CONVICTED (2024) | serial animal abuser Liam Reece Aiden Swift, born c. 2001, of McCrea Park, Clogher BT76 0AE – killed two dogs and is suspected of the brutal slaying of a third.
Violent career criminal Liam Swift admitted cruelty offences after two dogs were found dead.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on October 5, 2023, then to another dog on November 12, 2023.
Swift was under investigation for the death of a third dog who had been found with “horrific injuries” several months beforehand.
Dungannon Magistrates Court heard how Swift was arrested over a bail breach on November 11 and, because police knew he owned a dog, they attended his home to ensure she had food and water.
Officers found faeces everywhere and, when the dog didn’t appear, they began checking rooms.
The dog was discovered dead on a pile of rubbish in a cupboard, a chain tightly wrapped around her neck, cutting into the skin.
Then on November 15 police learned there was a second dead dog hidden in a hedge near Swift’s home.
A search revealed the decomposing body of a small dog wrapped in a blanket and placed in a bag.
Swift’s partner confirmed the small dog was hers and she had brought her to Swift’s home on September 23 while staying with him.
She claimed on October 5 another male arrived at the property and ecstasy tablets were produced, which fell on the floor, with her unnamed dog ingesting them.
The dog “became hyper” then fell asleep. However, she later noticed the dog was very wet and asked Swift if he had thrown water over her, which he denied.
The partner left the house for a time but later received a call from Swift claiming he couldn’t waken the dog and she “was in a bad way”.
On return she found the animal “cold and dead”.
She wrapped the dog in a blanket and the pair went outside to bury her. They had no shovel, however, so left the body in the hedge.
Two weeks after the death of this dog, the defendant purchased another dog, but contacted his partner on November 10 claiming he had run away.
The court heard: “This was the death of two dogs killed inside a month and the third dog within a year.
“There is already a live investigation into the death of another dog he allegedly killed in January 2023. Its injuries were horrific.”
A defence barrister said his client had a troubled and complex background. He said that while Swift had some family support, “that has been significantly displaced, particularly as a result of the visceral reaction from the community to these charges”.
“Those who operate outside the law have indicated to the defendant, in no uncertain terms, that he is not to return to his property in light of the views taken.
“Offending of this type will follow him around for the rest of his life.”
The defence conceded Swift is in breach of two suspended sentences but pointed out that neither relate to animal cruelty.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan remarked: “These dogs died horrible and potentially prolonged deaths. It was extreme cruelty to animals who do not deserve to be treated by anybody like that. Cruelty at its most apparent. It was appalling behaviour.”
The judge concluded: “It is my understanding that I can make the disqualification order banning owning any animal for life and that is what I will do. This man should not be around any animal going forward.”
Sentencing | eight-month custodial for the animal cruelty offences with a further two months added for the previously suspended sentences. Lifetime ban in relation to all animals.
Facebook animal welfare group Northern Ireland’s Voice for the Voiceless were contacted late last year by a Clogher resident after they published details of the Liam Swift’s prosecution. The resident set out in detail the nature of Swift’s cruelty to dogs.
CONVICTED (2024) | John Cameron Lindop, born 20 March 2000, of 7 Albion Hill, Epworth, Doncaster DN9 1HU* but with family links to Gainsborough, and Lucy Elizabeth Melrose, born 20 June 2000, of Hawthorne Road, Ferryhill DL17 9DP but originally from Gateshead – killed and burned a puppy and abused other animals in a campaign of horrific cruelty.
John Lindop and Lucy Melrose were convicted of a litany of cruelty offences against numerous animals including three dogs, one of whom was sadistically killed by one or both defendants, a chicken and a Shetland pony
John Lindop and Lucy Melrose committed a series of sickening offences against defenceless animals. These included killing a puppy and burning the remains, beating a second dog, riding a small lame pony, and setting a dog on a chicken while filming the carnage.
At the time the pair lived together in a flat in Fifth Street, Horden, County Durham.
It was said in court that the pair were in a tempestuous relationship and took out their frustrations on their pets.
Lurcher Max, who was described as subdued and withdrawn, had suffered injuries to his abdomen. He required treatment by the PDSA for muscular damage and other injuries
They appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday 16 February 2024 and were given suspended prison sentences.
The crimes came to light following an RSPCA investigation led by Inspector Clare Wilson, which spanned two years and involved multiple animals.
The charity was first alerted to the couple in February 2022 when a member of the public contacted the RSPCA after bringing Max, a lurcher they had recently rehomed, into the PDSA Gateshead with injuries to his abdomen, and blood in his urine.
Inspector Clare Wilson said: “Max was very subdued and withdrawn, he was hanging his head and was attached to drips when I first saw him.
“I immediately noticed that his muzzle was very swollen as was his right side near his shoulder. There was blood visible in the white of his right eye too. I was told that he had been weeing blood.
“There was bruising visible on his abdomen and sheath and there were blood marks on his legs and I saw old scars on his rear legs near his feet. His nails were not scuffed as we would expect if he had been hit by a car so the vet told me that they thought he had been beaten or kicked.”
The member of the public who brought the dog into the vets had rehomed him from Melrose and Lindop the day before and she had brought the lurcher to the vets as soon as she realised he was injured.
Tally had inflammation of an ear which should have been treated by a vet
A vet report found Max had suffered blunt force trauma injuries, brought on by physical abuse.
The report said: “Max was bleeding from both nostrils which were dripping blood. He had soft tissue swelling around his left eye and bruising on his neck. He also had visible bruising and swelling on both sides of his ribs and thighs and heavy bruising on his abdomen. The injuries suffered by Max are consistent with low energy impacts, such as kicking, being hit by fists, or thrown from a few metres down or falling down the stairs.
“Out of each of these scenarios it is my opinion that being kicked is most likely due to the placement of all his injuries. In my opinion, he has been hit or kicked to the muzzle and kicked repeatedly – possibly multiple times to his abdomen as bruising and injuries were more extensive there.”
When interviewed, Melrose claimed that Lindop had, “kicked him like a football and stamped on his head.”
It was later revealed that during the investigation, the couple had hid other dogs from the RSPCA, including a lurcher called Bambi and a German Shepherd dog called Tally.
Melrose later showed these dogs to the RSPCA’s investigating officer. Tally was underweight and her right ear was crooked and inflamed with a severe ear infection.
Durham Crown Court heard how the vet found Tally suffered due to the ear condition which would have caused irritation and pain for at least 10 days or longer.
A report stated that the person responsible for Tally had failed to seek veterinary advice for her ear condition and therefore had failed in protecting her from pain and suffering.
During the investigation, Melrose’s phone was seized and found to contain shocking videos depicting more animal welfare offences. This included Bambi, a fawn coloured lurcher, being baited and set on a chicken. Lindop claimed Melrose was responsible for this but “accepted he found it funny at the time, but did not know if the chicken had died as he had gone to the chip shop”.
A video on Melrose’s phone showed her riding a lame Shetland pony called Dinky, who was much too small for her
A series of other videos on her phone showed Melrose riding a Shetland pony called Dinky who was struggling under the weight of carrying her and was clearly lame in one leg.
Analysis of the videos by a vet revealed: “The female was far too large for both the saddle and the pony and as a result her body overhangs the back and sides of the saddle. The female is carrying a whip in her right hand and trying to force the pony to trot forwards.”
The 16-second video showed her hitting the pony with a stick 10 times.
The pony tries to avoid having to move forward and only moves forward at a trot once she has been repeatedly smacked with the whip and this is due to the fear and pain of being hit. The mouth of the pony is often open due to her discomfort and the pony is visibly lame on the right forelimb.
Text messages between Lindop and his mother were also discovered in which Lindop asks “If a dog’s been hit and nearly dead am I not in the right to finish it off so it’s not in pain or does that mean I killed it?”.
With the reply: “She killed it, you put it out its misery but you would both get done as should have been done by a vet humanely.”
Lindop then replied to his mother: “Won’t find it now like coz burnt it (sic).”
The burned remains of Welsh herder puppy Hades were found on scrubland near a railway line in Horden, County Durham
The charred remains of Hades, a 12 week old Welsh Herder puppy, were also found close to a railway line in an area of scrubland in Hordon, Peterlee, where there were burnt patches on the ground and fragments of Hades’ bones were discovered by the RSPCA.
Lindop claimed in graphic detail that Melrose had killed him whilst Melrose told investigators that Lindop had “hung him from a door until he was brain dead.”
The prosecution said they were unable to say who killed Hades but the method of his death was “sadistic” and involved him being hung from a door and killed with a hammer.
Lindop, whom it was said in court is living with his family in Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Melrose admitted two counts each of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and permitting or failing to stop unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, plus one of causing an animal fight to take place by baiting a chicken with a dog.
In mitigation, the court heard how the pair had challenging backgrounds and it was felt that rehabilitation is possible, given their young age.
Philip Morley, for Lindop, said he was, “not a sophisticated man”, having had “limited education” and is thought to suffer with an undiagnosed learning difficulty.
He said despite that, he has held down a variety of jobs and, “largely kept out of trouble”.
Mr Morley said at one stage Lindop formed a relationship with Melrose which he described as “toxic” and for which there is, now, no prospect of any reconciliation.
“It was clearly an unhealthy relationship for either party and not a good environment for those animals to be kept in.
“He’s deeply sorry and ashamed for what happened.
“The relationship got on top of him and he clearly took his eye off the ball.
“Both have now moved on and he has a new life in Gainsborough, working with his step-father in roofing and window cleaning.”
Mr Morley said, ironically, Lindop has a background of looking after animals and won a number of rosettes for training dogs in his younger days,
But he added that his client does not accept responsibility for the death of Hades, for which he has shown “genuine upset and remorse.”
Aspiring Only Fans skank Melrose shows off her tacky tattoos
Katie Spence, for Melrose, said her previous employment involved working with animals, but the entire experience of what went on during her relationship with Lindop has put her off any future involvement, regardless of the punishment and bars put on her by the court.
“She is extremely remorseful for any behaviour and wishes she had dome more than she did in these circumstances (to prevent it).”
Judge Peter Armstrong also mentioned mental health issues and commented that Lindop was now in a secure relationship with a baby on the way.
He said due to their age, their immaturity, and lack of previous offences, he was “just” able to suspend the inevitable prison sentences on both defendants.
He said, given the volatile relationship the pair were involved in, “I suspect you were taking out your frustrations on these animals in your welfare.”
He said he would not try to pinpoint who was primarily responsible for, “this catalogue of most unpleasant offending.”
Speaking about the case, RSPCA Inspector Clare Wilson, said: “This has been the most challenging case of my career so far and has been extremely distressing to investigate. It is clear that many animals suffered untold pain and mental torture at the hands of these defendants and I am immensely relieved that they will not be permitted to care for animals again for a long time.”
The RSPCA said Dinky was owned by a third party and is doing better now after recovering from her mistreatment. The dogs were brought into the care of RSPCA Felledge Animal Centre in Chester-le-Street where they have now been rehomed.
Sentencing | each were given 16-month prison sentences, suspended for two years. Both will undergo 40 days of rehabilitation and Lindop was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Both were disqualified from keeping all animals for 15 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Kevin Vivers, born 1965, with a last known address of Dalling Avenue, Bathgate EH48 2SB – for a catalogue of animal cruelty offences, rapes and sexual assaults over 36 years.
Vivers originally denied a series of charges, but was convicted of 27 crimes, including five animal cruelty offences alongside nine rape charges, seven assaults, and four sexual assaults.
His crimes in West Lothian and Stirlingshire spanned from when he was still a teenager in 1985 until 2021.
Vivers killed animals and subjected seven female victims, including a minor aged 13/14, to assaults, sexual assaults and rapes.
His first episode of animal cruelty was in 1985 when he began repeatedly punching a dog and kicking a cat.
In or around 2012 he attacked two dogs by lifting them by their collars, hitting them with sticks and kicking them.
In or around 1993 in Bathgate he killed two dogs by shooting one animal and slitting the throat of the other.
Vivers also apparently used dogs to hunt rabbits, deer and foxes and also allegedly drowned dogs.
A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh imposed a lifelong restriction order on Vivers and said he must serve a minimum of 10 years in prison.
Lord Lake told Vivers: “I must make it clear this does not mean you will be released automatically at the end of that period.”
He told the sex offender he would only ever be freed from jail if parole authorities were satisfied his release would not endanger public safety.
Expert reports prepared on Vivers concluded that he presented a high risk.
Lord Lake told him: “Your offences are of a serious kind, even when taken individually. When considered together they show a depraved course of conduct.”
He told the court via a video link to prison: “I have been penalised for something that is well and truly unproved.”
Det Ch Insp Steven McMillan said: “This was a difficult case due to the horrendous nature of Vivers’s crimes and the sickening animal abuse, which spanned so many years.
“I want to make it clear to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse that there is no time limit on when you can report these crimes. I would encourage any victims to come forward and report it to police.”
Vivers has been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Lord Lake also made orders prohibiting Vivers from directly or indirectly contacting his victims.
Sentencing | lifelong restriction order with minimum 10 years to be served behind bars.
CONVICTED (2024) | Daniel Bayley, born c. 1981, formerly of Kidlington, Oxfordshire, but now no fixed abode – caught hitting his pet dog and dragging him by the collar.
Bayley pleaded guilty to hitting the dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Bailey, and intentionally sitting on him.
He was also seen dragging the dog by his collar.
It was ordered the dog was removed from Bayley, now of no fixed abode, and he was banned from owning an animal for five years.
He was also fined £200. There were court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.
CONVICTED (2024) | sadistic thug Byron Bayliss, born 14 November 2002, of Dover Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton but with links to Dudley – systematically beat and tortured a puppy over several months, ultimately resulting in the animal’s death.
Sick puppy killer Byron Bayliss from Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Bayliss tortured’ the six-month-old terrier, Shadow, to death and buried his remains in the garden.
His body was recovered by police and found to have extensive injuries.
Bayliss was prosecuted by the RSPCA and admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The abuse took place between October 2022 and February 2023.
The police and RSPCA attended an address at Merrick Road, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton to investigate.
Bayliss’s mobile phone was seized and revealed he had made Google searches including ‘is it illegal to abandon a dog uk’, ‘is it illegal to leave a dog uk’ and ‘is it illegal to kill a dog uk’.
A post-mortem found Shadow had sustained extensive blunt force trauma with tears and bleeding to multiple internal organs including the liver, right kidney, lungs, diaphragm, heart sack and left heart chamber.
His vertebral column had completely dislocated.
A vet report concluded: “Shadow sustained severe blunt force trauma most likely due to being beaten.
“There was also evidence of healing processes in several areas of the body suggesting that Shadow had been beaten in the past, before the beating that caused his death.
“There is radiographic evidence of at least one historic rib fracture which shows healing that I estimate to be at least four weeks old, possibly older. There are radiographic signs of a fractured lumbar vertebra and a suspected healed fracture to the left front leg.
“He likely died following a sustained beating with multiple blows to different parts of the body that caused multiple internal bleeds and dislocation of vertebrae in his chest spine. The force of the blunt trauma would have been very severe to have caused these injuries and would have caused severe pain and extreme distress.”
In mitigation, the court heard Bayliss was of previous good character, was ‘immature’ and had ‘untreated’ mental health issues due to ‘previous traumatic events’.
Judge Avik Mukherjee said: “Shadow was a six-month-old terrier puppy. For almost all of his life you frankly tortured him.
He ruled against suspending imprisonment and concluded Bayliss must be jailed immediately.
He said: “There is no evidence of a realistic prospect of rehabilitation at present. I’m afraid appropriate punishment for an offence of this nature can only be served by way of immediate custody.
“A deterrent sentence must be passed in cases of this sort. This offence is as serious a case of this nature as there can be.”
“It is difficult to find a different verb to describe what you did to him. I have concluded your behaviour was sadistic. That is someone who gains pleasure from inflicting pain.
“It was prolonged. You showed no remorse at the end of each attack. You repeated your behaviour over many weeks. They became more severe, more merciless.
“It’s impossible to imagine how Shadow felt over his short life. I can’t imagine a case of this nature that could be more serious.”
Sentencing | 21 month custodial. Banned from keeping animals for 20 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | brothers Kristen Christopher Cooper, born 2 May 1999, and Todd James Edward Cooper, born c. 1994, of 24 Westbury Close, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8AZ* – tortured wild animals to death and filmed their agonies.
Sadistic brothers Kristen Cooper (left) and Todd Cooper
Career criminal brothers Kristen and Todd Cooper, who are gypsies, made a series of sick videos showing hares and deer being abused and mutilated.
During one depraved incident, the pair mutilated the genitalia of a deer – to the extent that officials could not tell if the animal was male and female – and stabbed another in the eye on camera, causing an ‘extreme level of suffering’.
In another twisted video they held a hare by his head and encouraged a dog to bite him.
A vet reviewing the videos as part of the investigation described the footage, filmed in 2021 and 2022, as the “worst case of animal abuse” he had seen in his 24-year career.
“These images will stay with me forever,” he said.
Other videos showed deer being dragged by their antlers having appeared to have suffered spinal injuries from possibly being hit by a car, with one piece of footage showing a man raising a wooden object above a helpless deer’s head as if he was going to strike it.
The brothers were caught after police seized a phone containing the shocking videos.
Kristen Cooper was charged with seven counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal with Todd Cooper being accused of one count.
But after appearing at the crown court for these offences and being released on bail, just days later the pair were apprehended again after attacking a mother and her son outside a Co-Op in Betsy Lane in Bransgore on March 4, 2023.
In a video shown in court, the pair can be seen with a third unknown man, ramming another car before getting out and attacking the vehicle with a catapult, a crowbar and a baseball bat.
The victims of the attack later gave evidence at trial with the mother saying she “genuinely believed they wanted to kill us”.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said the animal abuse was “sadistic” adding that the animals were in “distress and suffering”.
Aleks Lloyd, defending Kristen – who has eight convictions for ten offences – said this is the first time his client has been in custody adding that he “appears to be getting his head down and getting on with it”.
Ruba Huleihel defending Todd, who has 24 convictions for 52 offences, said her client has ADHD and was exposed to violence from a very young age.
Judge Peter Henry sentenced the pair for a variety of offences committed in the New Forest and in Dorset, including actual bodily harm, criminal damage and threatening a person with an offensive weapon.
He said: “One would have thought that both of you being brought up in the New Forest you would have had more respect for such defenceless creatures.
“It was being filmed, other people were present and other people seemed to find it all very amusing.”
Both men were given restraining orders banning them from ever contacting the mother and son they attacked ever again.
This image shows the Cooper brothers and an as yet unidentified accomplice participating in hare coursing, a cruel sport in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and turn a hare
Police Constable Sebastian Haggett, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team – who led the case alongside Hampshire police – said after the sentencing: “These are without doubt some of the most horrifying offences I have ever investigated.”
Angharad Thomas, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “The level of cruelty displayed in this case is beyond comprehension and the brothers showed an inexplicable disregard for the welfare of these animals peacefully existing in the wild.
“An expert witness for the prosecution described the actions of Kristen and Todd Cooper as the worst case of animal abuse they had ever come across in their 24-year veterinary career.
“The CPS welcomes today’s sentence and hopes it sends a clear message that we will continue to work with the police to bring offenders of these disturbing crimes to justice.”
Sentencing | Kristen Cooper: jailed for five years; 10-year criminal behaviour order. Banned from owning a dog for ten years. Todd Cooper- jailed for three years and eight months.
CONVICTED (2024) | Liam Talbot, born 1996, of 28 Rowan Road, Weaverham, Northwich CW8 3DU – forced dogs to fight foxes and badgers to the death.
Talbot pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
He admitted making dogs fights with foxes and badgers, causing three dogs to fight with wild animals and taking and killing a badger.
Images produced in the prosecution against wildlife killer Liam Talbot
He also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a bull lurcher cross-type dog named Cid by failing to provide vet care and attention for an injury to his upper left canine tooth.
The animal fights were uncovered through Talbot’s social media posts, with Talbot uploading compilation videos of images to TikTok.
These videos were found as a result of investigations by The Naturewatch Foundation and were subsequently passed across to the police and RSPCA.
One video showed images of a person with a lamp at their waist, holding a black and white Lurcher-type dog by the collar with his left hand and a fox in his right hand.
The compilation video also shows images of a person holding up a fox whilst with a black and white Lurcher-type dog; while another person is shown holding a Lurcher-type dog on a lead in his right hand and a fox in his left hand. The fox has an injury to its hindquarters.
Another TikTok compilation videos show three dogs attacking a fox, two dogs attacking a badger, and other images of foxes and dogs.
A police warrant took place at Wolvesley Place in Winsford on February 22, 2023, during which two dogs belonging to Talbot were found.
Pepper, a nine-year-old female tan bull lurcher and Cid a nine-year-old male black bull lurcher, both had scarring to their faces and chests and were present in the digital evidence presented to the court.
A written statement from an expert veterinary surgeon said they had examined several videos that showed a ‘number of dogs in circumstances suggestive of those dogs being used for the purpose of hunting wild mammals’.
In his conclusions, he said Cid would have suffered as a consequence of an injury to the left upper canine tooth.
He said: “Once removed the tooth was described as being rotten, suggesting a timescale of at least 10 days, probably longer.”
After viewing video footage he said that both Pepper and Cid were “repeatedly placed in circumstances that exposed them to injury by fighting with wild mammals such as a fox and/or badger.
He added: “The skin scars found to be present on both of these dogs are consistent with injury via such a mechanism.”
Sec 8 Animal Welfare Act, animal fight (dogs/badgers and dogs/foxes)
Sec 9 Animal Welfare Act for three dogs causing them to fight with wild animals)
Protection Of Badgers Act Sec1 and 2 for taking and killing a badger.
Pepper and Cid were officially handed over to the RSPCA and will now be rehomed.
Speaking about the case, Chief inspector Ian Muttit, from the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU), said: “Badger baiting has been illegal for more than 180 years, yet we still find people spending their time inflicting sickening pain, suffering and misery on animals in this way.
“It is also horrifying to see that perpetrators are then creating videos glorifying attacks on wildlife and flagrantly posting them on social media for others to view.
“We will continue to stand up for animals involved in wildlife persecution and for the dogs often caught up in these horrifying attacks.
“We would very much like to thank The Naturewatch Foundation for their initial investigations and also Cheshire Police.”
Sentencing | 16-week custodial, suspended for 18 months; community order with 25 hours of rehabilitation; six-month mental health treatment requirement; £500 costs, £154 victim surcharge. Disqualified from keeping all animals for three years (expires January 2027).
CONVICTED (2023) | Jay Joseph Patrick Mayor-Carty, born December 1995, of Hedge Lane, Palmers Green, Enfield N13, but with links to Lower Edmonton, London and Southampton – filmed slamming a dog onto a balcony floor.
Kobe was nursed back to health in the RSPCA’s care and returned to his owner after she and Jay Mayor-Carty had gone their separate ways
Mayor-Carty, a former company director and self-styled “entrepreneur”, was found guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court of causing unnecessary suffering to a French bulldog called Kobe.
The RSPCA was called in after Mayor-Carty was filmed slamming the dog down onto a balcony floor at Waldegrave Point, Green Street, Park Royal, Willesden, three times and possibly stamping on the dog on August 6, 2022.
When RSPCA Inspector Francesca Tambini arrived at the address later that day, Kobe was present
Kobe belonged to Mayor-Carty’s then girlfriend, but he was apparently looking after him while she was away for a few days.
Kobe appeared to have very red eyes, which Mayor-Carty claimed was due to heatstroke.
Suspecting a more sinister reason Inspector Tambini attended with police the next day to take the dog to the vet.
When the inspector and police arrived, the dog’s owner had since returned and said Kobe was being treated for skin allergies.
The vet confirmed that the haemorrhaging and swelling of Kobe’s eyes were not consistent with heatstroke or allergies, and that he was fearful and head shy when being examined.
The vet suspected injuries caused by blunt force trauma and concluded that he had suffered for a number of days.
An expert vet confirmed that the severity of the injuries was not consistent with an allergy, heatstroke or the dog running into another dog or hard object.
He added: “In my opinion Kobe was caused to suffer due to the person responsible for the welfare of this animal failing to seek prompt veterinary advice regarding the eye condition.”
Mayor-Carty and Kobe’s owner have since split up and Kobe was returned to her following recovery.
The RSPCA said Mayor-Carty denied slamming the dog into the balcony three times but accepted that he was found guilty of this.
Inspector Tambini said: “This was an awful case, Kobe had suffered terrible cruelty at the hands of a man who was supposed to be caring for him while his owner was absent.
“His owner had no idea that her partner was capable of such a violent act.
“Witnesses described seeing him being slammed onto the ground three times and possibly stamped on.
“His injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma and it’s clear he would have suffered, especially given the lack of vet attention following the incident.
“We’re pleased that Kobe is now safe.”
Sentencing | 12 month community order, with 150 hours of unpaid work and 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.Banned from keeping pets for ten years (expires December 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | Lucas Slim-Fitzpatrick born 6 November 1996, most recently of Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare but with links to Plymouth, Saltash, Taunton and Wolverhampton – subjected an bull-breed puppy to a catalogue of violence.
Slim-Fitzpatrick, who promotes himself on TikTok as a mental health expert and also likes to showcase his ‘kindness’ to homeless people, was prosecuted by the RSPCA for assaulting and neglecting the 10-month-old bull-breed called Luna in Plymouth between June 1 and December 1, 2022,
He pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on December 7, 2023.
He inflicted “blunt force trauma, physical violence and multiple injuries of a non-accidental nature”.
Luna was repeatedly beaten and suffered multiple fractures during her time with sadistic Lucas Slim-Fitpatrick
He also failed to take steps to ensure the needs of Luna were met by not protecting her from “pain, suffering and injury and disease” and failed to provide “proper and necessary veterinary care and attention” for her injuries.
A vet who examined Luna said the dog had suffered blunt force trauma injuries in at least three separate incidents.
The RSPCA was shown doorbell footage from November 30, 2022 which showed Slim-Fitzpatrick riding his electric scooter in Mutley. while holding onto the lead of the dog, who was trying to follow behind.
A witness who contacted the police said he heard an animal in distress at the back of Slim-Fitzpatrick’s former address in Greenbank Road in Plymouth minutes later, the RSPCA said.
The court was told the witness saw Slim-Fitzpatrick “staggering around” on the scooter while talking aggressively to the dog before picking her up with both hands and throwing her six feet in the direction of a wall. He was later arrested.
When he was interviewed by police in December 2022, the defendant claimed Luna’s injuries – a broken left hip and pelvis, fractured jaw, cheekbone and wrists, three broken ribs, three broken teeth and a bloodshot eye – were caused by Luna being hit by a car and kicked by a horse.
He said her bloodshot eye was the result of her being attacked by a Jack Russell dog.
But RSPCA prosecutor Gregory Gordon told the court: “Expert veterinary evidence disproved the defendant’s various claims of accidental injury to Luna. For example, if she had been struck by a vehicle, there would have been evidence of skin abrasions or lacerations, and grit or oil in her hair.
“Radiographs indicated Luna’s different fractures were at different stages of healing, meaning that the injuries occurred on different dates. It has not been possible to identify the number of separate incidents from the injuries alone, but records indicate that injuries were sustained by Luna on at least three separate occasions, including June 29 and August 2 last year.”
On both of these dates, the defendant had been in contact with vets. However, in June 2022 he declined the vet’s recommendation that Luna undergo surgery for wrist fractures, citing the cost. He then failed to attend appointments to rebandage her wounds, instead using a pencil and sock as a homemade splint.
In August he phoned the vet to report Luna was eating painfully, but then failed to keep an appointment.
When RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albison attempted to make contact with the defendant in March and July this year to interview him about the allegations, he claimed he did not have a fixed address, but that he was staying with a friend in Birmingham.
In a statement read to the court, the inspector said: “The defendant said he was aware the RSPCA had been visiting his address, but that he was not prepared to be interviewed.
“I told him Luna was still in our care as he had not responded to my request to confirm we could rehome her. He became angry and said he thought he had already given permission and the dog was no longer anything to do with him.”
In mitigation, the court was told Slim-Fitzpatrick had experienced a troubled background and had spent time in the care system.
A judge said he had shown little remorse for his actions and told him: “This was prolonged, lengthy violence towards an animal in your care who should have been protected by you rather than becoming your punchbag.”
Luna was signed into the care of the RSPCA on July 5, 2023. The charity said she had recovered from her ‘horrific’ ordeal in their care. She was rehomed after undergoing surgery and extensive rehabilitation work to regain the use of her back leg.
Speaking after the sentencing, inspector Albison said: “The assaults carried out by this defendant on this poor dog started when she was a 10-week old puppy and continued until she was 10 months old. It was absolutely horrific as she was repeatedly beaten and suffered many fractures.
“Luna had surgery on her femoral head and that saved her back leg as the other option was amputation. Happily she is now doing very well and we have been able to rehome her.
“Without being provided with the Ring Doorbell footage by a member of the public we wouldn’t have been able to prosecute the defendant as he denied being in that area of Plymouth at the time of the assault allegation.”
Sentencing | 14-month custodial sentences to run concurrently on each of the three animal welfare offences and a further five-month prison sentence, to be served consecutively, for his breach of a suspended sentence imposed for an unrelated matter. Banned from owning animals for 20 years.
CONVICTED (2023) | father and son wildlife persecutors Robert Mills, born c. 1956, and Jack Mills, born c. 2001, both of Little Orchard, Exted, Elham, Canterbury CT4 6YG – used superglue to patch up the wounds of a dog forced to fight a fox.
Jack Mills (left), his father Robert Mills (centre) and an as yet unidentified Kent Hounds terrierman. Photo credit: West Kent Hunt Sabs
Robert and Jack Mills, who are believed to be terriermen with the Kent Hounds, used the strong commercial adhesive in a botched DIY effort to put the Patterdale terrier’s lip back together after she was maimed during the illegal chase.
The terrier, known as Fudge, was one of two dogs discovered with shocking injuries at the pair’s family home in Elham, near Canterbury.
The other, a lurcher called Rose, had extensive scars across her face, a large part of her tongue missing and she had a weeping nailbed on one of her paws.
Photo credit: Kent Online. Robert Mills is pictured outside court (left)
The Mills had allowed the animals to suffer without seeking proper treatment for their injuries.
Incriminating messages – including a photo of a smiling Jack Mills posing with a dead fox – were found during examinations of their mobile photos.
In court, both men pleaded to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
The court was told police executed a warrant at their home on January 18, 2023, as part of an RSPCA investigation known as Operation Aurora.
In a statement provided to the court, RSPCA special operations officer Jason Bowles, said: “Rose from kennel A had a large part of the skin around her lower jaw missing and part of her tongue. Her feet were discoloured. She had extensive scarring to her face and muzzle.
“Fudge from kennel A had part of her lower jaw in an unusual state in that it looked to have been injured in the past and had healed in an odd shape and she had scarring to the muzzle.
“There was a strong smell of ammonia in the building but I took into consideration that this was early in the morning, possibly before an early morning routine had been executed.
“Bedding was inadequate in all kennels in that they did have hard beds but only remnants of straw in some.
“Water bowls were present but at least one kennel only had remnants of water. Bowls could easily be knocked over and spills take place. Empty bowls were refilled.”
Of the five dogs kept in kennels in the outbuilding, two of them – Rose and Fudge – were seized.
The court was shown messages discussing how Robert and Jack Mills had used glue to try to repair degloved tissue on a dog’s lip after she had been injured by a fox. No pain relief had been sought
Recounting the notes of an expert veterinarian who examined the animals, prosecutor Janet Patel told magistrates: “There was damage to the skin of Rose’s lower jaw with the site of a deep tear or cut visible on the lower jaw and a loss of the lip margin contiguity.
“A significant amount of the tongue had been lost in a surgical or traumatic incident. The lesions are consistent with those that could be received in a fight between this dog and a large mammal such as a dog, fox, or badger.”
The vet added that a nail was missing on Rose’s left paw, oozing fluid and causing clear pain to the dog.
Fudge was found to have suffered significant damage to his face and head, and was missing a number of front teeth.
“The person caring for Fudge cut off some tissue, used commercial superglue to try and repair degloved tissue on her face and did not administer any pain medication,” the prosecutor added.
Messages shared between Robert and Jack Mills – both bricklayers by trade – described the dogs being used to hunt foxes.
Records from their phones indicated Fudge was caused harm in November 2021.
The vet added: “The entries, dated 16.11.2021, lead me to believe that Fudge was involved in a fight with a mammal such as a fox, large dog, or badger.
“The use of the word ‘hangin’ implies the lower jaw has been degloved to some extent, leaving the tissue literally hanging. There are two more statements. Firstly, that super glue has been used to try and put it back together and secondly that some of the flesh has been cut away.” This referred to a message, containing a typo, which said: “I just cut a bit of.”
Fudge had significant facial injuries and was missing several front teeth
The vet continued: “To advise the court in this matter I am forming my opinion on the basis that the person caring for Fudge cut off some tissue, used commercial super glue to try and repair the degloved tissue and did not administer any medication.”
Another mobile phone message discovered by officers read: “Had any joy with the fox?”
A picture of a dead fox was also shared with the words: “Went out this morning, Fudge killed it.”
Rose had a swollen toe with a nail missing. The vet that examined her said she vocalised her pain during examination
Ms Patel added: “That is the language of both Jack and Robert tracking and killing foxes, and it is not them flushing a fox out so that it can be killed humanely with a pistol.
“Both Jack and Robert Mills have shown deliberate disregard for the welfare of animals by placing them in situations where they sustained these horrific injuries.”
When questioned by police, Robert said that the dogs’ facial injuries had occurred when Rose and Fudge encountered a badger in the garden and that both dogs had been attacked by a rabbit.
But his son contradicted that claim in an interview, saying that neither dog had ever come across a badger.
Mitigating, solicitor Sam Harkness told the bench both men were remorseful.
“Mr Mills says he has owned dogs all his life. He deeply regrets his actions and Mr Mills Junior says this is a steep learning curve,” said Mr Harkness.
“They are both devastated that they have been involved in these proceedings, but they have cooperated.”
The charges related specifically to Fudge’s facial injury and the wound to Rose’s foot, which was sustained in the days before the police visit in January 2023.
During a discussion about the prospect of both defendants being banned from keeping any animals, the pair were seen intensely shaking their heads.
Sentencing the pair, chairwoman of the bench Patricia Light told them they had “broken the custody threshold because there is more than one dog with deliberate suffering,”
She added: “The fact that you have access to a vet and financial means to pay for treatment and yet still did not seek treatment shows deliberate disregard for the welfare of the animals.”
She continued: “We are also granting a deprivation order for Fudge and Rose and the RSPCA will seize your other dogs.
“We are also granting a disqualification order for both of you in relation to owning, keeping, or participating in controlling or transporting any animals for five years, no application may be made to appeal this for two years.”
Rose and Fudge, who have remained with the RSPCA since January 2023, can now be rehomed.
The Mills’ other three dogs will be seized within 14 days, with magistrates also giving them two weeks to rehome a number of chickens and ferrets.
Sentencing | 23-week custodial, suspended for two years; 150 hours of unpaid work; £500 costs and £154 surcharge each. Five year ban in relation to all animals, but can appeal after two years (expires December 2028).
