CONVICTED (2024) | convicted child rapist Benjamin Thomas, born c. 1991, most recently of a holiday park in Looe, Cornwall, but originally from the West Midlands – went on the run and left his cats behind to starve.
In 2012 at Worcester Crown Court Thomas was jailed for five years and made subject to a sexual harm order after being convicted of child rape.
Following his release he has failed on numerous occasions to adhere to the terms of his sex offenders registration which oblige him to keep police informed of any change of address.
In June 2023 Thomas was living in a flat in Lancashire with his girlfriend but vacated the property after falling behind on rent, leaving two cats behind.
When contacted by the property manager, he explained there’d been a bereavement and claimed he had returned to feed the cats. However, when the property manager attended there was no sign anybody had returned and the cats were feeding off scraps. The pets were taken into RSPCA care.
Thomas had fled to Cornwall but was soon apprehended by police and charged with failure to comply with notification requirements as a sex offender between August and December 2023.
Representing Thomas, Barry Hilliard said his client “made an error of judgement”.
Sentencing Thomas, Recorder Richard Stead said Thomas has “numerous previous convictions for failing to comply”.
He added: “You seem to fail to understand the extreme seriousness of the first offence of rape and reasons you’re subject to the requirements of the sex offenders’ register. If you did you’d ensure you provided police with the new address when you moved.”
CONVICTED (2024) | Yasmin Sattar, born 1 July 1997, of Portcullis Drive, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton WV11 3BH – starved a bull terrier to skin and bone over a month.
The RSPCA visited an address in Wolverhampton after members of the public contacted the charity with concerns about the welfare of a dog.
Inspectors found brown and white bull terrier Zeus in an emaciated condition with his bones visible. He was sitting on a wooden chair in the garden and appeared lethargic, the charity said.
Zeus’s owner, mother-of-three Yasmin Sattar, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal between January 28 and February 25, 2023.
The RSPCA seized Zeus and rushed him to a vet for treatment.
The veterinary report concluded that Zeus “will have experienced unnecessary suffering due to feelings of hunger and weakness and emotional distress.
“He will have experienced this for a minimum of four weeks but likely much longer. This suffering could have been avoided by providing an appropriate diet and by seeking veterinary attention for poor body condition.”
The RSPCA confirmed Zeus’s weight had increased while in their care.
Before she decided to starve him, twisted Sattar shared many images of Zeus as a puppy to social media
Ben Jones, the inspector who investigated the case, said: “Animals are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met. Providing food and water is an essential.
“Owning an animal is a privilege – and ensuring appropriate care is a key part of the responsibility we have towards them. It’s sad that, in this instance, the owner of Zeus failed to provide him with a suitable diet and as a result allowed him to suffer for a prolonged period of time.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 15 days of rehabilitation activity. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires February 2029).
We have since learned that Zeus was put to sleep because of his breed – another victim of Breed Specific Legislation which was recently widened to include XL Bullies.
CONVICTED (2024) | sadistic thug Byron Bayliss, born 14 November 2002, of Dover Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton but with links to Dudley – systematically beat and tortured a puppy over several months, ultimately resulting in the animal’s death.
Sick puppy killer Byron Bayliss from Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Bayliss tortured’ the six-month-old terrier, Shadow, to death and buried his remains in the garden.
His body was recovered by police and found to have extensive injuries.
Bayliss was prosecuted by the RSPCA and admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The abuse took place between October 2022 and February 2023.
The police and RSPCA attended an address at Merrick Road, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton to investigate.
Bayliss’s mobile phone was seized and revealed he had made Google searches including ‘is it illegal to abandon a dog uk’, ‘is it illegal to leave a dog uk’ and ‘is it illegal to kill a dog uk’.
A post-mortem found Shadow had sustained extensive blunt force trauma with tears and bleeding to multiple internal organs including the liver, right kidney, lungs, diaphragm, heart sack and left heart chamber.
His vertebral column had completely dislocated.
A vet report concluded: “Shadow sustained severe blunt force trauma most likely due to being beaten.
“There was also evidence of healing processes in several areas of the body suggesting that Shadow had been beaten in the past, before the beating that caused his death.
“There is radiographic evidence of at least one historic rib fracture which shows healing that I estimate to be at least four weeks old, possibly older. There are radiographic signs of a fractured lumbar vertebra and a suspected healed fracture to the left front leg.
“He likely died following a sustained beating with multiple blows to different parts of the body that caused multiple internal bleeds and dislocation of vertebrae in his chest spine. The force of the blunt trauma would have been very severe to have caused these injuries and would have caused severe pain and extreme distress.”
In mitigation, the court heard Bayliss was of previous good character, was ‘immature’ and had ‘untreated’ mental health issues due to ‘previous traumatic events’.
Judge Avik Mukherjee said: “Shadow was a six-month-old terrier puppy. For almost all of his life you frankly tortured him.
He ruled against suspending imprisonment and concluded Bayliss must be jailed immediately.
He said: “There is no evidence of a realistic prospect of rehabilitation at present. I’m afraid appropriate punishment for an offence of this nature can only be served by way of immediate custody.
“A deterrent sentence must be passed in cases of this sort. This offence is as serious a case of this nature as there can be.”
“It is difficult to find a different verb to describe what you did to him. I have concluded your behaviour was sadistic. That is someone who gains pleasure from inflicting pain.
“It was prolonged. You showed no remorse at the end of each attack. You repeated your behaviour over many weeks. They became more severe, more merciless.
“It’s impossible to imagine how Shadow felt over his short life. I can’t imagine a case of this nature that could be more serious.”
Sentencing | 21 month custodial. Banned from keeping animals for 20 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Connar Hudson born c. 1991, of Margaret House, 46 Berryfields Road, Sutton Coldfield B72 2UG – battered an XL bully for “jumping around in the bath”, causing severe injury.
The dog, Simba, was heard screaming as he was being beaten by vile bully Connor Hudson. The RSPCA was alerted after a neighbour sent them a sound recording of the dog in distress and seized him.
He was later found to have substantial cuts and bruises to his head inflicted by ‘blunt force trauma’.
Hudson, a violent career criminal whose previous criminal convictions include burglaries which targeted elderly and vulnerable people, denied hurting Simba but later confessed after being found guilty of two animal welfare offences following a trial.
The attack on the dog took place on the morning of January 29, 2023.
Prosecutor Sarah Pratt said: “Another resident went down the lift to go outside and have a smoke. He heard shouting but couldn’t make out what was being said.
“He also heard the sound of dogs screaming. He identified the noise was coming from Connor Hudson’s flat. The witness started to record. The recording was short as he didn’t want a confrontation.”
She stated the neighbour called the police who attended Hudson’s flat but did not feel they had power of entry so they advised the complainant to contact the RSPCA, who sent an inspector at 1.36pm that day.
The court heard Hudson allowed the inspector in and they subsequently found Simba sitting on an arm chair with bruising.
A second XL Bully was at the home but there were apparently no concerns about him.
Hudson initially refused to allow Simba to be taken to a vet, but eventually relented.
Ms Pratt stated there was ‘extensive bruising’ and cuts to the dog’s head and said: “The injuries are consistent with blunt force trauma consistent with slapping or beating with an object or hand.”
Hudson’s lawyer told the court his client was “struggling with his mental health” at the time whilst not taking his medication.
Sentencing | 16-week custodial, suspended for 12 months; rehabilitation. Banned from keeping animals for ten years (expires January 2034).
CONVICTED (2023) | Lucas Slim-Fitzpatrick born 6 November 1996, most recently of Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare but with links to Plymouth, Saltash, Taunton and Wolverhampton – subjected an bull-breed puppy to a catalogue of violence.
Slim-Fitzpatrick, who promotes himself on TikTok as a mental health expert and also likes to showcase his ‘kindness’ to homeless people, was prosecuted by the RSPCA for assaulting and neglecting the 10-month-old bull-breed called Luna in Plymouth between June 1 and December 1, 2022,
He pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on December 7, 2023.
He inflicted “blunt force trauma, physical violence and multiple injuries of a non-accidental nature”.
Luna was repeatedly beaten and suffered multiple fractures during her time with sadistic Lucas Slim-Fitpatrick
He also failed to take steps to ensure the needs of Luna were met by not protecting her from “pain, suffering and injury and disease” and failed to provide “proper and necessary veterinary care and attention” for her injuries.
A vet who examined Luna said the dog had suffered blunt force trauma injuries in at least three separate incidents.
The RSPCA was shown doorbell footage from November 30, 2022 which showed Slim-Fitzpatrick riding his electric scooter in Mutley. while holding onto the lead of the dog, who was trying to follow behind.
A witness who contacted the police said he heard an animal in distress at the back of Slim-Fitzpatrick’s former address in Greenbank Road in Plymouth minutes later, the RSPCA said.
The court was told the witness saw Slim-Fitzpatrick “staggering around” on the scooter while talking aggressively to the dog before picking her up with both hands and throwing her six feet in the direction of a wall. He was later arrested.
When he was interviewed by police in December 2022, the defendant claimed Luna’s injuries – a broken left hip and pelvis, fractured jaw, cheekbone and wrists, three broken ribs, three broken teeth and a bloodshot eye – were caused by Luna being hit by a car and kicked by a horse.
He said her bloodshot eye was the result of her being attacked by a Jack Russell dog.
But RSPCA prosecutor Gregory Gordon told the court: “Expert veterinary evidence disproved the defendant’s various claims of accidental injury to Luna. For example, if she had been struck by a vehicle, there would have been evidence of skin abrasions or lacerations, and grit or oil in her hair.
“Radiographs indicated Luna’s different fractures were at different stages of healing, meaning that the injuries occurred on different dates. It has not been possible to identify the number of separate incidents from the injuries alone, but records indicate that injuries were sustained by Luna on at least three separate occasions, including June 29 and August 2 last year.”
On both of these dates, the defendant had been in contact with vets. However, in June 2022 he declined the vet’s recommendation that Luna undergo surgery for wrist fractures, citing the cost. He then failed to attend appointments to rebandage her wounds, instead using a pencil and sock as a homemade splint.
In August he phoned the vet to report Luna was eating painfully, but then failed to keep an appointment.
When RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albison attempted to make contact with the defendant in March and July this year to interview him about the allegations, he claimed he did not have a fixed address, but that he was staying with a friend in Birmingham.
In a statement read to the court, the inspector said: “The defendant said he was aware the RSPCA had been visiting his address, but that he was not prepared to be interviewed.
“I told him Luna was still in our care as he had not responded to my request to confirm we could rehome her. He became angry and said he thought he had already given permission and the dog was no longer anything to do with him.”
In mitigation, the court was told Slim-Fitzpatrick had experienced a troubled background and had spent time in the care system.
A judge said he had shown little remorse for his actions and told him: “This was prolonged, lengthy violence towards an animal in your care who should have been protected by you rather than becoming your punchbag.”
Luna was signed into the care of the RSPCA on July 5, 2023. The charity said she had recovered from her ‘horrific’ ordeal in their care. She was rehomed after undergoing surgery and extensive rehabilitation work to regain the use of her back leg.
Speaking after the sentencing, inspector Albison said: “The assaults carried out by this defendant on this poor dog started when she was a 10-week old puppy and continued until she was 10 months old. It was absolutely horrific as she was repeatedly beaten and suffered many fractures.
“Luna had surgery on her femoral head and that saved her back leg as the other option was amputation. Happily she is now doing very well and we have been able to rehome her.
“Without being provided with the Ring Doorbell footage by a member of the public we wouldn’t have been able to prosecute the defendant as he denied being in that area of Plymouth at the time of the assault allegation.”
Sentencing | 14-month custodial sentences to run concurrently on each of the three animal welfare offences and a further five-month prison sentence, to be served consecutively, for his breach of a suspended sentence imposed for an unrelated matter. Banned from owning animals for 20 years.
CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder Jonathan Sharples, born 27 November 1996, of Mavor Drive, Bedworth CV12 0HD – caught on camera beating one of his dogs with a baseball bat.
Backyard breeder and violent dog abuser Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Sharples from Bedworth, Warwickshire.
Sharples violently struck a Presa Canario called Pablo several times after separating him from another dog in kennels at his home in Mavor Drive, Bedworth.
A police investigation also uncovered how he had failed to seek treatment for a painful cruciate injury suffered by another dog, bull breed Santorini, that caused lameness in her right hind leg.
In the video a large brindle-patterned dog can be seen latched onto another dog through the bars of kennels.
Two women are heard shouting and calling out in distress before they are joined by two men, including Sharples, who separate the dogs using a plank of wood and a baseball bat.
The video then shows Sharples repeatedly hitting Pablo long after he had moved away from the other dog.
The footage was sent to the local authority’s animal warden licensing inspector who then contacted the RSPCA.
A copy of the video was also shared with the police dog legislation officer who organised a warrant and seized the dogs in Sharples’ care.
In court, Sharples admitted to charges of animal cruelty and neglect.
RSPCA Inspector Herchy Boal said: “Sharples inflicted unnecessary suffering by repeatedly and violently hitting his dog with the baseball bat long after the two dogs had been separated. There is never an excuse for treating an animal in this way.
“I’m grateful to the police dog legislation officer Craig Leach and local authority animal warden licensing inspector Louisa Cullen for all their support during this investigation. It helped secure the safety of Sharples’ dogs.
“A dog called Santorini was found at the property with an untreated cruciate injury which is very painful and required surgery. She’s also now fully recovered.
“It’s essential animal owners make sure they always receive care and treatment from veterinary experts when they need it. They are completely reliant on their owners to ensure their needs are met and that they are kept safe and healthy.”
Sentencing | two-year community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days; victim surcharge. Banned from keeping dogs for four years (expires November 2027).
CONVICTED (2023) | Tyler Steele, born 27 May 1996, of 14 Tiverton Road, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 0AY – caught physically abusing dogs on two separate occasions.
Stoke thug Tyler Steele sparked national outrage after being filmed beating a dog in the Hanley area of the city
A video of self-styled hardman Tyler Steele hitting a puppy several times was circulated on social media in July 2023 after the footage was caught on a doorbell camera in Hanley, stoke. Steele is seen dragging the female XL Bully, known as Bo, along the pavement and striking her repeatedly.
A second video believed to have been filmed in the Berry Hill area in May 2023 showed Steele throwing a French bulldog from a car, sending her skidding across the road.
The videos sparked outrage from people up and down the country, and prompted both the RSPCA and police to launch an investigation.
In the immediate aftermath of his exposure on social media, Steele turned up at the door from which the later footage was taken and left a message on its doorbell camera.
In it, he was heard to say: “I don’t give a fuck about the video. I’ve told everyone it was me. I don’t give two flying fucks.I’ll treat my dog how I want to treat it.”
In the video featuring Bo, Steele is seen walking along the street on a Hanley housing estate. The pup appears to sit down on her haunches and refuses to budge. Steele then yanks the lead, pulling her towards him, and rains down several blows on her head as she yelps.
He can be heard muttering “Don’t want it no more. He [sic] can fuck off.”
Bo is understood to be back in the care of her original owner but the whereabouts of the French bulldog are unknown.
Appearing at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre in November 2023 Steele pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering. He is to be sentenced in January 2024 after his case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report – but district judge Kevin Grego warned him that a custodial sentence was ‘highly likely’.
Claire McGowen, prosecuting, said that although there were no veterinary reports detailing the animal’s injuries, the suffering caused to the dog could be seen in the footage.
She said: “There were repeated instances of the use of substantial force causing a substantial level of suffering to a very young animal.”
Colin Drew, mitigating, told the court that Steele had been ‘under the influence’ of cocaine at that time and had since become drug-free.
He said: “He has no previous convictions for this kind of thing. He does have a very bad record and he wouldn’t deny that.
“He was under the influence of cocaine at that time. This last incident on July 7 put him in a situation where he has now become totally drug-free in the last couple of months. He has also benefitted from the assistance of his lady friend.”
Steele was bailed to appear in court in January with the condition that he must not own or possess a dog or any other animal.
District judge Kevin Grego warned Steele that it was ‘highly likely’ that he would face a custodial sentence and be disqualified ‘for a lengthy period’ from keeping an animal at his next court appearance.
Ordering a pre-sentence report, he said: “It is highly likely that custody will follow, and highly likely that the court will disqualify you for a lengthy period from keeping an animal.
“The court will deal with you having regard to the sentencing guidelines of up to 12 months in custody for each offence. It may be that you will be sent to crown court.”
CONVICTED (2023) | Lee T Preston, born c. 1986, of Grove Avenue, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 3BA – caught on a video doorbell kicking a puppy he had bought in an attempt to win back his girlfriend.
Lee Preston bought a dog in an attempt to rekindle the relationship with his ex-girlfriend – but then she saw him kick the puppy, causing the animal to yelp in pain
Preston had been dumped by his partner due to his poor behaviour towards her. In a foolish attempt to rekindle the relationship, he purchased a dog and took him to her house. But she saw him assault the puppy by kicking him, causing him to yelp in pain.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard in another incident, he went to her house and attacked her door. When she went outside, he slammed her against a wall and bit her on her neck.
Now Preston, a chartered accountant, has been jailed for 16 months.
Prosecutor Omar Majid said Preston had been in a relationship with his victim after meeting her at their mutual workplace: Dunelm. But she found him increasingly volatile, physical and controlling and called quits on their relationship.
On September 28, 2022, she was at home when Preston turned up unannounced. Mr Majid said: “He started to kick her front door and caused damage to the bottom corner of the door meaning it did not lock properly.”
Preston bought a puppy for his victim in an attempt to win her back but on November 22 she received a notification from her doorbell footage.
Mr Majid said: “When she opened it she saw Preston kick the dog and it could be heard yelping in pain. It was clearly a sadistic attack.”
The fate/current whereabouts of the puppy were not reported.
Preston turned up at his victim’s home on December 18 and was aggressive and verbally abusive. Mr Majid said: “He started to kick the front door and pull the doorbell off the wall.
“She decided to go out and look at the door. When she went out the argument continued and she told him to leave. He grabbed her by her hair and dragged her and during the fight he bit her on her neck having slammed her against the wall of the garage.
“She kept telling him to leave but he refused. He picked up a flower pot and threw it at the door.”
A neighbour who witnessed the incident said it was ‘horrific’ to watch.
The victim said Preston’s behaviour impacted on her mental health.
Preston pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm; two charges of criminal damage; and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Barry White, mitigating, said his client had spent four weeks on remand after his arrest and did not fit into the prison environment at all.
But Recorder Robert Smith said the offending was so serious only an immediate jail sentence could be justified. He told Preston: “I completely reject your profound remorse. I find you jealous, controlling and an arrogant man. I find you pose a risk of causing serious harm to partners.”
Sentencing | 16-month custodial for animal and domestic abuse. No mention of a ban.
CONVICTED (2023) | Terry Bree, born 1952, of Brunswick Street, Leamington Spa CV31 2EW – brutally kicked an elderly cat who died shortly afterwards.
Cruel Leamington pensioner Terry Bree was caught on camera kicking cat days before the animal died.
In an unprovoked attack Terry Bree was caught on a video doorbell lashing out at Lenny, a 21-year-old cat who died three weeks later.
The father-of-five admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.
Bree had taken his German Shepherd dog, Sasha, for an early morning walk on September 16, 2023, when the incident occurred shortly before 7am.
He was seen putting his dog onto her lead in Hastang Fields before roughly shaking her by the neck and then, as he walks off, delivering a powerful kick to a nearby cat.
Leamington Magistrates were told by prosecutor Nabiha Ahmed that the elderly cat had become unwell after the attack – making messes in the home and appearing nervous to go outside. He passed away on October 9.
She said that Bree, who had been a dog owner for 35 years, had no dislike for cats but there had been problems with felines on the road.
She said that Bree’s dog Sasha had been scratched on the nose by Lenny in an earlier incident not caught on camera: ‘The frustrations got to him and he saw red.’
Defending, Jas Thiara said that her client ‘deeply regrets his actions’ and is ‘very conscious that this has caused a public outcry.’
She told the Court that Bree had reported himself to the RSPCA after the incident.
‘He took full responsibility and felt really bad at what had happened,’ she said.
But she pointed out that there was no way of confirming what level of injury would have been caused.
Lenny’s owner had said that following the attack her cat “went downhill” and died
In her ruling, the Chair of the Bench Janis Cauthery, rejected the Crown’s call for Bree to be banned from keeping all animals.
She said: ‘We have considered this carefully and seen no evidence of cruelty towards your dog so our disqualification order will prevent you from owning or keeping cats for five years.’
The court heard that Bree and his partner had owned Sasha for two years after getting her from the Dog’s Trust charity.
She had previously been kept in a crate for a year.
He said his method of shaking her by the collar was how he got her to pay attention.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work. Ordered to pay £200 in compensation to Lenny’s owners, £185 in court costs and a £114 victim surcharge. Banned from owning or keeping a cat for five years (expires November 2028).
CONVICTED (2023) | William Thornton, who has a number of aliases including Dennis Thornton and Hugh McGinley, born June 1998, of 69 Upton Road, Kidderminster DY10 2YB but with links to Shrewsbury – allowed an emaciated mare to become so poorly she lost her foal and later died.
Willie Thornton, an Irish traveller who works as a self-employed driveway contractor, was disqualified from owning horses after failing to properly care for a pregnant horse that later had to be put down after losing her foal.
Thornton admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Monday 6 November 2023.
Bay mare Gypsy Speedy lost her foal and was later put to sleep following months of neglect by her owner, Willie Thornton
The offences related to a bay mare named Gypsy Speedy kept at a travellers site in Timber Lane, Stourport.
RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith attended the site , on December 9, 2022, after the charity received reports about the welfare of horses kept there.
She left an advice notice regarding Gypsy Speedy, who at that point was identified to be underweight. Thornton was advised to provide additional forage and to ensure a farrier attended.
But after returning on January 18 she found no action to have been taken and the mare’s condition had deteriorated.
In her witness statement, inspector Smith said: “The pregnant bay mare was visibly severely underweight. She had deteriorated a lot in the five and a half weeks, with her spine, pelvis and shelf above her ribcage being exposed despite a thick winter coat.
“There was no additional forage, and the grazing available was insufficient to meet the needs of the equines.”
Inspector Smith called a specialist equine vet to attend, who examined the horse and confirmed she was suffering unnecessarily given her poor body condition and lack of nutrition available.
West Mercia Police attended and placed Gypsy Speedy into the care of the RSPCA.
In their witness statement, the vet stated Gypsy Speedy’s body condition score was just one out of five.
They added: “The body condition score of the animal was unacceptably low and the animal was being caused unnecessary suffering.
“In my opinion, the cause of the poor body condition was due to malnutrition, starvation and/or or an inadequate parasite control programme.
“The mare has been caused suffering for at least six weeks and would continue to suffer if the circumstances did not change.
“In my opinion, the owner has failed in their duty of care by failing to provide adequate food, by failing to implement a suitable parasite control programme, by failing to provide adequate farriery and by failing to seek veterinary advice.”
Inspector Smith added: “It’s very sad when we identify an animal that is at risk and clearly discuss with the owner changes and improvements they need to make in order to prevent their animal from suffering, but that advice isn’t taken.
“Thankfully, in the vast majority of our work, owners take on board this advice and make the changes that are needed and the lives of the animals are vastly improved. Sadly there are some cases, such as this one, where animals are caused to suffer as a result of owners who refuse to take the required action.”
Due to her poor health, Gypsy Speedy lost her foal, despite the best efforts of vets and the RSPCA’s equine care teams.
She later became very unwell herself, and vets made the difficult decision to put her to sleep to prevent her suffering further.
Sentencing | community order with 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months; costs of £400. Banned from owning horses for six years (expires November 2029).
