CONVICTED (2023) | Kevin Skelding, born c. 1983, of Liz Clare Court, Donnington, Telford TF2 7RB, Craig John Richards, born 10 August 1974, of 109 Harrold Road, Rowley Regis B65 0RL, and his brother Scott Richards, born c. 1989 and of the same address: caught armed with dogs to hunt hares.
L-R Scott Richards, Craig Richards , Kevin Skelding
Image: Facebook – Kevin SkeldingImage: Facebook – Scott Richards
The court heard that a member of the public called police on October 28 2022, after spotting the three men with lurcher dogs on land in Market Drayton, north Shropshire.
Police sent an armed response unit and scrambled the force helicopter.
At the scene, officers found an unattended Kia Sportage.
Image: Facebook – Craig Richards
Skelding and Craig Richards were found hiding in a wooded area and arrested.
Scott Richards was found in a location away from the other two. The lurcher dogs were found with the vehicle.
The three were found to be in possession of a catapult and ball bearings as well as slip leads. They claimed they were just walking their dogs.
Sentencing | Craig Richards was ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work while Scott Richards was ordered to do 120 hours and Skelding 100 hours. All three men were ordered to pay £624 each towards kennelling costs.
CONVICTED (2022) | commercial breeders and dog show judges Ray Mainland, born c. 1952, and partner Sue Tweedie, born 12 July 1962, both of The Banks, St. Georges Road, Donnington, Telford TF2 7NE – kept 18 dogs in squalid conditions.
RSPCA officers found the Bouviers de Flandres and Portuguese water dogs in a smelly and unsanitary environment at the couple’s home in 2020.
The RSPCA was alerted to concerns for the dogs’ welfare when Mainland and Tweedie sought to rehome the animals in January 2020.
During a visit the following month, inspector Kate Parker discovered heavily soiled blankets outside and a dog pen that was also heavily soiled.
“The window to the left of the front door, and the front door itself, had a thick layer of a black substance, and the smell that was coming from within was foul,” Ms Parker said.
“It was almost unbearable without being immediately in front of the door.
“The smell was an obvious smell of faeces and ammonia, which made me feel nauseous. I continued to knock on the front door, but I got no reply.”
An independent vet report found the needs of the dogs in the pair’s care were not being met.
The pair were found guilty of one charge under the Animal Welfare Act and were ordered to pay £1,800 in court costs plus £200 each in fines. Lifetime ban but can appeal after 12 months.
The court has granted the pair 21 days to rehome all of their dogs before the ban on keeping animals is enforced.
CONVICTED (2022) | puppy farmer Kenneth Stephen Purchase, born 18 March 1953, of the Allscott Mill, Allscott, Telford TF6 5EE – conned pet lovers into buying unhealthy dogs, some of whom had to be put down.
Ken Purchase, owner of the Allscott Mill Bed And Breakfast Telford, appears to have turned to breeding unhealthy puppies as a way out of his self-created financial hole.
Purchase, a B&B owner who has appeared on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed, sold at least 321 dogs after placing a number of adverts of puppies for sale on the Pets4Homes website between March 5 and September 12, 2018.
Several owners, who chose to buy from Purchase due to the fact that he had a legitimate dog breeder’s licence and thought he was a responsible person to buy from, found their beloved new pets were fraught with health problems including Canine Parvovirus – a highly contagious disease that affects a dog’s gastrointestinal tract and has a mortality rate of up to 91 per cent if untreated.
A number of dogs sold by Purchase later died, and one owner described how she kept thinking about the sound of dogs howling when she visited the squalid conditions, and that the thought of a dog she left behind gave her “nightmares”.
Purchase was told by Recorder Mr Anthony Hawks that his record keeping for the dogs including for their vaccinations was “a disgrace”.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Purchase had been granted a licence to breed and sell from a maximum of 12 female dogs, each of which would provide one litter per year.
A separate licence, known as a “pet shop licence”, must be obtained for a breeder to be able to buy dogs from other sources and sell them on. The court heard that Purchase had applied for such a licence, but had never been granted one.
One of Purchase’s customers said in a victim impact statement heard by the court that when she visited she was confronted with “a barn full of dogs”, and that she chose to buy a West Highland Terrier puppy “to rescue it”.
The dog suffered from health problems. She said there was another one in the pen which “appeared lifeless”, and said she “had nightmares” about the dog she left behind.
Another customer, who also bought a Westie puppy, took his dog to the vets to find out it had Canine Parovirus. It was hospitalised nine days after he bought it for £545. Purchase told him the dog must have caught the virus at the vets.
A third victim said she named her Bichon Frise pup Bonnie, after a friend who had recently died. The dog, which she bought from Purchase, also suffered health problems and had to be put down. The owner said the vet’s bills meant she couldn’t afford her rent and had to move house. “The whole ordeal was extremely stressful,” she said.
Purchase pleaded guilty to one offence of engaging in a commercial practice which was a misleading action, contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and European Communities Act 1972.
His defence advocate appealed to the Recorder not to send him to prison due to Purchase’s own health problems.
Recorder Hawks told Purchase: “I thought about sending you to prison. You deserve to go to prison.”
But, given the fact that sentencing powers would mean a short period in custody, and that Purchase’s health issues would cause problems for prison staff, the Recorder chose to fine him £25,000 and order him to pay £25,000 in court costs.
The judge also made a Confiscation Order of £50,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
In addition, Purchase was told to pay £1,286 compensation to victims.
“You chose to make money by deceiving people deliberately, so now you are going to have to pay,” added the Recorder.
If he doesn’t pay, Purchase will face 15 months behind bars.
Purchase is a former boxing promoter operating under the name Boxfrog Promotions. In October 2016 Birmingham Live reported how scores of fight fans had been left out of pocket after a number of ‘meet and greet’ events failed to materialise. Fans trying to get their money back from Purchase met with a brick wall. Purchase told news reporters that he was in financial difficulty and likely heading towards bankruptcy.
CONVICTED (2021) | puppy farm fraudsters Betty Chanelle Burton, born 12 August 1985, and Jeff James McDonagh, born August 1982,of McDonagh Lodge, Arleston Brook, Telford TF1 2LA – bred and sold sick dogs to the public.
Irish travellers Burton and McDonagh conned unsuspecting members of the public out of an estimated £250,000.
A court heard that many of the dogs, which included cavapoos, French bulldogs and cocker spaniels, died a short time after being sold.
Out of the 42 puppies which were sold by the pair, 15 tragically died, and all required veterinary treatment for different illnesses and health problems.
The pair were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.
They also pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences including causing unnecessary suffering to a certain animal and failing to meet the needs of animals.
Both Burton and McDonagh were spared jail for their evil crimes, with McDonagh said to be suffering from mental health issues.
The RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit – a specialist team which investigates serious and organised animal crime – launched an investigation in 2017 after reports were received from people who had bought sick puppies in the Greater Manchester area.
The adverts for the puppies had all appeared on the Pets4Homes website.
RSPCA SOU officer Kirsty Withnall – who led the investigation, said: “All of the adverts suggested that the puppies were the offspring of a family pet, had been born in the home and socialised with the family.
“We spoke to 11 people in connection with the first address – linked to Burton – that came to our attention.
“All of the buyers had been directed to a public phone box to call when they arrived to see the puppies.
“One person refused to buy the puppy when it didn’t resemble the dog she’d been sent a photo of, wasn’t with its mother and appeared scared and whimpering. Others bought cockapoos, cavapoos, dachshunds and pomeranians.”
A second Manchester address was then used and officers spoke to six members of the public who had bought puppies from the property, which is linked to both Burton and McDonagh.
Of these six dogs, three died.
From 25 October 2017, the operation expanded to a third Manchester property and five properties across Telford, all linked to Burton and McDonagh.
Beagles, French bulldogs, cavapoos, dachshunds, cocker spaniels and cavaliers were all sold.
Some payments were made into bank accounts in McDonagh’s name while telephone numbers were linked to Burton.
“These sellers were incredibly professional and clever,” Ms Withnall added.
“They sold puppies from one address and moved onto the next before arousing suspicion. They used different names in adverts and on paperwork, different numbers and false postcodes which were either completely made up or were linked to local fast-food restaurants.
“Vaccination cards were falsified with Tippex so they could be re-used and buyers were misled about the source, breed, age and health of the puppies they were buying.”
The court heard that members of the public also raised concerns about a property in Telford, and the condition the dogs were being kept in.
A warrant was executed by West Mercia Police in November 2019 and 55 dogs and puppies were removed from the property on welfare grounds.
A further 26 puppies were born in RSPCA care, bringing the total number of dogs to 81.
The court heard that the dogs were being kept in inappropriate, dirty conditions.
Some of the animals were underweight and had health problems such as skin issues and untreated eye conditions.
Betty Chanelle Burton
Burton and McDonagh arrived at the property and were subsequently arrested.
Cash, mobile phones and paperwork were seized from the property and officers were also able to identify several items which matched items used in pictures of puppies from the online adverts.
Analysis of the adverts from November 2015 to October 2018 showed that 22 different names were used to advertise 439 puppies with a total sale value of more than £253,885.
RSPCA officers took statements from members of the public who had bought 42 puppies for a total price of £21,580.
Fifteen of those puppies died and all of the dogs needed veterinary treatment for different illnesses and health problems.
The court heard that since the trial McDonagh has been mentally unwell and remains seriously ill and in need of treatment and this treatment would unlikely be available in custody.
The dogs were signed over to the RSPCA in December 2019 and have since all been rehomed.
A third person – Luke Gilman – is due to be sentenced for offences in connection with this case later in 2021.
Following sentencing, Ms Withnall said: “Burton and McDonagh were the brains behind this sophisticated operation which, at its height, had eight associated addresses across Manchester and Telford.
“They used different names and different phone numbers to falsify paperwork, create adverts which wouldn’t rouse suspicion and con potential buyers out of hundreds of pounds for puppies they were claiming were much-loved, family-bred pets.”
Sentencing:
McDonagh was sentenced to two years’ custody, suspended for 24 months. He was also disqualified from owning dogs for life and cannot appeal the ban for five years.
He must also undertake a community order including a mental health treatment requirement and 30 days rehabilitation requirement activity days.
Burton was sentenced to six months’ custody, suspended for 12 months, 30 rehabilitation activity requirements days and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.
She was also banned from keeping animals for life and can not appeal her disqualification for two years.
During a proceeds of crime meeting at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday 28 April 2022, Jeff McDonagh was ordered to pay a general lifestyle benefit sum of £31, 231 within 28 days or he would go to prison for nine months. Burton was ordered to pay £1 within 28 days or she would go to prison for seven days.
Judge Peter Barrie, presiding took into account how much both were able to pay and Stuart Cooper, defending said the victims of the crime would receive at least £22,090 of the proceeds of the fines.
CONVICTED (2016) | serial wildlife persecutors Sam Louis Boylett, born 20 September 1982, of 127 Burtondale, Brookside, Telford TF3 1PP and Mark James Paddock, born c. 1970, of no fixed abode – failed to treat their dogs’ bite wounds. Animal fighting charges thrown out.
Sam Boylett (left) and Mark Paddock
Boylett and Paddock were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering in relation to several dogs seized in a joint raid by police and RSPCA.
Boylett was found guilty of five charges of cruelty to dogs Tess, Jack, Pinto, Arnie and another unknown dog.
Paddock was found guilty of one charge relating to a single dog.
Boylett with father Charlie Boylett. The elder had cruelty charges against him thrown out by the court.
The court had heard how the dogs kept at the home of Samuel Boylett and his father Charles Boylett, born 23 October 1945, of Cardington House, Arleston Manor Mews, Telford TF1 2HS, were encouraged to fight with wild animals, including badgers, but charges related to animal fighting were ultimately thrown out by the court.
All charges against Charlie Boylett, who was originally prosecuted alongside his son and hunting associate, were also thrown out.
During an earlier hearing RSPCA prosecutor Paul Taylor told the court that the seized dogs were found with injuries consistent with them “fighting mammals”.
A mobile phone belonging to Boylett and a laptop were also seized and revealed evidence of earlier involvement with animal fighting.
Mark Paddock
Mr Taylor said that the phone was used to send and receive text messages about dogs and to set up animal fights. Photos were found that proved the dog fights happened and that the defendants had been present. He said that, in one of the images, Samuel Boylett was holding a dog which had an injury to its mouth.
Mr Taylor said that text messages also showed he had tried to avoid taking an injured dog to the vets. He said the evidence suggested Boylett had been responsible for putting a dog down a hole to fight a wild mammal, such as a badger, underground. He said Boylett and Paddock had communicated with each other to set up dog fights.
Boylett is a father of four
Giving evidence, Constable Gerry Plant said he had found nine terrier and lurcher-type dogs – some injured – when he went to Boylett’s home on March 28, 2014 following intelligence received from the RSPCA, and the animals were seized.
The trial was shown pictures of the accused out hunting with their dogs.
These showed Paddock, with Boylett holding a firearm, and other men, digging with an animal tracker nearby, a small terrier dog covered in mud wearing a tracker and another dog being sent down a hole. It was not clear from the images when the firearm was discharged.
Video footage taken at Boylett’s address showed a number of dogs, some with injuries, and a treadmill with a dog lead attached and a tool box containing veterinary equipment.
Veterinary surgeon William Walker, who examined a number of the dogs, told the court he found a catalogue of injuries – and that he thought they had been suffering for “one week or more”.
William Walker was called in to examine the dogs at the home of Samuel Boylett and his father Charles Boylett in Burtondale, Brookside, Telford.
He told Telford magistrates he found a number of injuries to the mouth, face and feet of the dogs that were so serious the animals had to be sedated before he could treat them.
Mr Taylor asked Mr Walker about one dog specifically: “Was the animal suffering?”
“Yes,” the vet replied.
Mr Taylor said: “For approximately how long was that animal suffering?”
Mr Walker replied: “It was caused to suffer for a period of one week or more.”
The prosecutor asked him: “How could that suffering have been alleviated?”
“It would have been obvious to a reasonable owner that the animal required a vet,” the vet replied.
Another vet, Deborah Wragg, told the court how she carried out surgery on a dog after it had been seized by the RSPCA following animal welfare concerns. She said that some of the injuries around the dog’s face were fresh with additional injuries to its nose and lip.
Ms Sara-Lise Howe, for Boylett, suggested the animal had been attacked while in the RSPCA’s care.
Sam Boylett had all charges against him related to animal fighting thrown out
Despite the weight of evidence that the dogs had been forced to fight wild mammals, animal fighting charges were thrown out in January 2016 by District Judge Nigel Cadbury. He said it had not been proven that an animal had been placed with another animal for the purposes of fighting. He ruled there was “no case to answer” for the charges relating to animal fighting.
Sentencing the pair on the unnecessary suffering charges, District Judge Cadbury said: “You did not take these dogs to the vet because you were worried and concerned about the vet discovering how they had been caused and that would have led to reports to the police and or the RSPCA.”
Sentencing |
Boylett was sentenced to 24 weeks in jail and was told he could not have anything to do with dogs for 10 years (expires February 2026).
Paddock was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered not to have anything to do with dogs for five years (expired 2021).
CONVICTED (2014) | Lee Morris, born 9 May 1979, of Clunbury Road Wellington, Telford TF1 3PA – kept a starving, emaciated dog in a garden shed.
Morris, then of Viewlands Drive in Trench, admitted unnecessary suffering in relation to an unnamed Staffy whom he’d owned for around 12 years.
Vets said the dog had likely been suffering for about four weeks without adequate food before she was signed over to the RSPCA.
Roger Price, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA , said officers visited Morris’s home after receiving calls of concern.
Mr Price said Morris was co-operative with officers, and admitted the animal was thin.
Mr Price, said: “The inspector was taken to the garden shed where the dog was.
“The dog was described as skeletal, its ribs could be seen and its eyes were sunken. The dog also appeared unsteady on its legs.”
Morris told the inspector he had been intending to take the pet to the vet that evening to have her put down.
Morris signed the dog over to the RSPCA.
The dog weighed 7.45 kilos, when an ideal weight for the type of dog was 12.5 kilos and scored one in a body condition scale where one is emaciated and nine is obese.
Tests showed there was no illness that would cause the dog to refuse food and she ate “keenly” when fed.
Mr Price said: “It was the vet’s opinion that the dog was in extremely poor body condition. It was clearly able to eat and very keen to eat. The period of suffering would likely have been four weeks.”
The dog has since been taken on by a new family, who first fostered her, and has since got to 90 per cent of her ideal weight.
Probation officer Phil Kaleta said: “Mr Morris said he takes full responsibility , he knows it’s not right.
“At the time he had split up with his wife. He is quite a normal, hard working gentleman who has found himself in a bad patch through his divorce. He doesn’t seek to excuse himself.”
Sentencing | suspended prison sentence; 230 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay a total of £1,800. Lifetime ban.
