CONVICTED (2011) | Scott Westlake, born 7 December 1987, of 9 Austin Close, Frome BA11 5AY – punched a dog in the face causing an eye injury
Westlake attacked the Staffy, known as Dogger, after becoming angry at having to clean up mess the dog had made. The RSPCA were alerted by concerned neighbours who reported sounds of a dog being beaten, and attended to find Dogger with a cut to his eye. The inspector told Westlake to take the dog to a vet but he only did so two days later.
The vet who examined Dogger concluded that his eye injury was consistent with being struck by a human fist and the person responsible would have caused unnecessary suffering to it as a result.
Dogger belonged to Westlake’s friend, Jason Dando, who had apparently “dumped” him on Westlake on many occasions. Dando has been cautioned by the police.
Sentencing: two-year conditional discharge, £500 towards costs; three-year ban on keeping animals (expired 2014).
#MostEvil | Matthew West, also known as Matthew Ryan, born 06/02/1990, a career criminal originally of Embankment Road, Plymouth PL4 9HX, but with links to Camborne, Cornwall – kicked and dragged a Staffordshire bull terrier; the dog’s leg had to be amputated and she lost the sight of one eye
West kicked and dragged five-month-old Staffy Tia so severely that one of her hind legs was badly broken and later had to be amputated. The court heard that Tia was also found to be blind in one eye, had symptoms of mild concussion and had grazes over her body.
A passer-by saw West kicking and dragging the puppy down the street and alerted police.
Victim Tia
West gave evidence to say that the dog was already injured when he bought her for £250 a few days before. He denied kicking or dragging the dog and said he was just trying to get her to walk.
West’s lawyer said his client had a history of psychiatric problems.
West was found guilty and sentenced to 12 weeks in jail for the animal cruelty offence and banned from keeping animals for 25 years. He was given a further four weeks for a public order offence in which he had threatened a female housing officer and said he would ‘burn the place down’.
Sentence: 12-week prison sentence; 25-year ban on keeping animals (expires September 2036).
In August 2011 David Harley of Pendennis Court, Falmouth, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a ten-month-old Jack Russell named Dotty.
The court did not accept Harley’s claims that the dog’s extensive injuries and death had resulted from “heavy-handed” CPR.
Harley said that he had left the dog, named Dotty, alone in his flat for some time and that when he returned she had emptied a doorless kitchen cupboard of its contents. He said that he found her unconscious a few moments later at which stage he attempted to give her CPR.
Harley claimed that Dotty must have eaten something poisonous from the cupboard but the results of the post-mortem were not consistent with this version of events. The vet determined, rather, that the dog’s injuries, which included two broken ribs, punctured lungs and damage to her head, neck, chest and abdomen, were likely to have been caused by blunt trauma. Respiratory distress from the punctured lung would have caused her death.
A neighbour of self-employed carpenter Harley described in court that he heard banging so forceful that the ceiling shook and felt that Harley was mistreating Dotty. He heard the dog whining and whimpering followed by Harley repeatedly shouting: “oh God, what have I done?”
Sentence: Harley was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with 300 hours’ community work. He was also ordered to pay £1,500 towards costs and banned from keeping dogs for life.
CONVICTED (2011) | puppy dealers James Gordon Noon, born 17/01/1953, of Waterleat Court, Waterleat Road, Paignton TQ3 3EA and Hamish Noon, born 17/07/1983, of Soper House, Dart View Road, Galmpton, Brixham TQ5 0BQ
James and Hamish Noon callous puppy dealers based in Paignton, Devon
In February 2010 a total of 14 dogs and puppies were seized from the Noons’ then home in Blagdon Road by the RSPCA. A further 12 dogs were taken at a later date when conditions hadn’t improved.
James Noon bought and sold dogs via a website on which he boasted that he had 39 years of experience with the Doberman breed. He would go to Ireland to buy puppies which he would bring back into the UK and sell for between £650 and £1,000. He would arrange to meet buyers in locations such as car parks and motorway service stations.On one occasion police found nine puppies in his car.
The dogs were kept at Blagdon Road in conditions so disgusting that even hardened vets and RSPCA investigators found them distressing. Every floor and even mattresses within the “haphazard and untidy” property were covered in faecal matter, some of which was decomposing.
The dogs had limited access to fresh water and little veterinary care had been sought. Many of the animals were suffering from infections and/or covered in excrement.
Most distressingly, a dead dog was found decomposing on the stairs. A rescued Jack Russell puppy was severely underweight and in such poor condition that he had to be put to sleep.
Hamish Noon initially claimed that his involvement was limited to looking after his father and that he had no interest in the puppy farming business. However, in March 2011 he pleaded guilty to failing to protect two puppies and failing to provide a suitable environment for 23 dogs. He also admitted possessing cannabis with a street value of £35.
Sentencing: Hamish Noon was disqualified from keeping dogs for two years, given a six-month community order and ordered to pay £100. On 28.10.11 he appealed, unsuccessfully, against the sentence and his ban was increased to five years.
James Noon pleaded guilty to failing to protect a Jack Russell and Doberman puppy from suffering and failing to provide a suitable environment for 39 dogs. He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order and pay £500 in costs. The ten-year ban on keeping animals was reduced to five years on appeal on 28.10.11.
This is depraved Colin Sherlock formerly of Third Avenue, Dawlish, and now living in Queensway, Newton Abbot. In 2010 self-confessed boozer and doper Sherlock and twisted teenage accomplices Alex Archer and Jamie Jones from Teignmouth subjected a helpless cat to mental and physical torture.
Sickening video footage showed Sherlock being goaded by Archer and Jones, as he put the cat, Roxy, into a series of appliances, beginning with a microwave oven, then a tumble dryer and finally a freezer. The terrified cat was then submerged in a bowl of dishwater.
The entire horrific incident was filmed on a mobile phone by one of the teenagers. That footage was shared with a number of others and was eventually reported to the police. Sherlock was recognised by the distinctive crescent-shaped tattoo on the left-hand side of his face and a prosecution followed.
In November 2010 Sherlock was sentenced to 126 days in jail and barred from owning any animals for ten years.
Archer and Jones were given 12-month rehabilitation orders including supervision orders. They also had to take part in the ‘make amends project’ and carry out work to benefit the RSPCA
Despite her ordeal at the hands of the three brain-dead thugs, Roxy survived and was surrendered to the RSPCA. We understand that she was so traumatised she could not be made available for rehoming for several months.
#MostEvil | Anthony Cockrell, born March 1959, of Littleoakes, Penryn TR10 8QE – stabbed family dog to death during a row
Anthony Cockrell
Cockrell stabbed springer spaniel Ozzy repeatedly with a carving knife. A five-inch-deep cut severed the dog’s jugular vein and he bled to death.
Cockrell’s attack on the seven-year-old pet occurred during a family row. Ozzy began barking and growling and jumping up at Cockrell, who then left the room and returned with a large kitchen knife. The dog was stabbed with it and the police and a vet were called.
Victim Ozzy died while protecting his family from violent Anthony Cockrell
Despite a desperate effort to save Ozzy, the dog died from his injuries.
Cockrell’s now ex wife said: “My dog bled to death. It was horrendous. I still haven’t been able to get any closure. He’d had a drink and was not a very calm man. I don’t want to talk to him and I don’t want to see him.”
Cockrell, who works as an aviation engineer, claimed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress after fighting in the Falklands War.
Sentence: 18-week prison sentence. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.
CONVICTED (2009) | Harry Clay, born 22 September 1989, of Darracott Road, Bournemouth BH5 – tormented a hamster and eventually killed her by throwing her against a wall.
Ever heard the saying “pick on someone your own size”? Well it’s a pity that Harry Clay from Bournemouth and one-time student of fishery management at Sparsholt College in Hampshire didn’t take heed. The tiny creature he tortured to death was a dwarf hamster named Smudge.
Clay began by tormenting Smudge, who belonged to another student, throwing her up in the air several times and catching her, before dropping her to the ground from a height of 15 feet. Another student picked up the stricken hamster, but Clay grabbed her back and threw her against a wall, finally killing her.
Finally he picked up the little corpse and dropped it into a dustbin.
After a three-day trial, Clay was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a hamster under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2007.
The principal of Sparsholt College said that they viewed “any form of animal cruelty with the utmost seriousness”. They did not, however, expel Clay but instead said they would try to ensure that “he re-learns the vital lessons of care and respect for all animals”.
Let’s hope they got through to him.
Sentencing | 12-month supervision order; 150 hours of community work. Banned from keeping hamsters for a year.
CONVICTED (2009) | Simon Galliott, born 09/08/1975, of Westfield Road, Yeovil BA21 3DA – shot a dog in the eye with an air pistol.
Twisted: Simon Galliott (pictured, 2020) only received a two-year ban despite attacking a defenceless dog
On 11 October 2008 Galliott shot his then partner’s Staffordshire bull terrier Jake in the eye with an air pistol leaving him in excruciating pain.
Galliott alleged that Jake became over-excited and bit an 11-year-old child.
Galliott flew into a rage and went upstairs to fetch his air rifle, returning a few minutes later.
Simon Galliott pictured outside court in 2009 and (inset) photo of Jake’s horrific eye injury
The court heard how he goaded Jake before shooting him in the eye, which later had to be removed.
Sentencing: Galliott was banned from keeping animals for two years and ordered to pay fines and costs of £2,200. Jake remains with Galliott’s ex partner.
CONVICTED (2009) | Marianne Stribling aka Marianne Arkless, born 16/01/1981, of John Gay Close, Barnstaple EX32 8DB – locked two dogs in a garden shed to starve to death and failed to feed a rabbit
Pet killer Marianne Stribling is banned for life from keeping animals but had already breached her ban just one year after her initial sentence
German shepherd Charm and a collie named Prince were left to died in agony over three weeks in Stribling’s back yard. All that remained of Prince was matted fur, teeth and bones. Charm had eaten his remains in desperation before she also starved to death.
The corpses of the two dogs were found in a tiny garden shed. No food or water was available and a fenced-off run in the yard was covered in dog faeces and mud.
An RSPCA inspector was forced to crawl through a kitchen window to get in to the yard, because Stribling had lost the back door key.
A rabbit was also found at the scene. She too had been starved and had to be put to sleep.
Stribling told magistrates she had credit card debts totalling between £20,000 and £30,000 and could not afford to buy food for the dogs – one of which was said to have been an unwanted gift.
She claimed she had been “vilified” and had received death threats.
Animal welfare protestors were out in force at Stribling’s trial and as she was led away to begin a three-month prison sentence a woman in the public gallery called her an “evil bitch”.
Stribling was also banned from keeping animals for life, but in November 2009, following a tip-off, the RSPCA discovered two eight-week old kittens at her home. Police had to be called when the inspector was abused by a neighbour of Stribling but the cats were eventually handed over.
Sentencing: 12 weeks in prison. Banned from keeping animals for life.
