CONVICTED (2021) | serial animal abuser Stacy Humphrys and Maria Lee both of West Meadows travellers site, Ipswich IP1 5NU – kept 84 dogs in squalid conditions.
Serial animal abuser Stacy Humphrys and his ex-partner Maria Lee admitted a string of offences against animals.
A total of 84 dogs were seized in a 10-hour long operation at the traveller camp on March 20, 2021, with 67 of those found at the couple’s plot in filthy conditions.
During the two-hour sentencing hearing, Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, told the court of the appalling conditions the animals were found in, including puppies being left in filthy crates and having no access to food or water.
A cocker spaniel had ‘cherry eye’, which occurs when a tear duct becomes inflamed. Because of the length of time the infection had been left, the dog’s eye had to be removed.
An entirely shaven German Shepherd was found standing on rotten hay in a distressed condition.
Humphrys was previously banned from keeping animals in September 2019 after causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the needs of a large number of dogs, poultry and a pony.
But Mr Petchey said Suffolk Police found selfies on his seized mobile showing him holding various dogs. He was identified as having bought three.
Humphrys pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a disqualification from keeping animals and one count of failing to ensure the welfare of animals, namely 67 dogs, chickens, parrots, a finch and a cockatiel.
Lee pleaded guilty to five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and one count of failing to ensure the welfare of animals, namely 67 dogs.
Steven Dyble, mitigating for Humphrys, told the court that despite the police raiding the site in expectation of finding an ‘Aladdin’s cave of stolen dogs’ there was ‘no evidence that any of the dogs from that site had been stolen’ and said it was not a commercial operation.
He said his client, who had been in a lengthy relationship with Lee until it had broken down when he was in prison, had been acting as a carer to his sick ex, and the dogs were actually hers.
Mr Dyble added, a majority of the dogs were kept in a satisfactory condition and only a small number of the animals needed further veterinary care.
Frank O’Toole, who represented Lee, said she didn’t set out to deliberately harm the animals and was a ‘well intentioned but incompetent carer’ who had found it hard to say no to more dogs.
“She has come to the painful realisation that she has caused unnecessary suffering and she is deeply remorseful and ashamed,” he said. “She remains genuinely heartbroken at the loss of all the dogs which have been taken from her.”
As well as being jailed in 2019, Humphrys was jailed for 28 months in 2014 for causing a public nuisance by allowing his horses to stray onto the A14. One ran into the path of traffic and caused the death of a 23-year-old Thomas Allen, from Soham near Newmarket, who was driving home for Christmas in 2012.
Four other people who were arrested alongside Humphrys and Lee are to face no further action.
New homes were found for 66 dogs and 17 were returned to their owners.
Temporary Det Supt Nicky Wallace of Suffolk Police said it was an “extremely challenging” investigation due to the number of dogs involved and the “difficulties we faced in establishing ownership”.
“The conditions that some of these dogs were found in were clearly unacceptable, and the sentences handed to Humphrys and Lee today reflect this,” she said.
Sentencing:
Humphrys was jailed for 14 weeks and ordered to pay £233 in costs and charges. He was banned from keeping dogs for life.
Lee was given a 12-week suspended sentence, and ordered to pay the same amount. She was banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires September 2026).
