CONVICTED | huntsman Oliver Thompson, 32, of 4 Old Berks Hunt Kennels, Little Coxwell, Faringdon SN7 8ES – baited a petrified fox cub with a dog while his wife Felicity Thompson, aka Felicity Hook, filmed events.
Huntsman Oliver Thompson was filmed training a terrier to attack a fox
Thompson, formerly of the Old Berkshire Hunt, was filmed removing a young fox from a trap and repeatedly putting her in close proximity to a terrier named Nelly in July 2020.
The video – filmed near Melksham, Wiltshire – was leaked and the RSPCA successfully prosecuted the defendant Oliver Thompson for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Thompson pleaded guilty to the offence at Swindon Magistrates’ Court, and appeared for sentencing on Monday 11 December.
He also admitted second charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal – which involved throwing a fox to a pack of hounds on Christmas Eve 2020.
Magistrates described his offending as “sadistic behaviour” in which he had a “leading role”.
Thompson’s wife Felicity Thompson aka Felicity Hook had the case against her dismissed after the prosecution offered no evidence.
Felicity Thompson, whose voice is heard on the video, was also charged. However, prosecutors offered no evidence and the case against her was dismissed.
After the footage was leaked, the British Hound Sports Association said it had suspended Oliver Thompson pending further investigation. but he subsequently resigned from the Old Berkshire Hunt.
A spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association said that it was “no surprise for us to learn about the latest incident of animal cruelty”.
They added: “These two new offences pre-date, but are in addition to the recent court case of Stuart Radbourne and whipper-in Aaron Fookes who were also sentenced Hunting Act and Animal Welfare Act offences, when they also threw a fox to the hounds in Brokerswood in December 2022.
“Hunt Saboteurs are out in the fields, week in week out and witness the cruelty at every hunt we attend. The next government must act and close down the smokescreen of trail hunting for good.”
Sentencing | 20-week prison sentence suspended for two years; 300 hours of unpaid work; costs of £2,500. No dog ban was imposed but the court ordered Thompson to hand Nelly the terrier over to the RSPCA. It’s not known if she will be re-homed or put to sleep.
CONVICTED (2023) | Mark Flintham, born 8 December 1968, of Lock House, Abingdon Lock, Abingdon OX14 3NW – killed a goose by stamping on it, kicking it and attempting to break its neck.
Headcase: police described Mark Flintham’s vicious attack on a helpless goose as “very disturbing”
Between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on 10 August 2022, Mark Flintham was seen by members of the public grabbing a wild goose in Abbey Meadows, Abingdon.
Flintham stamped on the bird and then kicked it and attempted to break its neck, before taking the lifeless bird away from the park.
Flintham (left, outside court) was photographed holding the injured goose
The incident was investigated by Thames Valley Police’s rural crime taskforce and Flintham was charged on 18 January 2023.
Flintham initially pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty by the court.
Under the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to kill or injure any wild animal, and wild birds are only allowed to be killed or taken under license.
Sentencing | 18 week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months; alcohol treatment; rehabilitation activity requirement; £304 costs. Disqualified from keeping any animal for five years (expires May 2028).
CONVICTED (2021) | Jago Mattew Lethbridge, born c. 1997, of Ferndale Street, Faringdon but with strong links to St Ives in Cornwall and Hugh Town on St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly – killed a chicken he stole from a farm by breaking its neck.
Lethbridge, who works as a boat skipper, admitted stealing two chickens from a farm on St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly.
He also pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the chicken by breaking its neck and killing it.
Sentencing | 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months; four-month curfew. Ordered to pay compensation of £171.20, a surcharge of £128 and costs of £85. Ten-year ban on keeping animals (expires June 2031).
CONVICTED (2017) | Hywel “Howie” Clay, born 14/11/1969, of Radnor Court, Faringdon SN7 7TB – dangled a dog by her lead and kicked her
Roxy was subjected to a violent attack by her drunken owner, Hywel Clay.
Clay had denied causing unnecessary suffering to an animal but was found guilty in his absence.
Prosecutor Pauline Lambert said a couple passed Clay outside Tesco in Ocotal Way on November 5, 2016, and saw him yanking the dog’s lead as he stumbled along the pavement.
As they watched they saw him take the lead in both hands and lift the dog off the floor.
He was also seen kicking her.
Stopping their car they intervened. A tussle followed as one witness grabbed the distressed dog to take the weight from her neck.
Clay grabbed the dog round the neck and tried to take her back as a crowd gathered around them.
The witness let the dog go and put his hands on Clay’s shoulders to prevent him leaving. Clay threw himself backwards, landing on the ground.
The dog tried to get back to the witness and a struggle followed.
She said: “Clay was eventually restrained by Tesco security staff.
“When police arrived they found him struggling to sit and drooling and he was abusive as they questioned him.
Clay was also found guilty of being drunk and disorderly and failing to surrender to Chippenham magistrates. He had denied both allegations.
Alex Daymond, defending, said Clay still disputed the allegations but understood the court had made up its mind. However he did agree that he had a problem with alcohol.
Until the last couple of years he had worked as a panel beater for a classic car restoration business. But his life had spiralled out of control with the death of his brother.
He recognised he had an alcohol problem and had got his GP to refer him to alcohol counselling services.
“He is very keen to sort his life out and get back into work,” said Mr Daymond.
Clay was almost £20,000 in arrears with his mortgage and was facing repossession.
He had owned dogs since he was five years old and until the incident in November there had been no suggestion of him maltreating his pets.
“He loves dogs and is appalled that he has been accused of this,” he said.
“In fact Clay had chosen to be a vegetarian because of his concern for animal welfare.
“Bearing in mind that he has had dogs for so long, this would appear to be a one-off incident in all the circumstances, suggested Mr Daymond. Clay lived alone and relied on his dog for company.
“I would urge the court not to remove that from him.”
Sentence: 12-month community order, £200 prosecution costs and an £85 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping pets for five years (expired April 2022). Deprivation order on Roxy.
CONVICTED (2013) | Frederick McHugh, born 1931 (now deceased), his daughter Angela Russell, born c. 1971, her son Robert Russell, born 26/04/1988, and daughters Kirsty Russell, born 18/07/1992, and Louise Russell, born 14/11/1990, all previously of Faringdon Road, Abingdon OX13 5HN and niece Abigail McHugh of Pendennis Road, Swindon SN5 8QD – ran a bogus animal rescue where dozens of animals were starved, neglected and kept in squalor
RSPCA inspectors rescued 29 dogs, 13 horses and a number of chickens, goats, cats, and ducks during a raid on Crunchy’s Animal Rescue in January 2012.
Officials described conditions at the centre, based in in Faringdon Road, Longworth, near Abingdon, as “some of the worst they had ever seen”.
Dogs, cats, rabbits, ponies and other animals lived in filthy kennels covered in their own urine and faeces, with inadequate bedding, food and water.
Some animals were found in areas containing rubbish, bundles of barbed wire, metal frames from burned mattresses and rusting cars.
A number of the animals had skin conditions which had not been treated.
A shih-tzu dog with an eye condition, a duck and a turkey were in such a bad condition that they had to be put down.
In April 2013 a total of eight people involved with the sanctuary — Angela Russell, her father Fred, her son Robert Russell, her daughters Kirsty and Louise, her brother Peter, niece Abigail McHugh and Angela’s carer, Daniel Bunyan went on trial at Bicester Magistrates Court.
Angela Russell and son, Robert Russell, pictured outside court
All bar Peter Russell and Daniel Bunyan were convicted of 16 offences of cruelty including failing to provide adequate nutrition, adequate parasitic control and provision of veterinary care.
When welfare officers from the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare and the Blue Cross visited the sanctuary between December 2011 and January 2012, they discovered lice-covered horses left to forage in muddy fields littered with junk and sharp objects, and various rabbits, dogs and goats left in cramped conditions, covered in faeces and without food and water.
Some of the animals had been entrusted to the rescue centre temporarily by their owners.
Much loved pet Winston was found living in squalor at the Russell family’s so-called animal sanctuary
Sandra Luker trusted Crunchy’s with four golden retrievers, two cats and a rabbit in November 2011 – but only one dog and her cat were ever returned.
There were also allegations of animal exploitation for financial gain with the judge noting “a commercial element to the operation”. The charity received generous donations from the public but, in the judge’s view, that money had not gone towards looking after the animals. In addition the charity was found to have sold puppies, kittens and rabbits on the internet with Louise Russell having an instrumental role here.
Jonathan Coode, prosecuting for the RSPCA, had told the court: ‘It is our case that for years none of the defendants did anything to improve the conditions and when the RSPCA finally stepped in, some of the worst conditions that most of the witnesses have ever experienced were discovered.
‘One of the most shocking aspects of this case is a dog cowering in a cage. In front of it is effectively a termite mound, almost taller than it, of piled-up faeces.’
He said an area where four puppies were found living among rubbish in a caravan had ‘the most appalling stench’ of faeces and urine.
A horse found lying dead under an old pick-up truck roof had died of Yew tree poisoning and also had bits of tarpaulin and other rubbish in its stomach.
The RSPCA suspected the Russells had tried to hide it and were planning to secretly bury it.
The rescue centre was set up in 2006 and had four trustees. Concerns were first raised about the charity in 2008 and the RSPCA had issued several warnings about the standards of care of the animals
Sentencing Angela Russell, district Judge Tim Pattinson said he believed her to be the “prime mover” in the neglect.
He said: “There is no way an animal lover could allow such profound neglect of this type.”
“Crunchy’s was an animal disaster, a sea of mud and faeces containing shocking and dangerous hazards.
“In short, it was a rescue centre from which animals needed to be rescued.”
Judge Pattinson added: “The photos and videos shown during this case will be remembered by everyone who saw them for a very long time. In particular, the horses crippled by overgrown hooves and the horses trying to eat from a wheelie bin.
“All of you inflicted this suffering in the name of this charity – a rescue centre, a sanctuary – but nothing could be further from the truth than that of what was going on at Crunchy’s.”
RSPCA deputy chief inspector Kirsty Withnall investigated the case.
“What we found at Faringdon Road were filthy, disgusting conditions where animals were being kept amongst all sorts of hazardous items without food and water,” she said. “We have a duty to protect animals from this sort of neglect and we hope that the sentence will help to do this.
“Many of these animals had been entrusted to the care of the defendants by loving owners. Instead of the care promised, the animals were left in dirty, broken down buildings without vet treatment where it was needed or access to basic care.”
Sentencing |
Angela and Fred Russell were both sentenced to 26 weeks in prison and a life ban on keeping animals, with Mr Russell’s sentence suspended for 18 months in light of his age. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
Robert Russell was sentenced to immediate imprisonment for 18 weeks and was banned from owning, keeping, dealing, transporting or participating in keeping of animals for 10 years (expires July 2023).
Kirsty Russell received a curfew order and £1,000 fine,
Louise Russell received a 12-week suspended prison sentence, a curfew order and a £1,000 fine. Both sisters have been banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
Abigail McHugh was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and ordered to pay £1000 in costs.
Frederick Russell is deceased. Robert Russell now lives in Fore Street, Bugle, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 8PB with a partner and their twins. Angela Russell’s whereabouts are unknown.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
