CONVICTED (2020) | Michael ‘Mick’ Lingen, born 11/07/1967, of 29 Northfield Street, Worcester WR1 1NS – killed a Yorkshire terrier by hitting him on the head with an axe
Lingen admitted two charges – one of destroying the dog, who belonged to his former partner, and another of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by striking him in the head with an axe.
Magistrates said the offence was so serious they had to impose a sentence of 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
Lingen must carry out 200 hours unpaid work within the next twelve months.
He must also pay £135 costs and a £122 victim surcharge.
Lingen was also disqualified for life from owning or keeping all animals or being involved in any arrangement in which he could control or influence their care – made under Section 34 Animal Welfare Act 2006.
CONVICTED (2019) | Joe Purvis, born c. 1993, of William Tennant Way, Upton-upon-Severn, Worcester WR8 OLP – broke his kitten’s jaw and caused burns to her head and a leg injury resulted in amputation.
Purvis took his 12-week-old Maine Coon cat, named Indico, to a vet in November 2018 where she was found to have three fractures to her head.
The pet, bought for £50 several months earlier on Facebook, also had an open wound on the top of her head, and lost a leg while in Purvis’ care.
Victim Indica endured a life of sickening violence with Joe Purvis
Purvis admitted to giving Indica a “back-hander”, claiming she had bitten him, but did not accept that the marks were caused by a burn. Instead, he claimed she hit her head on a tap while he was trying to wash her.
The former student at Heart of Worcestershire College accepted a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal when he appeared before magistrates.
Sara Pratt, prosecuting, said the defendant had taken the kitten to vets in September 2018 and she had such severe injuries to her leg that they had no choice but to amputate it.
On November 9, 2018, Purvis then took her again to Coldicott & Kingsway Veterinary Clinic in Tewkesbury and was described by staff as smelling “overwhelmingly of cannabis”.
Mrs Pratt said he told vets he believed the cat had suffered a broken jaw due to him giving her a “back-hander the night before” after she’d defecated on his bed and bit him.
He also told them the open sore on her head was caused by her hitting her head while he washed faeces off her.
Purvis said to vets he “couldn’t cope with such a demanding animal” and that she was the “first and last” pet he would ever own.
Mrs Pratt said the defendant had been unable to sleep the night of the incident and had toyed with the idea of taking her somewhere to “let her go as a stray” but decided to take her to Coldicott clinic instead.
The vets told him Indico needed an X-ray, but he said he didn’t have any money and “did not want the cat” before becoming “verbally aggressive”.
When veterinary staff wouldn’t agree to take the kitten off him, he told them there was “no proof” he owned her anyway.
He added that if he was forced to take her home he would “let her go” and described the vets as “money grabbing” despite them offering to give some treatment for free.
The court heard Purvis then agreed to sign over the cat to the practice and started to fill out a document but then “screwed it up” and exited.
The cat was left at the vets where she was examined, and it was determined she had fractures to the eye and jaw.
The wound to the head appeared to be a burn rather than a graze, as Purvis described it.
Mrs Pratt said vets said there was a “crunching of the bones” on the right-hand jaw bone.
The kitten’s general demeanour was said to be “nervous” in contrast to most young cats who are usually “bold and active” when going to the vets.
An RSPCA inspector went to Purvis’ home later the same day. Purvis agreed to sign over Indico to them and was later interviewed at a local police station.
Mrs Pratt said “there was significant intervention in terms of operations to put right the injuries” which had proved costly to the vets as Purvis hadn’t paid any money.
Defending Purvis Judith Kenney, of Judith Kenney Solicitors in Worcester, said she had seen pictures of the cat while she was living with her client and she was “happy and contented”.
Joker: Judith Kenney of Worcester solicitor firm Judith Kenney Ltd , which is based in the city’s Foregate Street, told the court her cat-abusing client was “an animal lover”,
A cat owner herself, Kenney said it is often the case that once a young cat goes through such trauma as a major operation and re-adjustment to life, they are “never the same”.
“The reality is, then she couldn’t defecate properly in her litter tray anymore,” she explained, and went on to say she believes Purvis was not properly told how to look after her after the amputation and “struggled with her”.
Referring to the day he struck the cat, Kenney said: “Only he knows the truth of the matter.”
“Why would he take the kitten to the vets and admit what he had done if he didn’t have some compassion towards her?”
She said he became agitated at the vets because he “couldn’t afford to pay anymore” fees and had a hospital appointment later that morning.
She said he is often “impulsive” and “that’s part of his difficulties”.
Kenney said her client suffers from mental health problems.
Kenney said: “He wants me to ensure that you are aware that he did the right thing. He took the cat to the vets. He didn’t do the right thing in hitting her and breaking her jaw.”
She added: “There has been absolute vilification of him in the press. When I read some of the comments, I just couldn’t believe some individuals can’t see that there’s two sides to a story.”
“He is an animal lover,” she continued. “He accepts what he did on that day was not right and if he could put the clock back, he would.”
The court heard the cat has now been rehomed.
Sentencing | 14 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. Costs and charges totalling £515. Banned from owning any animals for 10 years (expires March 2029) .
CONVICTED (2017) | Danielle Rogers (aka Danielle Wood), born c. 1998, of Durham Road, Worcester WR5 and partner Kealy Marie Scott, born 15 March 1998, of Chedworth Drive, Worcester WR4 – starved one dog to death with another found in an emaciated condition
Dog killers: Danielle Rogers (left) and Kealy Scott
Rogers and Scott were convicted in their absence in July of two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to Patch and Lulu, contrary to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act.
Walking skeleton Patch was handed into a vet practice in Worcester in December 2016.
The pair admitted dumping their crossbreed Lulu in a plastic bag in a park after she starved to death.
Their admission came after skinny Patch, a black and white Staffordshire bull terrier, was handed into Ambleside Vets in December 2016.
Callous Kealy Scott (left) and girlfriend Danielle Rogers locked two helpless dogs away in a flat to starve to death.
Rachel Hayward, a RSPCA inspector who was called by the concerned veterinary staff, said: “He was frightfully thin. You could see every bone in his body including the shape of his skull – he was a walking skeleton.
“He weighed just 9.8kg – around half what he should have weighed as an adult, male Staffy.”
Insp Hayward managed to trace Patch’s owners, who admitted that their second dog Lulu had died and they had dumped her body in a nearby park.
“Those poor dogs were locked inside a flat, hidden away from view and left to slowly die. Their basic needs simply weren’t met and as they lost more and more weight their owners simply ignored them,” she added.
“Sadly, it was too late for poor Lulu, but Patch had a chance and we were determined to get him back to health.”
Staff at Ambleside Vets gave Patch round-the-clock care to nurse him back to health and build his weight to 16kg.
Due to a medical condition neglected dog Patch had to be fed in an upright chair so his food could move down into his stomach. He has since made a full recovery.
His rehabilitation was made more difficult by a medical condition he was suffering from called megaesophagus, meaning his oesophagus did not function properly, so he couldn’t get food into his stomach easily.
Once he was strong enough, Patch went to the RSPCA’s Southridge Animal Centre, in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, where staff set about trying to help him eat properly.
Insp Hayward added: “It worked and he soon caught the attention of dog-lover Lulu Jenkins, from St Albans, where he went off to join her and her pack of six other rescue dogs.
“I’m so pleased he got a happy ending after everything he has been through. He’ll never need to worry again about when his next meal is coming or whether he’ll eat that day.”
Sentencing: 12-month community orders with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement; ordered to pay £355 each. Banned from keeping animals for ten years.
CONVICTED (2011) | Tracey Munden (also known as Tracey Clarke), born 3 January 1972, of Lime Grove, Bromsgrove B61 8LX – left several animals to starve to death
Evil Munden locked her dogs in cages and left them to die
Following reports from concerned members of the public, RSPCA inspectors raided Munden’s former home in Hathaway Close, Dines Green, Worcester and were met with a scene of horror.
Inspectors discovered a dead Staffordshire bull terrier in a cage without any food or water, an extremely underweight bull mastiff, two chihuahuas and a Yorkshire terrier. The Yorkie was described as being “close to death”.
One of the dogs rescued from Munden’s property
An emaciated water dragon lizard that had been left in an unheated vivarium was also found.
Munden spouted the usual excuses about personal problems and depression. Thankfully the judge saw through the excuses and jailed her. Munden wept hysterically as she was handcuffed and led away.
Sentencing: 18-week prison sentence and banned from keeping animals for ten years (expired September 2021).
