Tag Archives: London Borough of Lewisham

Dogs

Deptford, Lewisham, South London: Siem Tamrat

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CONVICTED (2024) | Siem Tamrat, born 9 September 2000, of Mereton Mansions, Brookmill Road, Deptford, London SE8 4HS – neglected a puppy until she almost starved to death.

RSPCA prosecution of Siem Tamrat from Deptford, Lewisham, South London who starved a puppy almost to death.

Tamrat denied the animal cruelty charges against him but was found guilty after failing to provide a three-month-old American bulldog puppy, Nala, with adequate food and water.

The pup was presented to PDSA vets in “a state of emaciation” on November 29, 2022.

Nala had been taken to the vets on November 15, with a history of being underweight. At that appointment she weighed 10.6kg.

Tamrat was advised to feed an appropriate diet of complete puppy food three times a day and return two weeks later.

When she was taken back to the vets, Nala weighed just 7.7kg and was subdued, barely able to stand, with muscles shaking, and standing with her head down.

The bones of her head, limbs, spine, ribs and pelvis were easily visible, the RSPCA said.

Tamrat was advised by the vets that Nala required intensive supportive treatment given her very poor condition.

He initially refused but then left the vet surgery to withdraw funds for treatment and failed to return.

As a result, the RSPCA were called to seize Nala along with police and investigate animal welfare offences.

In mitigation, Tamrat’s defence lawyer said his client’s autism and ADHD adversely affected his thinking and reasoning skills.

RSPCA Inspector Harriet Daliday attended the vet practice and described Nala as: “curled in a ball, on a drip, in her kennel and did not respond to noise or my voice.

“She did not respond when opening up her kennel and I had to gently lift her out and get support to hold her up in order to photograph her as she could not stand unaided.

“She was extremely underweight with all her ribs, her pelvis and spine easily visible.

“She was very roach backed and unsteady on her feet swaying back and forth and shaking.

“She was extremely lethargic and struggled to keep her eyes open.

“Her entire demeanour was the opposite of what you expect from a three-month-old puppy.”

Since her traumatic start to life, Nala has now made a full recovery and has been adopted by a new family.

Sentencing | 10-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 30 days of rehabilitation activity; £154 victim surcharge. A five-year ban (expires April 2029).

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Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Lifers, Worst of the Worst

Lewisham, South-East London: Sonia Marcos

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CONVICTED (2023) | Sonia Marcos, aka Hope Marcos, born c. 1980, of Lewisham Road, Lewisham SE13 – left her dog to starve to death while she went abroad on holiday.

Dog killer Sonia Marcos from Lewisham, South East London
Lying Sonia Marcos claimed her dog had been a healthy weight when she left for Portugal and that she had arranged for someone to look after her, but none of her claims stacked up

Marcos, a former nursery nurse who now works in social care, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her Jack Russell/chihuahua cross named Bella.

She said she left Bella alone while she went away for two weeks to visit a sick relative in Portugal. By the time she returned, the dog was emaciated and died later that day.

In what a vet described as the worst case of starvation they’d ever seen, Bella was so skinny every bone in her body was visible

Describing Bella’s condition, investigating RSPCA Inspector Harriet Daliday told the court: “Every rib was fully displayed, the entire pelvis and spine visible and the cranial structure of the skull could be seen. The neck appeared so scrawny I wouldn’t have thought the dog would have been able to keep her head up should she have been alive.”

The court heard how Marcos gave the contact details of the ‘friend’ she’d entrusted to care for Bella but they were not contactable and the housing association had no record of such a person living at the property. There was also no evidence of Marcos even going on holiday.

Dog killer Sonia Marcos from Lewisham, South East London

A vet expert also said the dog weighed just half of what she did as a puppy in 2017. Bella’s nails were also overgrown, with some having grown into the pads.

The vet said: “Bella should have comfortably been three to four times the weight she was at the time of her death. It is my opinion that her emaciation and clinical presentation were reflective of an extended period of starvation.

“This did not occur over two weeks while the defendant was apparently away, but was the culmination of many weeks of severe neglect.”

At just 2.25kg, Bella had weighed more as a puppy
At just 2.25kg, Bella weighed half of what she did as a puppy

The dog was also severely dehydrated and had fleas and overgrown nails which were growing into the pads of her feet, likely causing great pain.

A postmortem found no medical cause of Bella’s poor bodily condition other than a lack of food.

Dog killer Sonia Marcos from Lewisham, South East London

Marcos is a single mother of three children, and the court heard that she suffered from depression.

At a previous hearing Marcos was warned she could face a custodial sentence but on May 17, 2023, it was decided that instead she would be given a community order.

Sentencing | 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation; £114 victim surcharge. Disqualified from owning any animals for life.

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Dogs

Lewisham, South-East London: Mark Agyeman-Anan

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CONVICTED (2022) | Mark Agyeman-Anan, born c. 1995, previously of Elfrida Crescent, Catford, Lewisham, London SE6 3EL but with links to Portslade, Hove and now said to be living in Hastings – left three dogs with no access to water in a hot vehicle.

Mark Agyeman-Anan pictured leaving court. Source: Brighton and Hove News.
Mark Agyeman-Anan pictured leaving court. Source: Brighton and Hove News.

In September 2012 Mark Agyeman-Anan’s mother, Deborah Yeboah-Adjei, was given a 10-year ban on owning animals after letting nine dogs and puppies fight each other in the faeces-strewn family home.

Yeboah-Adjei, who has since died, told the court the dogs belonged to her son, but she took all the blame and Ageyman-Anan faced no punishment.

Two of the injured dogs rescued from Mark Agyeman-Anan's home in Lewisham in 2012
Two of the injured dogs rescued from Mark Agyeman-Anan’s family home in Lewisham in 2012.

The dogs were covered in wounds, scars and mange, One wounded dog had been tied to a radiator and was helpless as he was attacked by others. Another dog was found with multiple bites to the face.

Ten years later, Mark Agyeman-Anan has been banned from keeping dogs for five years after leaving bull terrier-type dogs Prince, Dior and Caramel unattended for two hours in a van in Portslad on a hot summer day.

Agyeman-Anan had denied three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs but was found guilty after a trial.

He had left them in the van without access to water and failed to check on their welfare.

A fourth charge of possessing a dangerous dog was dismissed after expert evidence that Caramel is not a pit bull terrier. The ruling means she will not now face being destroyed.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work and five rehabilitation days. £10,000 compensation. Five-year ban on keeping dogs (expires July 2027).

Brighton and Hove News

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

Deptford, London: Anthony Birdee

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CONVICTED (2017) | Anthony Birdee, born 16/12/1991, of Jodane Street, Deptford, London SE8 3PW – threw a dog against a wall and hit her with a rope.

Violent dog abuser Anthony Birdee and Muller the dog
Ill-tempered and violent bully Anthony Birdee and his helpless victim Muller

Birdee, was reported to the RSPCA after a horrified bystander saw him hurl the dog, Muller, against a wall near his home.

He was also heard shouting abuse at the nine-year-old dog before slapping her and whacking her with a rope.

When inspectors paid Birdee a visit, they found the distressed dog tied to a post in the garden.

Vets later discovered the animal had damage to her spine and had difficulty walking on her hind legs.

When asked what had happened, Birdee excused himself by saying the dog had eaten some of his child’s food.

RSPCA inspector Anthony Pulfer said he found the frightened animal tied to a post in the garden, looking distressed.

He said: “This was no way to treat a lovely dog like Muller.

“She was subjected to physical and verbal violence and I have no doubt she was extremely distressed by the attack.

“A vet confirmed she would have suffered.”

Mr Pulfer said: “That is no reason to treat a dog in such an appalling way and I’m pleased with the sentence.

“Luckily, she is now doing well in our care despite some injuries.

“We hope that we can now find her a fresh, new home where she is treated with the respect and love she deserves.”

Sentence: 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years; fined £775. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires January 2027).

Evening Standard