Tag Archives: Selby

Cats

Selby, North Yorkshire: Chantelle Binnie

March 28, 2022 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Chantelle Binnie, born c. 1996, of Newport Avenue, Selby YO8 9DL – starved and severely neglected an elderly cat.

Mother-of-two Binnie pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the 15-year-old pet by not taking her to a vet to investigate the causes of her weight loss.

The cat, called Fluffy, was in an emaciated condition after she was found collapsed in the back courtyard of Binnie’s home when police called at the address on August 25. 2021

Fluffy was taken to a veterinary practice by a police officer but was found to be dehydrated and was suffering from breathing problems.
Her liver was failing and due to her poor health a vet decided to put her to sleep to end her suffering.

The police officer reported the matter to the RSPCA and Inspector Thomas Hutton investigated.

Binnie pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on or before August 25, 2021.

Phil Brown, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court that when Fluffy arrived at the vets practice she was unresponsive and unable to support her head.

Veterinary surgeon Jamie Quek stated the cat had a resting respiratory rate of 60, when a normal reading would be around 30 to 35.

She was also displaying signs of jaundice as her eyes and gums were yellowing.

The vet believed the cat was showing signs of advanced liver failure and was “extensively dehydrated” with sunken eyes.

Fluffy’s poor condition was such that there was urine scalding to her rear end, which was a sign she may have not been able to use a litter tray or that her owner had neglected cleaning her up.

Her fur was matted with faeces indicating she could have been suffering from diarrhea.

The vet scored the cat one out of nine on a nine-point body condition rating – meaning she was emaciated.

Fluffy also showed signs of “significant” dental disease.

The independent veterinary expert stated: “It is in my professional opinion that the cat was suffering unnecessarily for a minimum period of two months and its needs have not been met for a minimum period of six months.

“She would have begun to lose body condition and I would have expected a reasonable owner in the circumstances to contact a veterinary surgeon at any sign of weight loss, loss of appetite or behavioural changes.”

In mitigation, solicitor Andrew Craven said Binnie had a “particular emotional attachment” to the 15-year-old cat because she had inherited her from her late grandmother.

She was deterred from seeking out veterinary care as she did not want the cat put to sleep, he said.

Sentencing her, the magistrates told Binnie: “It is clear that Fluffy was suffering towards the end of her life.

“Whilst you recognise this, you had reservations about taking action because you thought you were severing the final link with your grandmother.

“Nevertheless, you neglected your cat and she suffered as a result.”

Inspector Tom Hutton said: “This was a shocking case of prolonged neglect.

“Fluffy was in a very poor condition and it would have taken a significant amount of time for her to get like that and sadly she had to be euthanised immediately.”

Two kittens who were also found in Binnie’s care were signed over to the RSPCA and will be rehomed.

Sentencing | 12-month community order with 15 days’ rehabilitative activities; £175 prosecution costs and £95 statutory surcharge. She was banned from keeping animals for five years.

York Press

Animal Abandonment, Dogs

Selby, North Yorkshire: Edward Lees

April 13, 2021 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2021) | Edward Ernest Lees, born 10 October 1981, of Grange Meadows, Selby, but with a permanent address in Howdales, Louth LN11 7DJ – left five dogs alone in atrocious conditions

Heartless Edward Lees left five dogs to starve in deplorable conditions

Lees was banned from keeping all mammals for 10 years after five elderly dogs were discovered living amongst piles of excrement and empty food bowls.

He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Jack Russell Terrier named Sam by failing to seek treatment for his severe dental disease, and a further charge of failing to meet the needs of five dogs.

RSPCA Inspector Laura Jones visited the property in Lincolnshire in January 2020 where she could see two Jack Russell terriers at the window and could hear more dogs being kept in an outbuilding.

One of the five dogs left to live in squalor by Edward Lees

The next day she returned to find no one had been through the doors for 24 hours, so she contacted the police to gain entry.

She said: “When I opened the door to the sitting room where the two dogs were being kept the stench of ammonia hit me instantly and made my eyes water.

“There was no food or water available in the sitting room for these dogs, I could just see three empty bowls on the floor and two empty 10kg plastic sacks of dog biscuits which were next to a pile of excrement.

“The floor was also wet with what appeared to be urine. The dogs had a red fluffy blanket on the floor and a sofa with exposed rusty springs and there was a significant large pile of dry and wet excrement in the right hand corner of the sitting room.

“This was clearly a totally inadequate environment for these dogs and I was so relieved to be able to take them into our care and bring them to safety to get them the care they needed.”

Inspector Jones and the police discovered three more dogs living in an outbuilding where the entire ground level floor was covered in impacted excrement and a strong stench of faeces and urine. There was a three-seater sofa and an armchair which were both stained and ripped and more empty packets of dog food along the floor.

Inspector Jones added: “There were three empty plastic bowls on top of the excrement and a round yellow plastic container containing brown liquid, and there was a red washing up type plastic bowl with a hole in the side which was full of water.”

The dogs found at the property included a 11-year-old black and white crossbreed male called Ewen, an 11-year-old tan and white crossbred male called Sam, a crossbreed male named Colin, a 12-year-old female crossbreed dog named Jessie and another crossbreed dog called Sheldon.

The dogs were removed and assessed by a vet who found that the tan and white dog Sam was underweight with rotting teeth, gingivitis, severe dehydration, a flea infestation and he weighed around 4kg less than he should.

The vet report concluded: “I feel that Sam was suffering. The suffering included severe dental pain, numerous open wounds, severe dehydration, active infections. His extremely poor body condition meant he was succumbing to organ failure due to lack of any form of nutrition, he had no fat reserves.”

Vets feared that he would have to be put to sleep but thankfully he started to pull through and has since been rehomed.

In mitigation, Lees said that the dogs had initially belonged to a relative but he took them on when they passed away. He was having financial problems and grieving and the situation spiralled out of control. He also entered an early guilty plea.

All five dogs were signed over to the RSPCA’s care and Sam, Colin, Ewen and Jessie were all re-homed. Sadly, Sheldon was put to sleep on advice of a vet due to severe behavioural issues.

Sentencing: 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay £395 costs and charges. Disqualified from keeping all mammals for 10 years (expires April 2031).

ExaminerLive
York Mix

Cats, Dogs, farms / smallholdings, Food Production, Hoarders, Lifers, Multiple Species, rabbits, Serial Animal Abusers, Small Furries

Barlby, North Yorkshire: Keith Lewis

February 19, 2019 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2019) | Keith Lewis, born c. 1948, of York Road, Barlby YO8 5JH – a serial animal abuser and hoarder with three separate convictions for neglect involving dozens of animals including dogs, rabbits, ferrets and birds

In the latest prosecution case against him serial abuser Keith Lewis admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a collie dog named Meg

Border collie Meg was cruelly mistreated by serial animal abuser Keith Lewis from Barlby, Yorkshire, UK. Pic: RSPCA

The RSPCA attended Lewis’s property on 13 December 2018, along with police after a call from a member of the public and found Meg tethered to a pipe with a chain inside a dark and muddy shed.

RSPCA inspector Claire Mitchell said: “The chain and tether were absolutely filthy, caked in mud and faeces.

“You could see that whatever Meg had around her neck was really tight and there was an obvious smell of infection coming from her.

“On closer inspection it became clear that it was in fact bailer twine and she needed urgent veterinary attention.”

Meg was seized by police and taken to a vets who found the area around her neck was matted with pus.

The twine – which had been wrapped around her neck multiple times – was embedded in her skin and muscle and infected, and when the vet cut it off she found a wound all the way around her neck.

Meg’s temperature was high – most likely as a result of the infection – and her lower body was matted with dirt and faeces.

She was operated on to clip and clean the wound and stitch it up and hospitalised for five days.

Veterinary evidence suggested that Meg had suffered for at least two weeks.

Inspector Mitchell said: “This is the worst tethering injury I’ve ever seen in a dog. It was absolutely terrible and she suffered a great deal.

“The RSPCA does not agree with tethering dogs for long periods as it can cause distress and restrict natural behaviours but this in itself is not illegal providing that their needs are being met.”

Meg was signed over shortly afterward coming into RSPCA care and has been rehomed.

In mitigation the court heard that Lewis had pleaded guilty, that Meg had been moved to the shed following complaints about her continuously howling where she had been previously tethered near to a public footpath, that he had animals all his life and a disqualification would have a real impact on him.

However, the court remarked that he had previous animal cruelty convictions which were an aggravating factor.

Lewis was first prosecuted in 2016 when York magistrates heard how he kept 60 animals living in filthy, squalid and cramped conditions in former agricultural buildings in Barlby.

On that occasion he admitted neglect offences in relations to about 30 of the animals, mostly poultry and rabbits, and was banned from keeping caged animals for 10 years and ordered to do a 12-week curfew.

Three months after he appeared in court, police and an RSPCA inspector found two ferrets at his house in what the RSPCA’s prosecuting solicitor Phil Brown called “frankly appalling” conditions. They had no water, they were kept with piles of faeces and dirty bedding and three rotting rabbit carcasses.

Lewis was again taken to court and this time admitted breaching the 10-year animal ban, and failure to care for animals.

He received a second 10-year animal ban, preventing him having animals kept in cages.

But in December 2018, the RSPCA found Meg with the untreated wound round her neck.

At each of his three hearings, he claimed through his solicitors that the animals belonged to his son, claims that are not accepted by the RSPCA.

Sentencing (February 2019) | 24-week prison sentence, suspended for two years; total of £415 costs and charges. Banned indefinitely from owning or having any part in the care of any animal of any species. A deprivation order was placed on all remaining animals in his care, including dogs, cats, poultry, sheep, cows and pigs.

York Press
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York Press

donkeys and mules, Equine Abuse, horse traders, horses and ponies, Lifers, Traveller Animal Crimes, Worst of the Worst

Selby, North Yorkshire: John Humphrey

October 31, 2018 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2018) | John Michael Humphrey, born 15/11/1985, of Sandway Drive, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby YO8 9NF – kept more than 30 severely malnourished horses and donkeys in a dirty and hazardous environment.

Animal abuser John Michael Humphrey from Selby

Humphrey pleaded guilty to 25 offences under the Animal Welfare Act. The offences related to 33 animals which were being kept at fields in Gowdall, Gateforth and near the A63 Selby bypass.

Two of the horses had to be put to sleep on welfare grounds and one died while giving birth.

Horse abuser John Michael Humphrey from Selby

RSPCA inspector Alice Cooper, who investigated with colleague Claire Mitchell, said: “This was a complicated case involving a large number of equines being kept at three different locations.

“Many of them were suffering and needed urgent attention, and some of them had to be immediately hospitalised.

“Those who weren’t suffering were likely to if their circumstances didn’t change, due to the dirty or hazardous environments they were living in.”

The animals had no access to clean, fresh drinking water and no suitable food source. Many were in an extremely poor physical condition

Inspector Cooper said: “Many were very nervous and seemingly hadn’t had much handling.”

In mitigation, the court heard that the horses kept at Gowdall Ponds had only been there for a short time because of localised flooding and that the animals at Gateforth had come to him from a dying farmer and had arrived in poor condition.

Of the horses at the third site, Humphrey said that there was a stream and the water troughs were filled daily, with supplementary feed provided. He said he had had horses all his life and never had any problems.

He signed all the horses over to the RSPCA, for rehoming when they are ready, and the donkeys were signed over to The Donkey Sanctuary.

Inspector Cooper said: “We are, as always, extremely grateful to all those who helped with this difficult case, including World Horse Welfare and The Donkey Sanctuary, who sent officers to the scene and took on some of the animals, who are doing great and are going up for rehoming soon.”

Sentencing: Humphrey was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison and ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for life.

York Press
Daily Mail

Update March 2021

John Michael Humphrey was back in court for handling goods stolen from residents in rural north Lancashire.

Humphrey, now of Lunnsfield Lane, Selby, was pursued by a police dog handler who spotted three trailers stolen from the Claughton area on Humphrey’s truck in Morecambe.

He admitted three counts of handling stolen goods on the basis he offered his vehicle out for loan, later realised the trailers were probably stolen and panicked on seeing police.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, He was given a curfew and must pay £535 costs.

Lancashire Telegraph

UK Animal Cruelty Files