CONVICTED (2024) | drug addict Niall O’Kane, born 21 January 1987, of Altinure Road, Claudy, Londonderry BT47 4DG – punched a dog repeatedly, bit her then tried to strangle her during domestic violence incident.
Junkie O’Kane, who has a string of criminal convictions dating back 14 years, also attacked his sister in bed and set fire to her bedroom door while she was inside.
The court was told that on July 10, 2023, O’Kane returned to the home he shared with his mother and sister in a state of intoxication.
He asked his sister, who was in bed, if he could borrow her phone, but she refused.
O’Kane then became “violent, aggressive and threatening” and turned his attention to his sister’s dog,.
The court heard he “punched the dog a number of times, bit the dog and then grabbed it by the neck as if trying to strangle it”.
As his sister grappled with him to protect her pet, O’Kane “grabbed her by the back of the head and bit her on the cheek” before he staggered from the bedroom.
A short time later, the sister noticed flames at her door and rang some friends to come to her aid.
When they arrived at the property, O’Kane, who was slumped on the sofa, told them to “f*** off”.
They ignored him and extinguished the fire, which he had started by piling clothes against the door and setting them alight.
O’Kane was unfit to be interviewed by police until the following day. He said he recalled nothing of the previous evening because he had been on a drink and drug binge. He denied attacking the dog, however, and claimed to have a good relationship with his sister.
Ultimately O’Kane, who has links to Limavady, County Londonderry, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal alongside assault, criminal damage and arson.
The court heard that Kane had amassed 51 previous convictions — half of them related to his drug habit.
Sentencing | one-year custodial of which half will be spent on licence. No mention of a ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2024) | Kyle Vaughan, born 28 August 1997, of 100 Milltown Road, Lisburn BT28 3TZ – starved two dogs to a skeletal condition.
Vaughan, owner of vehicle valeting business K.V Carkleen, was convicted of cruelty to a Doberman-type and Husky-type dog.
The unnamed dogs were examined by a vet who found they were “suffering due to starvation”. Both had visible hip and rib bones and their spines were prominent.
The charges date back to September 2023 when a local authority animal welfare officer received a report of concern from council enforcement officers who had taken possession of the two dogs.
The dogs were taken into the care of a local animal sanctuary and nursed back to health. They have since been rehomed.
Sentencing | two-year conditional discharge; ordered to pay a total of £369 in legal costs and vet fees. Disqualified from keeping animals for five years (expires April 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | greeder Robert Guy, born 27 September (tbc), of 17 Ballyfore Gardens, Newtownabbey BT36 6XY – severely neglected two dogs in his care; breached a previous ban for similar offences.
Charges were brought against serial dog abuser Robert Guy by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council under the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011.
An investigation was conducted in August 2023 by a local authority Animal Welfare Officer after receiving a report that Guy had dogs on his property, with indications suggesting the dogs had attacked each other.
Upon inspection, officers discovered two dogs with fur loss, filthy ears and puncture wounds.
A veterinarian confirmed that one dog was suffering from putrid wounds, while the other had very short cropped ears. Furthermore, both animals had visible skin lesions and were in a filthy state. Both dogs were treated for their injuries and condition, and were both successfully rehomed.
Guy was found to have breached a disqualification order imposed in November 2021, which prohibited him from keeping dogs for seven years.
Sentencing | four-month custodial suspended for 12 months. 15-year disqualification ban preventing Guy from owning dogs.
CONVICTED (2024) | farmer Aeneas Carragher, born c. 1964, of 85 Skerriff Road, Cullyhanna, Newry BT35 0JW, and animal transporter Wayne Smyth, born c. 1988, of Annvale Gardens, Keady, Armagh BT60 2RS – for the callous disregard for the suffering of a dying dairy cow.
Cruel farmer Aeneas Carragher
On Monday, March 11, 2024, Aeneas Carragher was convicted of one charge of causing an animal to be transported that was not fit for the journey. Carragher was fined £500 plus £15 offender levy.
Wayne Smyth was convicted of one charge of transporting an animal that was not fit for the journey. Smyth was fined £500 plus £15 offender levy.
The case arose on February 13, 2023, when a DAERA Official Veterinarian (OV), at an abattoir, examined an animal that was presented by Smyth on behalf of Carragher.
The cow was very thin and shivering. A lairage worker attempted to make the cow walk, but the animal immediately fell in the pen.
The OV carried out an ante-mortem examination of the recumbent cow. The animal was emaciated with prominent transverse and dorsal spinal processes, and the OV estimated that the animal had a body condition score of “1” or less.
The animal was humanely destroyed, where she lay, to avoid any further suffering.
The OV’s professional opinion was that this cow was too thin and weak to have been transported and was caused unnecessary suffering by this action.
CONVICTED (2024) | notorious puppy farmer Eugene Daly, born 6 April 1982, of 88 Derryfubble Road, Dungannon BT71 7PW – transported very young and unwell puppies from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
Company director Eugene Daly, operator of a dog breeding establishment (DBE) licensed for over 200 dogs by Mid-Ulster Council, was fined after admitting to a charge of ‘transporting a dog not fit for the journey’. The paperwork held by Daly was also inaccurate and fraudulent.
Daly, sole director of Hillside Kennels Ltd and Daly Transport Ltd, was prosecuted after a consignment of his puppies was stopped and examined at Belfast Port.
Puppy farmer and transporter Eugene Daly is pictured with dog groomer girlfriend Sandra Millar who is alleged to sell puppies on his behalf
The case arose as part of Operation Paws for Thought, a multi-agency initiative led by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) aimed at clamping down on the low-welfare trafficking of puppies between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Checks carried out on exports made by Daly discovered that destination addresses held for the puppies were false.
Veterinary examination of the puppies found that some of them were not eight weeks old.
Many seemed poorly socialised, had extended tummies and a pot-bellied appearance consistent with worm infestation.
The bedding in the cages appeared wet and quite heavily soiled. This contradicted Daly’s assertion that the puppies had only been loaded less than two hours previously.
Daly pleaded guilty and was fined £400 plus £15 offender levy.
Daly’s partner is Sandra Millar of Stiloga Road, Eglish, Dungannon BT71 7QH. According to the anti puppy farming campaign group Do Better DoneDeal Millar, a dog groomer trading under the name Happy Tails, sells farmed puppies on her boyfriend’s behalf, while lying that they are home-bred.
Gannon, who was previously convicted of running an illegal venison supply plant, was prosecuted following a police investigation into his activities initiated in January 2020.
Searches were carried out at a property in the Castlederg area and in two food processing plants in Coalisland and Scotland. This led to a further investigation into money laundering.
In court Gannon pleaded guilty to various charges in relation to the possession of criminal property.
Detective Chief Inspector Wilson said: “We welcome the outcome and want to remind the public and any business owners that we will continue to tackle all types of criminality including wildlife crime such as deer poaching and money laundering, investigating reports accordingly.
“The investigations into Mr Gannon’s unlawful activity, were conducted collaboratively with partners from the Food Standard Agency, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, and Derry City and Strabane Environmental Health Council, which highlights our shared determination and commitment to disrupting these types of crime.
“Going forward, the local community is encouraged to report any similar incidents of deer poaching to police, to prevent this illegal activity taking place. I would also like to add that when investigating officers are considering wildlife crime other offences may be identified”.
Sentencing | 200 hours of community service; confiscation order for £6,000.
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) | Nicola O’Neill, born 10 February 1984, and James McWilliams, born c. 2003, of Felden Place, Newtownabbey BT36 7FL – for the neglect and starvation of nine filthy bull-terriers who resorted to eating another already dead dog.
Evil backyard breeders James McWilliams and Nicola O’Neill abandoned 10 dogs with one being eaten by the others after dying
Mother and son Nicola O’Neill and James McWilliams admitted failures to ensure the needs of the severely malnourished animals were met but blamed a lack of money.
In March 2022 an animal welfare officer from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council attended the family home on the outskirts of north Belfast to investigate a report that a dead dog was being eaten by others.
The officer discovered a mixture of puppies and full-grown dogs, some severely underweight and kept in filthy pens without access to bedding or water.
“Through the fencing she could see a dead dog on the ground that appeared to be half-eaten,” prosecution counsel said.
Five pups, believed to be American XL Bully breeds, were being held in a crate in the kitchen area, covered in urine and faeces and with their ribs and spines clearly visible.
Some other dogs were in the back garden, close to the dead bull terrier.
Based on post-mortem examination and a lack of blood spattering on the ground, prosecutors believe he had already died when the others began to eat the remains.
All nine surviving dogs were seized and examined by the Council’s vet.
McWilliams later told the welfare officer he did not usually live at the property, but had previously helped his mother take care of the dogs.
He also claimed they were struggling for money to feed the animals.
Counsel added: “Before this incident he was advertising six-week old American XL Bully pups for sale on Facebook, believed to be the five puppies that were seized at the time.
With the costs of caring for the remaining animals now in excess of £2,000, they are all still alive and have gained significant weight since their seizure.
Defence barrister Jonathan Browne acknowledged the circumstances were “deeply unpleasant”.
“Any right-thinking member of the public will find the facts truly abhorrent,” he said.
Mr Browne told the court the dogs had belonged to O’Neill’s late husband James McWilliams Sr – a prominent member of paramilitary group the Irish National Liberation Army. The court heard that he lived elsewhere but visited every day to tend to the dogs.
After McWilliams Sr’s sudden death in August 2021 O’Neill “neglected to look after the dogs”.
He added that James McWilliams Jr had an emotional bond with the animals and felt that giving them away would be a disservice to his late father’s memory.
“It’s a romantic notion, but in reality it costs money,” Mr Browne submitted.
“He found himself wanting to care for them but financially not able to.”
Urging District Judge George Conner not to send either defendant to jail, Mr Browne predicted they will carry the stigma of offences with them for the rest of their lives.
Judge Conner told them: “For those who enter a responsibility to look after animals, a very high standard (is required).
“Unfortunately in this case you both failed very badly.”
Sentencing |
Nicola O’Neill: four-month custodial suspended for a year; £250 towards costs. James McWilliams: 100 hours of community service; £599 costs. Both are banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Conor Ward, born c. 1992, of Cranny Avenue, Carnlough, Ballymena BT44 0HA – abandoned five dogs and left them to starve.
In an animal cruelty case described in court as “truly harrowing”, Conor Ward admitted causing unnecessary suffering to several unnamed bull terrier-type dogs who fought with each other after he abandoned them. One dog was killed by the others, who then fed on his corpse in desperation.
In April 2020 Ward uploaded this image of one of his dogs to Facebook
Ward’s cruelty came to light in November 2020 when animal welfare officers from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council visited his home after receiving a report about dogs fighting in the back yard.
Ward shared this image of his English bull terrier to his Facebook followers in April 2020
The property was vacant. There was no food and little clothing, but there was post in Ward’s name.
When investigators looked in the rear concrete yard, they discovered the half-eaten dead dog and four other animals.
The dead dog – a Staffy – was found to have numerous puncture wounds on his neck and back. He had died as a result of “significant trauma to the upper respiratory tract” and one of his hind legs had been eaten.
One female Staffy had to be coaxed from her ramshackle living accommodation
The four living dogs – three Staffies and an English bull terrier – were all underweight and had no access to food or water or clean bedding. All of them had cuts and wounds of varying ages.
One female Staffy was found “hiding in the back of a kennel and took some coaxing and reassurance” to entice her out. When she finally emerged, there were fresh and bleeding wounds to her face and nose.
Another Staffy was observed eating the corpse of the dead dog and was found to be timid and underweight.
The third living Staffy was given a body score of just 2/9 and had bleeding puncture wounds to her face.
An English bull terrier was found in a pen by herself. Historic scars were found on both front feet, nose, head and carpus regions.
Sadly this little dog did not survive with Ward’s other dogs resorting to eating his remains
All surviving dogs were nursed back to health and went on to be rehomed.
Defence counsel Grant Powles told the court his client had asked a relative to look after the dogs as he was dealing with “sensitive” personal issues at the time. He added that as a result, Ward turned to “illicit drugs” including cocaine.
Sentencing Ward, District Judge Nigel Broderick told him it was no surprise that having been left with neither food nor water, the dogs began fighting to such an extent that one Staffordshire Bull terrier was killed and the other four, “no doubt starving of food, resorted to eating it”.
Revealing how the dog most likely died as a result of “significant trauma to the upper respiratory tract,” the judge told the court “I cannot imagine a more serious and harrowing case of animal cruelty”.
Although he imposed a six month jail sentence in order to both punish Ward and to deter others, the judge freed him on bail pending an appeal of the sentence.
Sentencing | six-month custodial sentence; total costs of £5,486.62 costs. 20-year disqualification order applicable to all animals. Ward lodged an appeal with a hearing set for 12 February 2024.
The custodial sentence imposed on Conor Ward was overturned and replaced with a combination order of two years on probation and 100 hours of community service.
Judge Gerard McNamara told Antrim County Court of Appeal that while it was a “very distressing case” involving cruelty to “defenceless animals”, he was varying the sentence because Ward’s cruelty was passive rather than active.
He was also taking account of other “personal mitigation” as well as Ward’s guilty pleas and remorse.
The 20-year ban on keeping, owning or transporting any animal was affirmed.
CONVICTED (2023) | Peter Paul Toland, born 15 March 1994, of 35 Cornshell Fields, Londonderry BT48 7UG* – beat his dog and buried her as she lay dying.
Peter Toland’s dog, Luna (pictured), was found barely alive by a member of the public having suffered multiple injuries, including broken teeth and broken bones.
On March 15, 2023, the American bulldog known as Luna, was brought to a veterinary clinic by police officers after she was found partially buried and under a stone by a member of the public in Ballyarnett Country Park.
Luna was humanely put down due to the extent of her injuries. A post-mortem examination found she was severely underweight, weighing just 19kg.
She had a facial haematoma as well as fractures which had been caused by blunt force. These were recent, possibly only hours old, and had been caused by a wide object.
Her ears were packed with mud which had been forced into her ears.
She had a body mass of two out of nine, meaning she was severely emaciated with no muscle mass present. Her canine teeth were broken and her pulse was exposed.
The dog was put to sleep on humane grounds.
The judge said Toland’s treatment of Luna amounted to “extreme” cruelty and she had suffered months of abuse and neglect before she was brutally killed.
In his police interview Toland said he’d owned the dog for two years. He said he’d gone to Donegal on March 15 and when he returned home he noticed Luna was missing.
Toland told the police Luna had “dropped a full litter of pups the previous October” but said that he’d never taken the dog to a veterinary clinic nor registered any of his dogs with any clinic.
Dog killer: Peter Toland is banned from keeping animals for life
When the police searched Toland’s home they found three other dogs in the enclosed rear garden. There was no water for them, bedding was inadequate, and the yard contained a considerable amount of faeces.
The prosecutor said Toland told the police Luna had never run away before and that he’d searched for her for one hour after he’d discovered she was missing.
Defence barrister Eoghan Devlin said there was “absolutely no doubt Toland is a terrible owner of animals” but he submitted that the prosecution had failed to prove its case that the defendant had buried the dog alive.
The barrister said the police had failed to properly investigate the incident. They’d neither looked for CCTV footage nor organised an identity line-up for the member of the public who’d found the dog and who had seen two men at the scene.
The District Judge said either the dog got out of the back yard and somebody partially buried her or somebody took the dog from the back yard and did it.
“It is appalling and despicable that this animal was found as it was found. To think that somebody could bury the animal alive is just incomprehensible.
“No person with the slightest shred of decency would do that. But somebody did it, either a person or persons unknown did that, or the dog somehow got out for the first time and then somebody did this to the dog.
“This animal was in an appalling state of health. It was emaciated, there was no muscle mass, it had broken canine teeth, puncture wounds and facial fractures that was the result of blunt trauma with a wide object.
“This animal had suffered a prolonged period of suffering, months long, and that is squarely at the door of the defendant. He took no steps to have the dog treated, no steps to take it to a vet. He took no steps to deal with a severely emaciated dog, he is guilty”, said Mr Magill.
After jailing Toland, who has 46 previous criminal convictions, for nine months, the judge granted a defence application for leave to appeal the sentence and released the defendant on continuing bail.
Sentencing | nine months in jail. Banned from keeping animals for life.
*alternative address: 84 Bloomfield Park, Londonderry BT48 8HB. This is the home of his parents, Clare and Paul Toland, but word on the street is that this is where he’s hiding out.
Update | 8 January 2024
Toland was finally jailed after his appeal over a nine month sentence was dismissed in court.
The sentence amounts to 30% of the maximum available to the court with Toland expected to serve half of that sentence behind bars.
After Toland had spent 25 days on bail, his solicitor asked asked Judge Neil Rafferty KC at Bishop’s Street County Court to dismiss the appeal.
The appeal was dismissed and Toland’s previous sentence was affirmed and he started his nine month jail term today.
A friend of Toland’s, Liam Glennon, was initially implicated alongside him after several witnesses said they saw the pair together on 15 March 2023 near to where Luna was found.
Peter Toland with fellow wildlife persecutor Liam GlennonGlennon posts sick images showing foxes being mauled to death by dogs on social media
Glennon, who like Toland enjoys persecuting wildlife, denied the allegations and it appears that case against him did not proceed.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
