathing.

One cage, which weighed 2kg (4lb) when clean and empty, was caked with a solid mass of droppings mixed with bedding that weighed almost 14kg (31lb).

Animal abuser: Steven Riddell from Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Callous Riddell freely admitted he had seen the rodents as a cheap source of food for his prized snakes which, by comparison, appeared to be well cared for.

It was, said one of the investigators, “a night and day” situation.

Inside the greenhouse, rats and mice, some with young which were lying on top of faeces, and one half-entrapped in compacted droppings, were kept in squalor in cages stacked from floor to ceiling.

Two mice were alive but paralysed, while others were dead or dying.

In some of the cages, faeces and urine were found to be six to eight inches in depth.

The only traces of drinking water found was coated in green algae.

Some of the rats and mice were found to have bite and scratch marks and others had parts of their tails missing.

Many had respiratory problems and some were poking their noses out of gaps as they desperately tried to get a gasp of fresh air.

Rabbits, which were kept in similarly disgusting conditions in a nearby hutch, had been family pets.

They too, were found to be neglected and their coats were stained yellow from urine.

Animal abuser: Steven Riddell from Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Riddell pleaded guilty to two contraventions of the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act of causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide adequate care, nutrition, water and clean bedding

When quizzed by officers, unemployed Riddell accepted the conditions were disgusting and unacceptable but maintained he had “taken his eye off the ball” due to a series of family problems.

He said he knew that some of them were in poor health but hadn’t sought veterinary attention as they were “only food for my reptiles”.

A senior SSPCA inspector later said that in all of her many years of service, she had never seen animals being kept in such atrocious conditions.

She said she had felt disgusted to think that Riddell “saw them as nothing more than a cheap food source for his reptiles”, which appeared to be well cared for inside his house.

It was stated that Riddell had agreed to hand over ownership of all of the animals, many of which were put down, although some were nursed back to good health and re-homed.

Sentencing: jailed for 150 days and banned indefinitely from keeping animals except for the family dog.

Daily Record
BBC News

Cats, Dogs, Lifers, Multiple Species, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Oswestry, Shropshire: Quade Adams

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#MostEvil | Quade Roy Adams, born 07/06/1992, originally from Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, and more recently (2018) Y Bwthyn, Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales SY25 –  killed a five-month-old chocolate brown toy poodle called Emi and a seven-month-old ragdoll kitten, Toast

Photo composite showing Quade Adams and his victims puppy Emi and kitten Toast
Monster: Quade Roy Adams now of Tredegar, Wales, and his victims Emi and Toast

Emi suffered a chipped eye socket, broken pelvis and 3 broken ribs, resulting in her being put down. Toast had suffered abdominal injuries and a ruptured spleen, consistent with being stamped on and/or kicked.

Adams denied two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to Toast and one of causing unnecessary suffering to Emi but was found guilty.

Sentence: 12 weeks in jail, £500 contribution towards costs; indefinite ban on keeping animals (minimum five years).

Shropshire Star 20/05/2015

Dogs, Lifers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Birkenhead, Merseyside: Sean Skinner

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CONVICTED (2014) | Sean David Skinner, born c. 1990, of Gamlin Street, Birkenhead CH41 0AJ – killed a young dog by throwing him against a wall

Dog killer Sean David Skinner from Birkenhead, Merseyside

Father-of-three Sean Skinner killed a six-month-old Staffy named Ty by throwing him against a wall because he made a mess in his bedroom. The RSPCA was called to Skinner’s home by police investigating the dog’s death on October 28, 2013.

Officers had declared the house a crime scene after Skinner himself had called 999, with RSPCA inspector Anthony Joynes finding a trail of blood running through the property and the dog lying dead in the bath.

Dog killer Sean David Skinner from Birkenhead, Merseyside

Chris Murphy, prosecuting, said Skinner, who had only owned the dog for five weeks after buying him from a friend for £80, had stated he had “thrown the dog against the wall and told police it had smashed the dog’s head in.”

Skinner, who the court heard had problems with anger management, said he was “gutted by what happened”.

Dog killer Sean David Skinner from Birkenhead, Merseyside

The vet that inspected Ty told the court he had suffered “a cruel and violent act causing … mental and physical suffering”, adding it was only through “good fortune that he had a swift death, limiting his suffering to five minutes”.

Sentence: jailed for 12 weeks, reduced from 18 because of his guilty plea; banned from owning animals indefinitely.

Liverpool Echo

animal fighting / baiting, badger baiting, Dogs, hunting with dogs, Lifers, Organised Animal Crime, Wildlife Crime / Bloodsports

Doncaster: Barry Scott, Liam Smith and Daniel Davey

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CONVICTED (2012) | badger baiters Barry Shane Scott, born 12/07/1988, of 35 Norman Crescent, Sunnyfields, Doncaster DN5 8RX, Daniel Paul Davey, born 16/08/1990, of 27 Manor Court, Denaby, Doncaster DN12 4LT, and Liam Smith, born 15/12/1990, of 33 Denaby Avenue, Conisbrough, Doncaster DN12 3NL

Badger baiters Daniel Davey, Barry Scott and Liam Smith from Doncaster
From left Daniel Davey, Barry Scott and Liam Smith

Barry Scott, Liam Smith and Daniel Davey admitted interfering with a badger sett in the Whitwell area and causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on 30 November 2011.

The court heard that the trio had gone equipped with spades and tracking equipment to locate a badger. A terrier-type dog suffered severe injuries to her face when she was forced to enter a badger sett.

The men pleaded guilty on the basis that the offences resulted from reckless behaviour. The RSPCA, which prosecuted the case, believed there was deliberate intent and a mini-trial was held to decide what exactly happened.

Daniel Paul Davey
Daniel Paul Davey was described in court as a “prime mover” when it came to the persecution of badgers

Deputy District Judge Goodman said all three had lied about their intentions at the mini-trial in which Davey came across as ‘the prime mover.’ Smith was a willing participant while Scott allowed himself to be led by them.

Sentencing: Davey and Smith were given a 20-week custodial sentence. Scott was handed a 16-week jail term, suspended for a year. He was also ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work, with £250 costs. All three were banned from keeping animals for an indefinite period. Six dogs were seized.

Gainsborough Standard

Cats, Domestic Violence - Animals Targeted, Lifers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Gainsborough, Lincolnshire: Paul Henry

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CONVICTED (2012) | violent career criminal Paul Henry, born c. 1966, from Gainsborough (address tbc) – microwaved a cat to death at a friend’s flat

Cat killer Paul Henry
Cat killer Paul Henry

The court heard that Henry microwaved the 18-month-old cat, Suzie, on 26 July 2010 after his friend, Andrew Parsons, allowed him to stop at his home.

Mr Parsons returned from work to find Suzie’s remains in the microwave oven.

The words ‘Menu fried cat £1.20’ had been written on the kitchen wall.

Henry denied causing unnecessary suffering to the animal. But the court was told within 48 minutes of Mr Parsons leaving home at 4.30pm a text message was sent from Henry’s mobile phone to his then girlfriend which read: ‘Claire, just cooking Andy’s cat, enroute.’

A second message sent from the same phone a short time later added: ‘Just cooking Andy’s cat in microwave, be two minutes.’

The court heard Henry tried to deflect blame on a second friend, Phillip Mathers, who also visited Mr Parson’s flat while he was at work.

Philip Mathers
Henry tried to blame Philip Mathers for Suzie’s death but this was not accepted by the court due to lack of evidence

But Mathers, also from Gainsborough, was cleared of any involvement after Judge Stobart said there was no evidence to place him at the scene when the cat was cooked.

Mr Parsons said after finding Suzie he rang the police and quickly got a phonecall from Henry. ‘He just said it was Mathers who did your cat.’

Mathers admitted stealing a razor from Mr Parson’s flat and injecting the Class A drug liquid amphetamines with Henry, but insisted he was not present when the cat was cooked.

Paul Wood, prosecuting, said: ‘The cat was alive when placed into the microwave and died as a result of being cooked in it.’

District judge John Stobart told Henry it was the “worse case of animal cruelty he could imagine”.

He said he had given Henry the maximum sentence the law allowed.

Sentencing: six months in jail. Unspecified ban on keeping animals.

BBC News
The Sun
Daily Mail

Updates

In October 2012 Henry was jailed for a minimum of nine years for the attempted murder of his ex girlfriend, Claire Boswell.

Judge Michael Heath told Henry he was “self-absorbed” and a “manipulative bully”.

He said the microwaving of the cat was “an illustration of the callous way in which you are prepared to behave towards another living being”.

Henry microwaved the cat, called Suzie, on 26 July last year.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, defending, said Henry had confessed about the cat incident to Ms Boswell and she had been a witness against him in relation to that.

He said Henry was taking drugs for depression at the time, and started texting Miss Boswell.

“His texts turned to talk of taking his own life, which she seemed to be effectively encouraging him to do,” said Mr Cranmer-Brown.

Henry was then arrested on 14 September 2011 for harassing Miss Boswell, after he climbed on to her roof several days before, entered her house and said he intended to kill her.

He appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 15 September 2011, where he was given a suspended sentence.

He went to her house the same day, smashed a window to gain entry, took a knife from her kitchen drawer and stabbed Ms Boswell.

The knife penetrated her breast and punctured her liver, causing life-threatening injuries.

He was jailed for causing unnecessary suffering to the cat while on remand for the attempted murder in September 2011.

He was found guilty of attempted murder following a trial.

The court heard about numerous convictions for violence against other people, starting when Henry was 12 or 13.

These included assaulting another girlfriend twice in 2004.

In 1993 he punched his manager several times, causing him grievous bodily harm, after being told he was being made redundant.

Judge Heath told Henry: “You can be charm personified, but if things don’t suit you or go your way you resort to violence.”

Animal Torture, Cats, Lifers, Pet Theft, Serial Animal Abusers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Clarkston, East Renfrewshire: Anthony John Docherty

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#MostEvil | serial cat killer Anthony John Docherty, born 31 December1985, of 4 Woodburn Avenue, Glasgow G76 7TZ

Serial cat killer Anthony John Docherty pictured outside court

In January 2009 Docherty tortured, mutilated and killed several cats, which he had stolen from houses in his neighbourhood of Clarkston, East Renfrewshire.

He is known to have killed three cats. All were decapitated, two were scalped, and one had its tail pulled off.

Three cat skulls were also found in his garden.

Dozens of pets had gone missing in the area and many cat owners feared their pets had fallen into evil Docherty’s hands.

Serial cat killer Anthony John Docherty pictured outside court

The court heard psychiatric reports that Docherty’s behaviour could escalate towards humans.

He was banned from owning, keeping or taking charge of animals indefinitely.

In 2010 Docherty had his jaw broken in an apparent revenge attack. He was walking along the road when he was jumped and battered by two strangers — before a well-meaning passing motorist regrettably stopped to help him.

Sentence: jailed for eight months. Indefinite ban on keeping animals

Newslink:
BBC News

Dogs, Lifers, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Addlestone, Surrey: Shane Walker

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CONVICTED (2009) |  Shane Walker, born circa 1989, of Addlestone, Surrey repeatedly kicked and stamped on a dog’s head at  a railway station.

Shane Walker

Career criminal Walker,  who went on to commit murder, admitted beating his auntie’s bull terrier Daisy, horrifying onlookers and leaving his pet whimpering.

Walker, then of Bridge Wharf, Chertsey, had been drinking in pubs in Surbiton with his cousin on September 25 2008 and was on his way home when the attack happened at 10pm.

Walker was seen punching, kicking and stamping on the dog, and witnesses were “clearly shocked and disturbed by the incident”.

He told police he had only drunk a few lagers but could not remember hitting the dog, or anything until he woke up in police cells the next morning.

Daisy was taken away from her owner and into the possession of the police on suspicion of being a banned breed. Her fate is unknown.

Defence solicitor John Sellars insisted Walker was only “play fighting” with the dog, but added: “Certainly there was a breach of the peace and he went a bit far.”

He said the dog had no serious injuries and was otherwise in a healthy condition.

Sentencing | Two weeks in custody to run concurrently with a sentence he was already serving for burglary, meaning he served no extra time for the animal cruelty offence. Banned from keeping any animal but allowed to apply to have the order lifted after 12 months.

Surrey Comet