CONVICTED (2023) | serial animal abuser and owner of a notorious “horror farm’ Sean Ronald Burns, born 15/08/1970, of Rosehill Lodge, Bramble Hall Farm, Ferry Lane, Pembroke SA71 4RG – breached an indefinite ban imposed for cruelty to 200 animals and the operation of an illegal slaughterhouse.
Menace Sean Burns, pictured during his court appearance in 2020, has subjected countless farm animals and domestic pets to appalling living conditions and shocking prolonged neglect
Police and officials from Pembrokeshire County Council visited Bramble Hall Farm on February 7, 2022, and discovered 12 dogs, two love birds and a tortoise on the premises. Living conditions were grim and three of the animals were seriously ill.
Two rooms housing dogs were full of faeces and the animals’ bedding was soaked in urine.
Three of the dogs needed immediate veterinary attention. A small Jack Russell puppy had lacerations and was lethargic and recumbent. The puppy was given antibiotics and put on a drip at a local vet.
A female Yorkshire terrier had long-standing dental neglect and a fracture to her jaw while a male French bulldog had chronic skin disease.
The tortoise was also found to be without adequate bedding and had no greens.
More than 200 animals, including goats, pigs sheep and horses were removed from Bramble Hall Farm in 2019 in an operation involving police, Pembrokeshire County Council, Dogs Trust and the RSPCA.
The following September Burns was made the subject of a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for his part in the production of smokies at the farm.
The court heard how Burns had initially denied breaching the ban, stating that he had nothing to do with the running of the farm.
However, on the day of trial he changed his plea to guilty on the basis that he had become involved in the day to day ‘care’ of the animals due to his mother Pam Burns’ ill health. He said he accepted that he should have notified the authorities of this.
In his defence it was said that the animals were at the home address and that Burns had become involved with them due to his mother’s health issues.
There had been no further offending since the end of the suspended sentence and that many of the animals seized last year were not in poor health.
Burns appeared in court in a wheelchair and his defence solicitor said that he was on a number of medications for health conditions.
Judge His Honour PH Thomas KC said that there were aggravating factors in the case, namely that Burns had convictions for ‘broadly similar matters’ in January 2018, September and October 2019 and January 2020. Burns had also received warnings and professional advice on these matters in the past.
He said that he had taken on board arguments about Burn’s health. However, he said that he had some scepticism as no medical evidence had been produced.
Sentencing | eight months in prison, four of which will be spent in custody, the other four on licence. Existing disqualification order redrafted to include ‘owning, keeping, participating in the keeping or being party to arrangements with animals to control or influence their keeping’. Burns may appeal after ten years.
CONVICTED (2022) | puppy farmer and Crufts dog show judge Gareth Lawler, born c. 1965, previously of Hendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, but now living in the town of Monmouth – ran an illegal breeding operation where dogs were kept in awful conditions.
Shamed Kennel Club judge Gareth Lawler – who has been going to Crufts for more than 30 years – made £153,000 from puppy farming.
He was found to have bred 27 litters in just four years, with dogs selling for anywhere between £500 and £2,000 a time.
He bred and sold highly-sought after breeds including English springer spaniels, cocker spaniels, Tibetan terriers, Hungarian vizslas, longhaired dachshunds, shih tzu crosses and cockerpoos.
Carmarthenshire Council wanted to search Lawler’s home “due to the unsatisfactory conditions his own dogs were being kept in and refusal to allow officers to access areas where other dogs and puppies were housed.”
A spokesman said: “The subsequent search and online investigations by Council Officers uncovered breeding dogs and puppies being kept in poor conditions as well as evidence of large-scale unlicensed dog breeding.
“Twenty-seven litters were bred between 24th July 2016 and 22nd July 2020, 11 of which were bred in the last 12 months, despite being advised of current dog breeding regulations on more than one occasion.”
Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “I would like to praise the actions of our Animal Welfare team who uncovered unlicensed dog breeding, as well as dogs being kept in unacceptable conditions during an inspection which forms part of the dog boarding licensing procedure.
“Mr Lawler is well-known on the dog show circuit, having judged English Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels and Welsh Springer Spaniels at Kennel Club shows and this case indicates the importance of licenses for dog boarding and breeding, both of which are in place to protect the welfare of dogs.
“The Council is committed to ensuring that breeders and boarders of dogs in Carmarthenshire follow the rules that are in place which ensure that breeding dogs, their puppies and those being boarded are being kept in proper conditions”.
Lawler was ordered to repay £78,000 in three months or go to jail for 12 months. The £78,000 sum would be confiscated from Lawler under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Lawler was also fined £500 for the unlicensed breeding and was given six months to pay this. If he doesn’t a further 14 days prison sentence will be activated
Posts from Lawler’s social media accounts appear to show he is a member of the English Springer Spaniel Club of Wales, and frequently shares updates on dog competitions and judging.
CONVICTED (2022) | Rhys Burgess, born c. 1992, of Coryton Close, Brecon LD9 – threw his ex partner’s dog at a window in domestic abuse incident.
Rhys Burgess, who has a history of domestic violence-related offending, was jailed for more than three years after subjecting his ex-partner to a campaign of terror, which culminated in an incident in which he picked up a dog and threw her at a window.
Burgess admitted six charges, which included causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal in relation to the dog, a rescue named Roxy. She was described as “shocked” but wasn’t physically injured.
Roxy was said to be shocked but uninjured after she was picked up by Burgess and hurled with full force at a window. The serial domestic abuser had previously threatened to kill the dog in a campaign of terror against her owner.
He also admitted intentionally strangling his ex partner and unlawfully and maliciously wounding her70-year-old father, who is terminally ill.
He stole a mobile phone and subjected his ex to violence while doing so and is also said to have caused criminal damage to various items, including car wing mirrors, a mobile phone, fan, laptop, printer, desk, earphones, Perspex windows, internal doors and a lock mechanism belonging to the woman. All five offences are alleged to have taken place in Brecon on September 2.
He also pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour in relation to the ex partner between August 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.
He continuously engaged in behaviour which was controlling or coercive, including constantly texting and calling the woman, threatening to kill an animal, family or himself if the relationship ended, and controlling her friendships and places she frequented.
Prosecutor Georgia Donohue told the court the defendant had been in a relationship with the woman for two years.
“It was initially positive but turned toxic,” said Ms Donohue.
“The defendant moved into her property in August of 2021, which is when the relationship turned violent.”
Rescue dog Roxy is believed to have come from Brecon Dog Rescue
Ms Donohue said Burgess first assaulted the woman in August 2021, punching her to the face and strangling her.
A further assault took place in August 2022.
“At the end of the evening he asked her if he could stay the night, but she said he must leave and this angered him,” said Ms Donohue.
“He strangled her and she nearly lost consciousness. He accused her of cheating with her friend; [the woman] said he headbutted her and threatened to kill her, her dad and her dog.”
A further assault occurred at the Brecon Jazz festival the same month when Burgess headbutted the woman outside the Bank pub following an argument and later followed her home, assaulting her in the garden.
The most recent incidents occurred on September 2, with Burgess triggered by a text message he received from the woman after he had been abusive to her over text following a night out.
“He turned up at her property in a highly agitated state,” said Ms Donohue.
“He was shouting and began causing damage, he pushed her across the kitchen; her father attempted to intervene but the defendant pushed [him], causing him to fall and hit his head; he was bleeding heavily from the head.
“He then went into the garden and smashed up an outhouse. [The woman] attempted to call 999 while the defendant disarmed [her father] who had picked up a chopping board.
“He then picked up her dog, Roxy, and threw it at full force at the window. He kicked the bathroom door, making a hole, then grabbed [the woman] by the throat and strangled her until she felt faint.
“He only stopped when [the father] intervened, hitting him with a metal pole. He threw her mobile across the road then ripped out the phone line and internet as he left, causing damage to a wing mirror on her car.”
A danger to women and animals: father of two Rhys Burgess has a history of domestic violence dating back to 2013.
Acting for the father-of-two, Nick Strobl said his client knows there is “something wrong with him”.
“There is very little that can be said in mitigation,” he said. “He is aware his actions that night were a disgrace.
“He works hard and is respected at work, but there is clearly an issue about him in relationships. He told me today he knows there is something wrong with him and he has already taken action to address this while in custody so when he is released he can become a better person.”
Of the September 2 incident, Mr Strobl said: “He went to the property in a rage and damaged as much as he could. The dog was shocked but fine after the incident and no injuries were caused.”
Recorder David Harris said Burgess had previously received a suspended jail sentence for assault and harassment and breaching a restraining order, both in 2013; another suspended sentence in 2018 for criminal damage and threatening behaviour; and he served 12 weeks in prison for assaulting an ex-partner in 2019.
He told Burgess: “The pre-sentence report says there are a number of concerns. It says you need to feel in control and exertion of authority over others bolsters your self-esteem.
“It says you will use strangulation as a way to punish and regain control. The risk you pose to partners has escalated and the commission of these offences is your most grave to date.”
Sentencing | jailed for a total of three years and five months. Nine weeks were added for the animal cruelty charge to be served concurrently. Five-year restraining order, banning him from contacting his ex partner or her father.
On 27 November 2022 Wales Online published an article in which Burgess’s ex, Natasha Morgan ( Roxy’s owner) gave details of her and her dog’s ordeal at the hands of serial domestic abuser Rhys Burgess. The following extract describes the incident where Roxy was targeted by Burgess:
Natasha said Burgess knew her dad was terminally ill with cancer. She said he was aware that in May her father had been given a “few months to live”.
She continued: “As I was getting a towel for my dad’s head he was smashing up whatever he could. He tried to smash the glass in both the front and back doors but he wasn’t able to. He headbutted them so many times. He kicked the doors inside the house. Two doors downstairs had holes in them and one was completely falling off the hinges.
“He went into the living room where the dog was cowering. She’s a rescue so she’s afraid of any shouting and she would get afraid of him when he was angry. As he was shouting he shouted [at the dog]: ‘Oh, and you’ and he picked her up and threw her into the window. I thought she was going to go straight through the window. She bounced off and she didn’t know what to do – she looked so scared. Then she ran away. By the time the police came she was gone. I looked around as I thought she might have been in the garden and she wasn’t.”
Natasha said her dog had never run away before and she worried she might run into the road. However luckily the police found her and she was returned without any obvious injuries.
CONVICTED (2022) | donkey breeder Zoie Celena Burton, born April 1983, of 142 Heol Llanelli, Pontyates, Llanelli SA15 5UH – for cruelty to 24 donkeys one of whom had to be put to sleep.
Zoie Burton, co-owner of breeding business Donkeys of Wales with her mother Lynn Burton, who was not prosecuted, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
These were that she caused unnecessary suffering to 24 donkeys, by failing to ensure adequate hoof care for them and failing to provide a sustainable environment for 22 donkeys and a pony.
Burton was prosecuted following a multi-agency operation in February 2021 where 72 donkeys and one horse were taken into possession by police on welfare grounds..
There were around 100 equines on site during the warrant execution – and following veterinary examinations, 72 donkeys and one horse were taken into possession by police.
One donkey – a rare mammoth named Sue – was crippled by laminitis. After being examined by one of the vets on site, she was put to sleep by the owner’s own vet on welfare grounds.
In one barn, a skewbald female donkey was found with “deformed and twisted” overgrown hooves.
The vet statement said: “There was white line disease and thrush in all four feet due to lack of adequate hoof care and lack of suitable environment.”
A chestnut roan female mammoth donkey was found in the same barn, with its “right hoof rocking laterally due to the overgrowth.” She was weight shifting on her limbs when stood still, and was given pain relief to travel to the donkey sanctuary.
The donkeys were placed into the care of The Donkey Sanctuary, and the pony is now in the care of the RSPCA.
Following more than a year of patient rehabilitation, many of the donkeys are thriving, although some continue to require specialist care and treatment.
Since their arrival, 20 foals have been born to the pregnant mares among the group.
Sentencing | 18-week prison sentence – suspended for two years. 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days; £1,128 in costs and victim surcharge. 10-year ban on keeping equines.
We are advised that Zoie Burton was prosecuted by the RSPCA previously though no details of the case are available.
Donkeys of Wales (DoW) made the local papers in January 2020 in relation to the mis-selling of a pony named Arthur. DoW were ordered to pay £459 in compensation to a couple after they bought Arthur, who was misadvertised as a two-year-old colt in good condition. In reality, he was aged between 12 and 12 years and suffering severe dental problems.
Zoie and Lynn Burton have apparently been breeding and selling pygmy goats in the months leading up to the former’s conviction. They have several different usernames on various selling sites. Including Coco1960 and Poo Bear.
Known aliases for Zoie Burton are Nerys Rhys and Paula Howells.
Her partner Luke Alan Rees is also believed to be involved with DoW.
CONVICTED (2022) | Stephen Antony Fanstone, born 14 June 1965, of Heol Aneddfa, Pontyberem, Llanelli SA15 5AB – subjected three horses to at least three years of cruelty and neglect. All three animals put to sleep.
The RSPCA visited Parcnewydd Farm near Pontyberem in Carmarthenshire in April 2022 after it was contacted by charity World Horse Welfare, which had raised serious concerns about three horses being kept there.
On the farm, an inspector saw a chestnut gelding called Muffy and a grey mare called Rosie, both of whom were very thin with their hips, ribs and spines clearly visible.
Muffy weighed just 328 kg compared to the expected weight of between 500kg and 600kg for a horse of his breed and age, while Rosie was found to have an untreated melanoma in her mouth which had been ongoing for months or even years.
Another grey mare, Lily, was overweight and had such severely overgrown hooves that they had curled up off the ground and resembled what the RSPCA described as “Arabian slippers”.
A vet said the length of the hooves were the result of at least three years of growth and that Lily had been “neglected and caused unnecessary suffering for many years”.
The owner of the horses, Stephen Antony Fanstone, said he “hadn’t noticed” the terrible state his animals had got into.
Describing the visit to the farm, RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben, said: “The owner of the horses arrived on site and I explained to him that the animals were in a terrible state. He told me he attended daily and did not notice how poor the horses were and that he had been unable to get a farrier. I explained to him that I thought all of the horses were suffering and that an equine vet was on their way.”
After arriving at the farm, the vet said: “After a brief assessment it was clear that all three horses showed signs of long-term suffering. Muffy had areas of hair loss and crusting over the body, in particular the base of the neck, inner thigh region and around the hocks.
“Lice were visible in these areas and there were clear signs of malnutrition. There was no evidence of an attempt to treat the lice infestation and I would estimate the period of suffering to be at least three months and most likely longer
“Rosie had a poor coat over her entire body with obvious signs of malnutrition and there were signs suggesting the horse had been kept with inadequate shelter and no effort to treat her skin condition. Lily’s hooves appeared extremely overgrown and their condition was clearly inadequate. When questioned the owner had stated he had kept on top of trimming her hooves, but there was no evidence of recent attempts.”
Despite treatment, all three horses were in such poor condition that they were put down on the back of veterinary advice in order to prevent further suffering.
Fanstone admitted three animal welfare charges and was given an 18-week suspended prison sentence and five-year ban on keeping any animals.
Speaking after the case, inspector Hogben said: “It would have been obvious to anyone who was attending to these horses that they all needed urgent veterinary treatment, and if this had been administered sooner, they may still have been alive today. The neglect of these animals was shocking, yet their owner thought there was nothing wrong with them when concerns were first raised with him.
“I’d like to thank World Horse Welfare officer Tony Evans for his assistance with this investigation and his ongoing work to support equine welfare across the region.”
Sentencing | 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months; 20-hour Rehabilitation Activity Requirement; £528 in costs and surcharge. Five-year ban on keeping any animals (expires October 2027).
CONVICTED (2022) | Jamie Martin Bowen, born 27 April 1993, of 363 Violet Close, Newtown SY16 1HN – killed his girlfriend’s two cats by “punching them repeatedly”.
The injuries caused to Nala and Fuego by Bowen were so severe that the vet who treated them thought they could have only been caused by being hit by a vehicle.
Bowen admitted attacking the cats while “in a rage” and the court heard he had been through a period of mental health difficulties preceding the incident.
Two of Bowen’s cats. It’s not known if these are the cats that died.
One cat was already dead when Bowen and his partner took them to the veterinary practice, while the other had to be euthanised. He deemed both had been killed by blunt force trauma to the head and chest.
Bowen was said to have “become hysterical” and subsequently confessed to killing them both. He initially denied causing unnecessary suffering to the cats but later changed both pleas to guilty.
Prosecutor David Mainstone said the vet who treated Nala and Fuego became suspicious.
“The defendant and his partner had taken the two cats to Hafren Vets in Newtown, where the lead vet immediately saw one was dead, while the other was close to death,” he said.
“He spoke with the defendant and his partner to obtain consent to euthanise the cat as attempts to revive it were unsuccessful.
“The defendant said he had been struggling with his mental health and he admitted he’d killed the cats. The vet believed the cats must have been killed by being hit by a vehicle as their injuries were consistent with that sort of injury.”
He said the living cat had a fractured skull and injuries to its limbs.
Bowen later admitted he had punched the cats repeatedly in the head before calling his partner home to help him take them to the vets.
“He said he did not know why he’d done it and was not under the influence of drink or drugs at the time,” Mr Mainstone added.
“He said he had not taken his prescribed medication and this would have contributed to his actions. He said he did not intend to kill them.”
Bowen’s lawyer said his client had an “extremely gentle” side to his character. He told the court the couple have other cats, who are being cared for by the sister of Bowen’s partner.
Sentencing | eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Community mental health treatment requirement; 20 rehabilitation days; £656 in costs and charges. Banned from owning animals for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2022) | illegal dog breeder Ashleigh Price, born 8 January 1997, of 35 Parc Richard, Llwynhendy, near Llanelli SA14 9PF.
Price, a traveller, made tens of thousands of pounds in less than 18 months while claiming benefits. He sold the dogs on the Gumtree and Free Ads websites between April 2020 and November 2021.
In total he sold 10 litters in that period, despite it being illegal to advertise for sale three or more litters in any 12-month period without a dog breeding licence.
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding: Ashleigh and Courtney Price
The offences came to light when officers from Carmarthenshire Council were tipped off that Price had kennels in his garden, at Parc Richard in Llwynhendy, and visited the property. They checked with both Gumtree and Free Ads and discovered that four accounts had been set up in Price’s name, along with two in his wife Courtney Price’s name. Breeds advertised by the pair included Jack Russells, Labradors, cocker spaniels and West Highland terriers.
Most of the adverts stated the puppies for sale were family pets, and Price pocketed himself between £34,000 and £57,000 in the 16-month period in question.
Price told the court he wanted to make more money due to the fact that he only earned £120 a week in benefits.
He also said that he acted alone in the scheme and that he in fact set up the online accounts that were in both his and his wife’s name, and claimed that some of the dogs were in fact given away to family and friends.
Price claimed that he kept no record of how much the dogs were actually sold for.
Sentencing | fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £750 and a victim surcharge of £50.
CONVICTED (2022) | Linda Jones, born c. 1972, of Gwelfor, Llanelli SA14 9NT – allowed her dog’s fur to become so matted it stopped the blood supply on one of her legs.
Linda Jones told an RSPCA inspector there was ‘nothing wrong’ with her dog, Trixie, but a vet said she was in visible pain and had to be sedated just to be examined
Terrier Trixie’s condition was so bad that part of her skin had been “cheese wired” by bands of hair and matting which had cut into the flesh. This then cut off the blood supply to Trixie’s lower leg and caused the skin on her foot to turn black..
Her coat was also so severely matted in places that she could not even see properly.
The neglect was only discovered when her owner, Linda Jones, took her to the PDSA in Swansea in January 2022, where vets made the difficult decision to put her to sleep on welfare grounds.
The PDSA reported the matter to the RSPCA and Inspector Keith Hogben visited Jones’s home on January 11, 2022, to question her about Trixie’s poor condition.
Jones denied the allegation that Trixie was neglected and said there was nothing wrong with the dog. She claimed that her paw had been bad for just two weeks and that she intended to have the dog’s coat dealt with once her foot had been treated and healed.
The PDSA vet who examined Trixie said the damage had taken place over a longer period, however. They noted she was non-weight bearing on her left front leg, which was foul smelling, and that she was anxious and in visible pain.
Evidence read out in court from the vet said: “I was able to see the skin had been ‘cheese wired’ by the bands of hair and matting and had cut into the flesh revealing her flexor tendons and underlying fascia.
“It was also possible to see bone when the limb was flexed.
“The hair I was able to remove around her pads and toes revealed black, cold skin that was becoming necrotic. I believe this is what was causing the smell… Unfortunately this had cut off the vasculature to the distal limb which had died off.
“Mrs Jones advised that the duration of lameness was about a week, suggesting Trixie had been painful enough to not use the limb for that time as a minimum.
“In my opinion the changes to the limb had likely happened over a longer period of probably at least three weeks.
“This is not taking into account the discomfort Trixie would have been in with a heavily matted coat, which was likely of at least three months duration.”
In the face of damning evidence against herm Jones changed her plea to guilty in relation to causing “unnecessary suffering” to Trixie between 5 October 2021 and 5 January 5 2022.
Following the conclusion of the case, RSPCA Inspector Hogben said: “Sadly the basic needs of this little dog had not been met. She hadn’t been groomed regularly which resulted in a severely matted coat and a leg injury that couldn’t be treated in time to save Trixie’s life.”
Sentencing | eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months; 10 days of rehabilitation; £428 in costs and victim surcharge. Banned from keeping any animals for 10 years.
#MostEvil | former soldier Joshua James Norman, born 4 May 1996, of Lowless Close, Pembroke SA71 5QL – attacked his pet dog with a knife and a blunt object.
Former paratrooper Josh Norman stabbed Simba with a kitchen knife and beat him with a blunt object.
Norman stabbed chocolate Labrador Simba in the neck with a large knife before repeatedly beating him to the head and body with a heavy object. The dog was found cowering, whimpering and bleeding heavily in the bathroom of Norman’s flat.
The court heard that on March 5, 2022, Norman was in contact with an ex-partner by phone, and told her he was going to take his own life.
Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said the woman was concerned about what was going on and so went to the Pembroke Dock flat where Norman was temporarily living. The court heard the ex-partner described the flat as “looking like a bomb had hit it” with clothes and other objects strew around, windows smashed and curtains pulled down, dog faeces and patches of urine on the floors, and blood smeared on the walls.
The woman found Simba lying on the bathroom flat in a pool of blood and in a distressed state, with an open wound in the shoulder and neck area. The ex-partner subsequently contacted the police who attended the flat and arrested the defendant. In the flat officers found a knife with a 13 cm blade which was covered in blood and black hair, a hammer, and a small quantity of cannabis.
Simba was taken to the vet where, due to the seriousness of his injuries, he had to be sedated. An examination of the dog found a 10cm-deep wound in the shoulder and neck area along with extensive bruising and swelling around the eyes, and multiple traumatic blunt force injuries to the head and body. The dog is now in the care of an animal charity.
In a subsequent interview Norman said he had drunk a litre of vodka, half a bottle of gin, and cans of lager and did not know what he had done – though he denied hitting the dog with a hammer The court heard he refused to look at pictures of the injuries inflicted on the animal.
Simba made a remarkable recovery in the care of Greenacres Rescue and has now been adopted.
Norman pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, criminal damage, and possession of cannabis.
Dyfed Thomas, for Norman, said the defendant had served in the Army – on his client’s instructions with 2 Para – though his service “did not end well” as he failed a drugs test, went absent without leave, and was then discharged. He said Norman had been experiencing mental health difficulties including post-traumatic stress disorder, and had been abusing alcohol and controlled drugs but was now, in his client’s own words, the “cleanest” he had been in the last two-and-a-half years. The barrister acknowledged the attack on the dog had been “awful and nasty” but said the context of it was the defendant’s mental health and drink and drug issues.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Norman he had committed a “gratuitous and cowardly attack on a defenceless animal”, and said any sentence other than one of immediate custody would not be appropriate.
Sentencing | 10 months in prison comprising 10 months for the animal offence, one month for the criminal damage, and one month for the drug matter all to run concurrently. Five-year ban on owning a domestic animal (expires April 2027).
CONVICTED (2022) | farmer Richard Scarfe, born 9 February 1981, of Park Street, Pembroke Dock SA72 – convicted of numerous charges relating to animal welfare and farm practice violations.
Richard Scarfe. Picture: Facebook.
Scarfe left pigs, goats, donkeys, bovines and sheep in wretched conditions and often without clean drinking water or food. Scarfe is the owner of four-acre site Highland View Fold, The Ridgway, Lamphey, where the offences took place. The premises also operates as a holiday campsite.
Animals on Richard Scarfe’s farm were found in a distressed state, covered in mud and with a lack of shelter.
The offences occurred between 2019 and 2021. During this period animal welfare inspectors from the local authority, police officers and, on occasion, Animal and Plant Health Agency officials, made repeated visits to the site and warned Scarfe about the condition of his animals.
Pembrokeshire County Council bought the case to court after describing what they witness on the farm, pigs lying in muddy pens, four animal carcasses found in fields, soiled bedding, dirty water.
On March 4, 2021, there was a plan to seize animals, but this was scuppered when Scarfe sent out a message on Facebook telling people that his animals were going to be taken for no reason.
Eventually 30 to 40 people showed up on the farm and blocked police attempts to seize the animals.
Richard Scarfe with partner Ceri Brodie. Picture: Facebook.
Scarfe, who had eight years’ experience of livestock management after working in asbestos removal, claimed he was being harassed by inspectors.
His defence solicitor said her client loved the animals and did his best for them.
She gave a defence answer for each claim, saying the dead animals found in the field were left there temporarily due to being unable to be moved because of a broken tractor.
On pigs being hungry, she claimed the pigs were only needed to be fed once a day.
Water troughs being dirty was because the water was caught off the roof and had a muddied appearance.
Scarfe pleaded guilty to the images shown in court however, said he had changed his working practices and improved the conditions.
District Judge Christopher James was left shocked animals were left in Scarfe’s care.
He said: “I have seen in the report that you think you have not done anything wrong and you were advised to plead guilty, which shows contempt and arrogance.
“[These offences] are partly motivated commercially and partly by you wanting to provide for your family.
“I note that there has been points of incompetence rather than neglect. Nevertheless the number of animals involved and the images seen are particularly serious.”
Scarfe and Brodie also operate a public campsite from Highland Fold View in Lamphey., Pembrokeshire Picture: Facebook.
The judge added that Scarfe “had numerous opportunities throughout this time to address” the issues.
He continued: “It is clear that the greater harm category is met, given that there have been a number of deaths to animals and a high level of suffering caused over a sustained period.
“The level of suffering over an elongated period where you thought you were doing your best is simply not good enough.
“It is clear you do not have the means or experience to meet the minimum standards expected of animals in your care. I am surprised animals were left with you.”
Sentencing: 17 prison sentences to run concurrent at a total of 14 weeks, suspended for two years; 240 hours of unpaid work. Disqualified from owning livestock or participating in keeping them for five years in respect to goats, donkeys, bovines, sheep and pigs.
The Western Telegraph reported that nearly 100 animals were seized from a farm at the Ridgeway, Lamphey, Pembrokeshire due to concerns over animal welfare, A man believed to Richard Scarfe was arrested.
Dyfed-Powys Police, the RSPCA, and inspectors from Pembrokeshire’s animal health and welfare team were called to the scene on Tuesday, April 18. 2023.
In total, 94 animals were removed: one cow, five dogs, 19 various poultry, 26 sheep and 43 pigs.
Animal health officers from Pembrokeshire County Council visited the land, and acted after vets issued a Section 18 determination – meaning the animals were suffering or were likely to suffer if they were not removed.
All of the animals were taken to safety where their veterinary needs were assessed and their care be monitored.
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of breaching a disqualification order which had been made under the Animal Welfare Act.
A spokesperson for the force said: “On Tuesday, April 18, Dyfed-Powys Police Rural Crime Team Officers assisted RSPCA, Pembrokeshire Animal Health and Welfare Inspectors with the seizure of a number of animals at an address in Lamphey, Pembrokeshire.
“A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of breaching a disqualification order under the Animal Welfare Act.
“He has since been released under investigation.”
A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesperson said that further proceedings will now follow.
Cllr Michelle Bateman, cabinet member for housing operations and regulatory services, said: “I commend the actions of council officers and partners to remove these animals, prevent suffering and protect their welfare.
“I hope this action will serve as a deterrent to others that Pembrokeshire County Council will act decisively where serious cases of animal neglect and suffering arise.”
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
