CONVICTED (2024) | Jade Taylor, born c. 1996, and Matthew Drake aka Boop Drake, born 23 January 1992, both of Brooklyn Terrace, Brighouse HD6 2PF – did nothing to help their poorly dog who died as a result of their neglect.
Boop Drake and Jade Taylor failed to provide vet treatment for their 10-year-old dog’s flea infestation, which caused an allergic skin reaction .
Jade Taylor and the ridiculously monikered Boop Drake failed to seek veterinary treatment for their ten-year-old Staffordshire bulldog Misha.
She had a flea infestation which caused a severe allergic skin reaction so bad she ended up being put to sleep because of “self trauma from her chewing and scratching at her skin”.
Misha was suffering from a serious skin condition, which included skin reddening and open scratch wounds.
The couple pleaded guilty to one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
RSPCA inspector Adam Dickinson went to the couple’s home on September 17, 2023, to investigate after being tipped off by a member of the public. He found Misha suffering from a serious skin condition, which included skin reddening and open scratch wounds.
The inspector said in a statement presented to the court: “Misha had a lot of missing fur and her skin was tough and wrinkly. It looked quite pink with numerous areas showing fresh blood. She was running around in the yard, frequently scratching her skin.”
Misha was taken to the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where she underwent antibiotic and steroid treatment.
A vet at the hospital said she was extremely itchy, which led to “self trauma from her chewing and scratching at her skin” which was so damaged, it looked like ‘elephant skin’.
After signs of showing an improvement in her condition, Misha developed a gastro-intestinal bleed, which is a potential side effect of steroid treatment.
A 2016 social media image of Misha
Despite the withdrawal of the steroids and treatment with gastroprotectants, her condition worsened and it was decided the best course of action to end her suffering was to put her to sleep.
The court heard the defendants had not taken the dog to see a vet since 2019.
The vet stated: “It should have been clearly evident to the owner that Misha required veterinary assessment and care. She was frequently scratching and chewing at herself which again would be easily noticeable.
“Skin issues were flagged up by the owners’ veterinary surgeon in 2015 and 2019, but the dog was not presented to a vets again after this date. A reasonable owner would have sought veterinary care on seeing their pet with these symptoms.”
The court heard that Boop Drake was receiving therapy for “mental health issues”, while Jade Taylor apparently needed to support her sister, who was a full-time carer for her mother.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 10 days of rehabilitation; each must pay a victim surcharge of £114 and court costs of £400. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires February 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | pet hoarder Anita J Cross, born 1958, of Tilgarsley Road, Eynsham, Witney, OX29 4PP – ordered to give up seven dogs, 14 cats and two kittens under animal welfare legislation.
Cross appeared at Oxford Magistrates Court on January 15, 2024, after an application was made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to remove several animals from her.
The application was made under section 18(15) which authorises an inspector or constable to take a protected animal into possession where a veterinary surgeon certifies that it is suffering or is likely to suffer.
After the hearing, it was ordered that the animals be removed and administered treatment. There were seven dogs, 14 cats, and two kittens.
Cross was also ordered to pay West Oxfordshire District Council £1,000 for the veterinary intervention costs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Stephen Atterbury, born 29 July 1966, and Emma Richardson, born 29 July 1980, of 14 Sholebroke Street, Chapeltown, Leeds LS7 3HT – for the starvation and neglect of their pet Rottweiler.
Leeds animal abuser Stephen Atterbury
The RSPCA seized Rottweiler Tyson from Stephen Atterbury and Emma Richardson after the cruel pair failed to address his poor condition.
The charity had made numerous visits to the couple’s home after receiving a report of concern about a dog living there. While officers could hear a dog, he could not be seen. Officers left advisory notices – which include advice on steps an owner should take for their animals – but Atterbury and Richardson failed to respond.
An RSPCA officer managed to speak with the pair in April 2021. Although initially reluctant to allow the RSPCA officer to see their dog, Atterbury admitted that Tyson was skinny, but said he was too.
The officer was eventually allowed to see Tyson and was extremely concerned about his poor bodily condition, describing him as “obviously underweight”. They added that “his ribs, spine, hips and his stomach was sunken. His back legs looked to be lacking in muscle and the top of his head was sunken on either side so appeared pointy.”
The couple claimed that Tyson was eating and toileting normally and showed no concern about his condition. They declined the RSPCA’s offer to take the dog to a vet for an assessment.
They were issued with a welfare notice, stating that Tyson would need to be seen by a vet but this instruction was never followed and the dog’s condition deteriorated further.
An RSPCA inspector returned to the property on 1 May 2021 with a West Yorkshire Police officer. This time Tyson was described as “very thin, his face was gaunt [and] he had dried faeces all over his back.”
Tyson was removed from the home by the officer and placed into the care of the RSPCA.
He was taken to a vet, who said the dog was emaciated with marked muscle wastage over the head, body trunk and limbs, and also showed signs of diarrhoea.
The veterinary surgeon stated: “In my professional opinion (Tyson) had been suffering due to a lack of veterinary treatment or investigation into the degree of emaciation present. This could have been easily avoided in my opinion by the owner seeking veterinary attention or feeding the dog appropriately.”
Tyson has since been put on a feeding plan and has fully recovered, and after nearly a year in RSPCA care, he was able to be released for rehoming.
Atterbury and Richard were both found guilty of animal welfare offences.
Sentencing | Both: 12-week custodial suspended for 12 months; rehabilitation; £172.00 costs and £128 victim surcharge each. Banned from owning all animals indefinitely.
CONVICTED (2024) | Diana Kierpacz, born 9 November 1997, of Kennerleigh Walk, Tong, Bradford BD4 0NS – kept an emaciated dog tied up in a rubbish-strewn yard.
2011 social media image of Bradford animal abuser Diana Kierpacz
The two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, known as Brenda, was so emaciated her ribs, spine and hip bones were visible. She appeared timid and nervous.
Brenda
The dog, who had given birth seven weeks earlier, was found tied up in a faeces and rubbish filled yard with no access to food, water or shelter.
She also had a painful long-standing eye condition and was severely underweight, with a vet giving her a body condition score of just one out of nine
Diana Kierpacz, a Roma gypsy originating from Poland, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Brenda and failing to meet her needs following a prosecution by the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Demi Hodby had visited the house to investigate a report of concern over the welfare of a dog kept there.
In written evidence, Inspector Hodby said: “The dog looked to have recently given birth but there were no signs of the puppies. She had no access to water, shelter or food and her eyes were sunken into her head.
“All of the dog’s ribs were visible as well as her spine and hip bones.
“The dog was tethered to a fence using an extendable lead. The lead was tied to a piece of rope which was then attached to the dog’s collar. She was able to walk around but I was concerned she could injure herself as the tether was inappropriate.”
The court heard Kierpacz then appeared at the property and told inspector Hodby that Brenda was only outside for short periods and had access to water, despite none being present.
Kierpacz was told that Brenda’s living conditions were unacceptable and she was taken to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.
She was examined by a vet who told the court in written evidence that the main concerns were her chronic entropion (eye condition ) and her thin body condition.
The vet said: “The most likely cause of this thin state was the increased nutritional demands of pregnancy followed by lactation which in particular is very energy demanding, requiring the animal to consume approximately three times the amount of calories and other nutrients than normal.
“In addition, the choke chain collar and height from which the dog was tethered gave a high risk of injury by choking or strangling if she tried to get away, was fleeing danger or chasing something.”
When asked about the circumstances in which her dog was found, Kierpacz said she had left Brenda there for one hour while she went shopping and she’d been tethered outside so she could “enjoy the weather.”
She said she didn’t feel the way the dog was found tied up compromised her health or welfare and claimed that water had been provided which Brenda must have drunk.
She said she’d been aware of the entropion but had not re-presented her pet for veterinary treatment for 18 months.
After being nursed back to health Brenda was rehomed
Kierpacz said she was not a breeder and Brenda had mated accidentally with a friend’s dog.
Brenda had surgery for her long-standing eye condition and was also neutered. She has since been re-homed.
Other dogs owned by Kierpacz will also now be rehomed.
Magistrates said Brenda had been found in a “very neglected and emaciated state and there was clear evidence that this offending has gone on for a long time”.
Despite this, they only gave Kierpacz a one-year ban. This seems to have been her sole punishment.
CONVICTED (2023) | Carol Summers, born c. 1963, of Foss Walk, Castleford WF10 3DJ – failed to get vet treatment for a seriously ill and underweight foal left tethered without food, water and shelter.
Carol Summers
The months-old foal, Cricket, was seized by police. Despite the best efforts of vets to save him, he eventually had to be put down to end his suffering.
Cricket’s owner, Carol Summers, admitted causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the colt’s needs.
RSPCA inspector Kris Walker visited the field on 13 January 2023 and saw multiple tethered horses, with Cricket’s poor condition causing particular concern.
In a statement to the court, Mr Walker said: “I saw a tethered young colt. He did not look any older than eight to 10 months old. He was lethargic, wobbly on his feet and very thin with his hips and spine all prominent.
“The rug he was wearing was too big for him and not on properly. He was scouring badly. There was no food, water or shelter readily available for him and he should not have been tethered due to his young age.”
A vet gave Cricket a body score of one out of nine and said he was suffering from dehydration, hypothermia and diarrhoea and needed urgent veterinary care.
“He was so thirsty as he was taken up the road that he drank from the nearest puddle,” an RSPCA spokesman said.
“Summers then arrived on the scene and was told Cricket had been seized by the police because he was suffering and an investigation would be started.
“At that point she agreed to sign him over into the care of the RSPCA, telling inspector Walker she’d owned the foal for six weeks and had been given steroids by a vet to treat him, although no record of this was found.”
Cricket was taken to nearby vets, then transferred to an equine hospital.
A vet who gave evidence as part of the case said: “There was no shelter available for the foal and no water was provided. Overall, this was not a suitable place for the foal to be tethered, nor was the foal of suitable age for tethering.
“Cricket should have been provided with ad-libitum water, especially given that he was sick with diarrhoea and so had a higher demand for water intake.
“He was too young to be tethered and also not appropriately tethered as he was tethered connected to a fabric headcollar which poses a serious risk of injury. The Defra code of practice clearly states horses under the age of two years old should not be tethered.”
Another vet who gave evidence said Cricket was emaciated and estimated to weigh 85kg (187 pounds) when he was found.
“This is severely underweight for a cob colt foal of six to eight months old,” she said. “At this age, the foal should be approximately 40 to 50% of its adult weight. A cob of 13hh to 14hh will weigh between 300 – 400 kg respectively. This foal should have weighed approximately 150 kg, demonstrating how severely underweight he was.”
Despite extensive treatment and care, Cricket’s condition did not improve in the following weeks and “a vet made the decision that it was in his best interest to put him to sleep to prevent further suffering”, the RSPCA said.
They added: “The court heard that despite Summers telling the RSPCA inspector she had owned Cricket for six weeks, she later disputed this and said it had only been three. However, she agreed she had assumed ownership and had failed to get the foal the care he needed and he had suffered unnecessarily as a result.”
“Magistrates said Cricket’s basic needs had not been met and there was a failure by the defendant in all aspects of horse ownership,” the RSPCA said.
In mitigation, the court heard Summers had various caring responsibilities and accepted she should never have become involved in looking after the foal.
Sentencing | 16-week suspended prison sentence; 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement’ costs of £400 and £154 victim surcharge. 10-year ban on keeping all animals, which can be appealed after five years,
CONVICTED (2023 )| Christopher Silverthorne, aka Chris Newsome, born c. 2002, from Seacroft, Leeds LS14 – subjected a malnourished puppy to sickening violence on at least six occasions.
Three separately filmed videos showed Chris Silverthorne physically abusing a Boxer-type puppy in the garden of a property in Swarcliffe Drive in Leeds.
CCTV footage captured in March 2023 showed Silverthorne walking up the garden path before kicking 8-month-old Boxer-type dog, Ace, on his right hind leg and striking him on the chest with his hand.
He then grabbed the side of Ace’s face and tipped over his water bowl, forcing the puppy to drink from the floor.
A vet who assessed the footage said that Ace (pictured) could suffer from “life-long” emotional distress as a result of the “unnecessary suffering”.
Two further videos taken on 19 April showed him dragging the puppy by the neck and hitting him twice on the side of the face.
RSPCA inspector Adam Dickinson, accompanied by the police, visited Silverthorne at his home on 20 May and seized the dog and took him to a vet.
“Whilst waiting, he drank continuously for one minute and 27 seconds and whenever I made any sudden moves, he would react in a nervous manner and distance himself from me,” he said in a statement to the court.
“Following his clinical examination, he then drank continuously for a further one minute 41 seconds, clearing two bowls of remaining water.”
Pictures of the puppy showed his visible ribs and two areas of hair loss. His body score condition was assessed at just three out of nine,
A vet who viewed the CCTV said Silverthorne had inflicted harm on the puppy at least six times by striking, kicking and dragging him upwards by the neck, while failing to support his weight.
In her statement, she said there was “no reasonable” explanation for Silverthorne’s behaviour towards the dog.
“The owner caused unnecessary suffering on multiple accounts by inflicting pain on Ace.”
Father-of-one Silverthorne walked free from court with just a 10-year ban as punishment.
She added that while Ace would have suffered “momentarily” during the incidents the “emotional impact may have a life-long impact”.
The vet said pictures of the puppy also showed his visible ribs and two areas of hair loss and said any reasonable owner would have taken him to a vet.
Ace was signed over by the defendant and will now be rehomed.
Sentencing | 10-year ban in relation to all animals.
CONVICTED (2023) | puppy smugglers Mark Anthony Hirst, born September 1977, of Lidgett Lane, Skelmanthorpe, Huddersfield HD8 9AQ* and Oliver Sean McVeigh, born c. 1974, of 65 Kinturk Road, Cookstown BT80 0JD
Breeder Oliver Sean McVeigh (left) colluded with pet transporter Mark Hirst to smuggle animals from Ireland into Britain.
Hirst, sole director of Allstar Pet Transport Limited, and commercial dog breeder McVeigh pleaded guilty to charges in relation to an illegal puppy smuggling racket between Northern Ireland England.
Hirst’s company was a front for an illegal racket where bogus paperwork was used to move dogs from puppy farms in the Republic of Ireland to the UK mainland
Hirst was jailed for four months after he pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by false representation, while McVeigh walked free from court with a suspended three-month custodial sentence after he admitted supplying the dogs to Hirst to illegally sell in the UK.
Some of the puppies seized by police from Mark Hirst’s vehicle
The court heard that Hirst was stopped on August 2, 2022, by a DAERA official (Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) at the Duncrue inspection centre which is part of Belfast Port.
The official found 58 dogs in Hirst’s van along with a cat who was being legitimately transported to her owner in England.
The puppies were an assortment of breeds, including golden retriever, cockapoo, miniature terrier, French bull dog, American bull dog, cocker spaniel, roan spaniel and dachshund.
The court heard that Allstar Pet Transport was a “legitimate” business, but under EU laws Hirst was required to produce transport certificates for each animal he ferried between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain.
When the DAERA official checked the transport certificates for the dogs found in Hirst’s van they were found to be false.
Each certificate must state the origin of the ownership, the place of departure, date and time of departure, the intended place of destination and the expected duration of the journey.
During an earlier court hearing, an investigating detective said the paperwork contained details of those Hirst allegedly met to obtain the animals, but police could only contact one person who stated they did not know him.
“(Some of) these people don’t exist, they are duplicate names and addresses, they are bogus,” he contended.
Searches of the vehicle uncovered vaccination cards completed by a veterinarian based in Co Longford.
The detective said Hirst travelled to Northern Ireland by ferry, drove across the border, and then returned with the animals.
“It is the police case that the defendant is involved as a puppy smuggler,” he alleged.
“He’s involved in moving dogs from the Republic of Ireland over to Great Britain and he is making fraudulent declarations to DAERA in order to obtain his paperwork.
“These dogs are being recovered from puppy farms in the Republic of Ireland and documentation is being falsified to suggest they are from Northern Ireland.
The detective described Hirst’s pet transportation business as “a façade to facilitate a criminal enterprise.”
Prosecutor Rosemary Walsh told the court that Hirst “could have run a legitimate business on this day but he was providing false information and it was not possible for the authorities to know where an animal was going. We have no evidence of where the animals were going. Anything could happen to them.”
McVeigh’s lawyer told the court “was having puppies at his impeccable kennels which he couldn’t sell in Northern Ireland”.
He added: “There simply wasn’t the demand at the time and demand for puppies in Northern Ireland dropped right off once (Covid) lockdown ended.
“There was a much higher demand in England and he knew he could transport dogs over there, get them sold and get paid”.
Passing sentence, Belfast Recorder Judge Patricia Smyth said that the case before her did not involve “cruelty to animals” but said that the “absence of a plausible explanation for the ultimate destination of these dogs is a matter of concern”.
She added: “The fraud enabled a profit to be made from animals bred in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which are then sold at a much higher price in other parts of the UK and Scotland.
“The dangers for animal welfare are therefore obvious and a strong message must go out that unlawful practices such as this will not be tolerated by the courts.”
The Recorder noted that Hirst had previous convictions for drug offences and cautions for dishonesty offences.
Turning to McVeigh, Judge Smyth said his “excellent reputation as a dog breeder … has now been seriously diminished”.
Judge Smyth concluded: “Those who fraudulently attempt to undermine the system put in place to safeguard the welfare of animals are committing a serious offence.”
Sentencing |
Hirst was jailed for four months after admitting a charge of fraud by false representation.
McVeigh received a three-month suspended sentence.He admitted supplying the dogs to Hirst to be sold illegally in the UK and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
*Alternative address for Mark Hirst: Leys Farm, Park Lane, Emley, Huddersfield HD8 9SS.
Hirst’s company Allstar Pet Transport Limited was dissolved in November 2023. This was a reincarnation of a previous company with an identical name, which was dissolved in March 2021.
Hirst was implicated in a 2021 animal cruelty prosecution case after dozens of puppies found crammed into a van travelling on the M6 died with canine Covid. The vehicle, which was being driven by traveller Patrick Stokes of Adventure Lane, West Rainton, Durham, was stopped by police officers who found 46 dehydrated and malnourished dogs inside. Stokes told police he had paid Mark Hirst to transport the animals from Belfast to Cheltenham. He said he had picked the puppies up from Hirst just 45 minutes before being stopped by the police.
Hirst was charged with one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and one count of failing to ensure the welfare of an animal in his care. He was due to stand trial in September 2021 but the outcome was never reported.
In June 2021 Stokes was convicted for his part. Details of the case against him are here.
CONVICTED (2023) | Daniel Pickard, born c. 1981, of Heather Grove, Keighley BD21 2RP – killed a kitten by forcefully punching and strangling her and breaking her bones,
Pickard battered and strangled three-month-old female cat, Pablo, and left her body in a plastic bag in the bedroom of his flat.
The next morning he told his daughter: “The cat’s gone. I’ve killed it. It’s dead”, adding “I couldn’t stop punching it, it’s been pi**ing me off the past week.”
Pickard, who works as a painter/decorator, was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He was also found guilty of criminal damage to the kitten by destroying her, assault on a police officer acting as an emergency worker, possession of cannabis and breach of his bail.
The court heard Pickard’s daughter had brought Pablo with her when she moved into his flat with her baby son.
After his daughter said she was struggling to look after the cat and thinking of re-homing her, the court heard Pickard told her: “I’ll take it round the back where the bins are and sort it out.”
Prosecutor Lydia Carroll said Pickard’s daughter had been shocked but thought he was joking.
She said: ‘In December last year, Pickard went out for the night with his two daughters but got drunk and was ejected from a nightclub.”
The court heard the next morning he called one daughter and told her he had killed the kitten because he had been annoying him, adding that he “couldn’t stop punching it”.
His daughter “thought it was some kind of joking because he kept laughing,” said Miss Carroll.
“She thought it was some kind of sick joke.”
The sisters called the police after finding the dead kitten with blood around her nose and mouth.
Pablo’s body was examined by a vet who found she had suffered fractures to her cheekbone, jaw, head and spine, as well as a throat fracture consistent with strangulation.
Pickard drunkenly resisted two officers who turned up to arrest him.
He then failed to turn up for his trial at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court, where he found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
He was sentenced on Monday October 9, 2023, for that offence as well as further charges of assaulting an emergency worker, resisting a police officer, criminal damage, possession of cannabis and failing to surrender to court.
Miss Carroll told Judge Kirstie Watson that there were photos of Pablo’s body, warning her that they were graphic.
Judge Watson said she had seen them.
The court heard Pickard had more than 30 previous convictions for more than 50 offences including two jail sentences for wounding in 2011 and 2021.
His barrister Lily Wildman, in mitigation, said Pickard had shown real remorse and had significant alcohol problems.
Judge Kirstie Watson said Pickard must have used very significant force to kill Pablo.
The impact on his daughters had been very great and neither wanted to see him again.
But it was a single act of animal cruelty and he had stayed out of trouble since.
Judge Watson was told that Pickard did not have any animals of his own. She said she did not think it necessary to ban him from keeping them.
Sentencing | 21-month custodial suspended for two years; 30 rehabilitation activity days; 150 hours of unpaid work; alcohol treatment requirement; £75 compensation to his daughter; £500 costs.
CONVICTED (2023) | pet hoarder Donna R Adams, born 11 May 1971, of 101 Tempest Road, Beeston Hill, Leeds LS11 6RD – failed to feed her eight cats a proper diet or treat their ailments.
Donna Adams fed her eight poorly cats a diet of boiled eggs, bread and cheese but refused to acknowledge her failure to meet their needs
Adams appealed unsuccessfully against her animal cruelty conviction following a trial in February 2023.
She was prosecuted by the RSPCA after the eight cats, who were underweight and suffering from eye and dental issues, were discovered at her flat in Tempest Road, Beeston Hill on 14 January 2022.
Two of the most underweight cats, Claudia and Barnaby, each weighed only 1.4 kilograms (3.086 pounds) and many of them had conjunctivitis, corneal lesions and dental disease.
Sadly two cats was put to sleep on veterinary advice because of kidney failure.
The vet who examined the cats gave the majority of the felines body condition scores of just two or three out of nine.
She said she was highly concerned their basic nutritional needs were not being met and their low body weights suggested they were suffering as a result of a poor diet. Only one cat had been able to obtain enough nutrition to maintain an acceptable condition.
The vet told the court she suspected the cats had suffered for a period of between ‘several weeks and up to two to three months’.
She added: “The significant weight gain and improvement in their body condition once in RSPCA care proved that their previous diet was either unsuitable or of an insufficient quantity.
“Failure to provide suitable food would have resulted in the cats suffering from hunger, and this could have been avoided through the provision of proper food, seeking appropriate dietary advice or reaching out to animal welfare charities to assist with rehoming.”
In her evidence at the appeal hearing, Adams – who refused to sign any of the animals over – said she had kept cats for over ten years and in her view, they were all well fed and in good condition.
She confirmed their feeding regime included two boiled eggs, a slice of bread and some oil, bits of cheese and an occasional tray of chicken and access to biscuits.
She insisted the cats were in good condition and disputed their diet was inadequate or that the ocular discharge and dental disease required specialist veterinary intervention.
In cross-examination, she conceded that only one cat, Barnaby, had seen the PDSA – which was the day before they were removed – but evidence of other consultations could not be found.
Adams’ appeal against her conviction and sentence was dismissed following a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Friday 15 September 2023.
Dismissing the appeal, Judge Simon Phillips KC and two lay magistrates said they were in no doubt as to the evidence in the case, which showed prolonged neglect and harm had been caused to the cats.
They said the complete lack of insight shown by Adams led them to believe that her disqualification should be extended in relation to all animals from a period of five years to seven years.
RSPCA inspector Kris Walker, one of the investigating officers, said:
“Adams continued to maintain that her cats were well cared for, despite the overwhelming veterinary evidence to the contrary. A responsible owner would have recognised their pet was not thriving and would have proactively sought professional help and advice.”
Sentencing | seven-year ban on keeping animals (expires September 2030).
CONVICTED (2023) | rogue horse traders Charlie Virginia Hingley, born c. 1996, of 55 Stoney Lane, Netherton, Dudley DY2 0AD, and Lucia Kate Stanton, born c. 2004, of 3 King Alfreds Walk, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4PY – allowed five emaciated horses to suffer with two having to be put down.
Lucia Stanton (left) and Charlie Hingley faced animal cruelty charges after five horses owned between the pair were found in poor bodily condition, with two having to be put to sleep by vets on humane grounds
Hingley and Stanton were sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 25 September 2023 after pleading guilty to horse cruelty charges at an earlier hearing.
Pictured are Sonny (left) and Celly (right). Both horses were owned by Charlie Hingley. Sonny later died due to the extent of his mistreatment. Photo: RSPCA .
Hingley admitted four offences of causing suffering to horses Sonny, Celly, Luna, and Bobby, between December 2022 and January 2023, while Stanton admitted causing suffering to miniature Shetland Waffles during the same period.
On 22 January 2023 witnesses contacted an equine bailiff after they saw a tractor being used to lift a collapsed horse, Celly, in a field in the vicinity of School Lane, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
Bobby’s coat was dull and scruffy and his spine was protruding. He was also suffering from rain scald and a lice infestation. Photo: RSPCA
The bailiff attended and requested that Hingley contact a vet immediately. When the vet attended, a second horse, Sonny, was found collapsed and was in “such a poor state” he had to be put down on welfare grounds immediately
Celly, who was in an emaciated condition, was relinquished by Hingley to the bailiff and removed from the site.
Little Waffles, who was owned by notorious horse trader Lucia Stanton, was also found in poor condition. Photo: RSPCA
The RSPCA was later called to check on the welfare of Luna, Bobby and Waffles, and RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith attended the field on 26 January, during which she called a vet over concerns for all three horses.
“My initial concern was for piebald mare Luna, and young Shetland Waffles, because both looked to be in poor body condition visually, despite fluffy winter coats, and Luna had rain scald on her back,” said Ms Smith.
“After taking a closer look at Luna, I could see she was significantly underweight. I could see her ribs, pelvis, spine and a shelf at the top of the ribs, and when I put my hands along Waffles’ back, neck and pelvis, I could feel all these structures easily with no muscle along the sides of the spine.”
Luna
Ms Smith was also concerned about the condition of colt Bobby, who was in a second field.
“When I asked Hingley to remove Bobby’s rugs so I could have a better look at him, I saw that his spine protruded with a clear obvious shelf each side of the spine, his pelvic bones protruded and were sharp, he had a ‘thigh gap’ with little muscle left on the legs, he walked with a weak gait,” she said.
An RSPCA spokesman said the vet confirmed the horses were suffering, and Hingley signed Luna and Bobby to the RSPCA. Waffles belonged to Stanton, and as she was not present, he was taken into possession by the police and placed into the RSPCA’s care. The three were taken to an equine hospital for further examinations and treatment.
In the vet’s witness statement, Lunda, Bobby and Waffles were described as having a body condition score of one out of five, the most likely cause a high worm burden. Waffles’ and Bobby’s coats were described as “dull and scurfy with a heavy lice infestation”, and Luna was “suffering with extensive rain scald over the back and rump”.
“Sadly, despite the vet’s best efforts, Luna’s condition deteriorated and the veterinary team made the decision to put her down to prevent her suffering further,” said the RSPCA spokesman.
Charlie Hingley, who works as a care assistant and has famiyl links to Cornwall, is now banned from having anything to do with equine animals for life
Ms Smith added that the vet confirmed the pasture management of the fields was “totally inadequate with extensive faecal contamination” and that extremely high worm burdens had caused the horses’ poor body condition.
“Worm and parasite management in horses can be easily managed with an effective parasite control programme, so it’s very sad that neither owner identified that the horses were underweight, nor had a parasite control plan in place which would have prevented this needless suffering,” she said.
“I am very pleased that thankfully, Waffles and Bobby made good recoveries in RSPCA care, and Celly has made a good recovery in the care of the equine bailiff. During the winter months, I would urge horse owners to get in the routine of using their hands to check their animals’ body condition through their winter coats, as well as regularly removing rugs to monitor their weight and check for sores.”
In mitigation it was heard that Hingley showed remorse and was of good character. Stanton’s mental health was raised as an issue.
Bobby has since been rehomed through the British Horse Society’s (BHS) second chance programme, a collaborative rehoming initiative between the BHS and welfare charities to give rescued horses and ponies a “second chance at life” through a BHS-approved yard.
Sentencing | Hingley: two 12-week prison sentences to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months; 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement; £400 in costs. Banned from owning equines for life, with no appeal allowed for 10 years. Stanton: £300 fine, £400 costs, and a £120 victim surcharge. Banned from owning equines for 10 years, with no appeal for five years.
The pair’s bans include being disqualified from dealing, transporting, or arranging the transport of horses.
