CONVICTED (2024) | Richard Loveridge, born 2 December 2004, of Stonebow Road, Drakes Broughton, Pershore WR10 2AP – for kicking a cat.
Richard Loveridge
Loveridge, a traveller, admitted animal cruelty in relation to a cat named Fefe. The cat’s condition was not reported. The incident took place in Kidderminster on June 28, 2023.
The charge he admitted reads: “Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal – namely the cat, by an act, namely kicking, and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that the act would have that effect or be likely to do so.”
Sentencing | one-year community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days; fined £40 and ordered to pay £50 in compensation and £114 victim surcharge.
CONVICTED (2024) | Jessica Paige Pugh, born 8 December 2002, of Arlingham Place, Worcester WR5 2SZ, her mother Kerry Ruth Pugh, born 17 March 1980, of Brook Cottage, Bosbury , Ledbury HR8 1PX, and Oliver Daelan Fairy, born 31 December 2002, of Tanhouse Lane, Malvern WR14 – for the starvation and neglect of two horses with one having to be put down.
The case involved two equines – Autumn and Totti – who were found to be in an emaciated bodily condition likely due to high worm burdens and lack of a suitable diet.
Oliver Fairy pleaded guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence which concerned a grey mare named Totti in that he failed to meet her needs. Kerry and Jess Pugh pleaded guilty to one offence relating to chestnut mare Autumn in that they failed to meet her needs.
RSPCA inspector Suzanne Smith attended a stables in Ledbury on March 22, 2023, after the charity received a call concerning underweight horses.
In a written statement provided to the court, Inspector Smith said that a horse called Autumn “was wearing a rug, but despite the rug I could see she was extremely angular with the rug hanging on her like she was a coat hanger
“There was no food or water in the stable, there was no bedding, there was some faeces.”
The owner of the stables named the owners as Jess Pugh and Oliver Fairy.
Fairy told inspector Smith that the horse was Jess Pugh’s horse and he had spoken to a vet the night before as the horse had had ‘choke’, but he didn’t know when the horse had seen a vet prior to that.
Inspector Smith continued: “I went into the stable and removed the rug. As I suspected, the horse was extremely underweight with all bones exposed, a clear thigh gap between her buttock cheeks, the rib cage was fully visible with a shelf along the top where it met with the spinal processors.
“Whilst waiting for the vet, as Autumn had no food or water I asked if some could be provided and a slice of hay in a small haynet was hung in the stable and the small empty bucket which was in the stable was filled.”
A vet attended and remarked that Autumn was the thinnest horse he had ever seen. In his statement, he said the mare’s body condition was 0.5 out of five and that there was strong evidence “to support parasitism for the poor body condition of the horse.”
The Pughs also attended the stables on March 22, and a transfer of ownership form for Autumn was signed by Kerry Pugh, who said she was the owner and the passport was in her name.
The court heard that inspector Smith was also able to locate the contact details with regards to Totti, who had been on loan to Fairy but removed by her owner on 17 March.
The owner was called and it was requested that a vet attend to assess Totti. It was confirmed that she had been suffering with the vent finding an “above normal faecal worm egg count”.
The vet added that blood and faecal test results were consistent with a “high intestinal parasite burden” which could contribute to weight loss. However, the test results could also be present with other diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
The weight loss was described as “severe” and would have occurred over a long period of time. The current keeper was informed and treatment for parasites was recommended.
Totti was in good health and in excellent condition on arrival at the yard where Fairy kept her. Months later while in Fairy’s care her condition had deteriorated dramatically
Fairy accepted full responsibility for his failure to ensure Totti was provided with the correct vet assistance and nourishment.
He claimed his involvement with her was relatively limited, however. He said that another person was attending to the horses but accepted he had the overriding responsibility for her care.
In the RSPCA’s care Autumn received remedial farriery alongside a re-feeding programme. Although she regained weight her lameness problems didn’t resolve and the sad decision was made to put her to sleep.
Sentencing | Fairy was handed a £450 fine, victim surcharge of £180, and ordered to pay £200 costs. Kerry Pugh and Jessica Pugh were handed a £196 fine, a victim surcharge to pay of £78 and they were ordered to pay £200 costs. All three were disqualified from keeping equines for seven years (expires February 2031).
In October 2023 Kerry and Jess Pugh loaned out a cob called Lizzie.. On arrival at the loanee’s yard, she was described as being “overweight with a matted mane and tail”.
Lizzie was overweight and her mane and tail were severely matted when she first arrived at the loanee’s yard
The loanee continued: “I had to cut off her mane as it was too matted to brush out. I washed her as she was covered in scabs and dirt. She had to have six visits from a farrier before he was happy her feet were back to normal.
The loanee spent thousands of pounds in farrier and vet fees to restore
“The saddle they gave me was described by my saddle fitter as being only fit for the bin. It was causing Lizzie pain to be ridden in.
“She has now lost 150kg and is under supervision from me and my vet.
“As well as the usual costs of livery, hay, bedding, insurance, etc, I’ve had to pay for remedial farrier work, saddler appointments, dental treatment and vitamin balancers.
“This week alone I’ve had to spend £150 for the vet callout, microchip check and vaccinations
“I also had to buy new rugs (she came with two but both were broken) as well as new tack because neither her saddle nor bridle fit her”.
The Pughs apparently told the court that they had sold Lizzie in October 2023, when she remains on loan.
They have now asked the loanee to return her. The loanee has offered to buy her for £2,000 but the Pughs have demanded £5,000.
There are allegations that Kerry Pugh may transfer ownership of her horses to her boyfriend, Craig Cross. Cross is said to be terrified of horses so this would be an obvious and cynical attempt to skirt their court-ordered disqualification order.
The loanee is desperate to keep Lizzie who she describes as a “sweet horse who’s now been getting lots of love and care” and enjoying the companionship of two other horses.
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).
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.
CONVICTED (2023) | Peter Loveridge, born c. 2000, and Danny Bridges, born 18 March 2002, both of the Lower Heath Caravan Park, Watery Lane, Stourport DY13 9PR, and Tony Taylor, born c. 2002, of Severnside Caravan Park, Sandy Lane, Titton, Stourport DY13 9PY – caught hare coursing.
L-R Peter Loveridge, Tony Taylor, Danny Bridges: hare coursing gang members from Stourport, West Midlands
Travellers Loveridge, Bridges and Taylor were all ordered to pay more than £2,000 and banned from owning dogs for five years after pleading guilty to hare-coursing offences in the Brinklow area of Rugby, Warwickshire.
A spokesperson for the Warwickshire Rural Crime Team said: “The males are the first to be charged in Warwickshire under new laws to tackle illegal hare-coursing.
“The Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 makes it an offence to go equipped for, search for, or pursue hares with dogs, and an offence to trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs.
“Equipment used in the commission of the offence was also forfeited.
“Three lurcher dogs owned by the men were seized by police at the time of their arrest will now be rehomed in due course.”
The men were handed the following punishments:
Peter Loveridge:
Disqualification order for five years on owning and keeping dogs
£120 fine
Compensation £2,085 (for reimbursement of kennel fees)
Victim surcharge £48
Danny Bridges:
Disqualification order for five years on owning and keeping dogs
£120 fine
Compensation £2,085 (for reimbursement of kennel fees)
Victim surcharge £48
Tony Taylor:
Disqualification order for five years on owning and keeping dogs
£275 fine
Compensation £2,085 (for reimbursement of kennel fees)
CONVICTED (2023) | hare coursing gang Joseph Smith, born c. 1984, of Lower Heath Caravan Park, Watery Lane, Stourport-on-Severn DY13 9PR, Michael Toogood, born c. 1996, of the Paddocks, Warrant Road, Stoke on Tern, Market Drayton TF9 2DZ, and Ben Evans, born c. 1999, of Pigeon Door, Ryton, Shrewsbury SY5 7NQ
Convicted for hare coursing: L-R Ben Evans, Joseph Smith, Michael Toogood
Travellers Michael Toogood, Joseph Smith and Ben Evans (who has previous for dog cruelty alongside wife Alexandra Evans) were prosecuted for trespassing with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs.
Joseph Smith from Stourport. WorcestershireSmith and a hare-coursing chum Micheal Mongan share some memoriesMichael Toogood from Market Drayton, ShropshireBen and Alexandra Evans from Ryton, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire
The trio pleaded guilty to the offence on 21 February 2023 and were sentenced.
The offence occurred on 28 October 2022, when the three men trespassed onto farmland in Letcombe Bassett, Wantage, Oxfordshire.
They had four lurcher type dogs and were looking for hares.
They were each fined £500, and have to pay £85 in costs and £200 in surcharge.
CONVICTED (2022) | animal sanctuary owner Graham T Stephens, born 30 July 1960, of Broad Street, Hereford HR7 but with links to Kidderminster – kept ‘rescued’ animals in shocking conditions.
Graham Stephens pictured during his court appearance
Graham Stephens, co-owner with wife Jayne Stephens of registered charity Little Meadow Animal Rescue (LMAR) in Stoke Bliss, Worcestershire, kept owls, dogs, rabbits, donkeys and other animals in cramped conditions and failed to provide for their needs.
The mistreatment to the animals included failing to provide dental treatment, failing to address heavy lice infestation, failing to provide treatment for bacterial infection, failing to provide veterinary treatment for the eye condition and dental disease and failure to provide drinking water.
The animals were kept in filthy, faeces-covered cages with animals kept close to predators when they should have been kept apart.
The court heard that unnecessary suffering was caused to four grey donkeys, an alpaca, a Chinese Crested dog, two rabbits, a guinea pig, a grey squirrel and four tawny owls.
Prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, Lynda Myer said warnings had been given to Stephens in 2020 about the mistreatment of dogs but less than two years later there had been “multiple complaints” from the public to the police about conditions at the sanctuary.
Police, accompanied by the RSPCA, acted on a warrant and visited the sanctuary, leading to Stephens’ arrest.
“The conditions were appalling,” the prosecutor said.
“There were signs significant stress was caused to the animals living in a small area.
“He was entrusted with money from the public to look after these animals.”
Sarah Brady, defending, said Stephens had been suffering from depression and stress while trying to run the charity.
“He has run the charity for 12 years,” Mrs Brady said.
“In 2021 he should have sought help.
“He didn’t because of what was going on in his personal life.
“He regrets that now.”
The solicitor added it was not a case where the defendant had deliberately mistreated animals.
Stephens admitted six charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and two charges of failing the duty of a person responsible for an animal to ensure welfare.
Sentencing | jailed for eight months and banned from owning, keeping or transporting animals in any way, for life. He was told the earliest he could appeal that ban is 2033. He was released on conditional bail pending an appeal against the custodial sentence.
Following sentencing, a witness to Stephens’ animal cruelty over many years took to Facebook to write the following account of her experience:
The RSPCA together with the police obtained a warrant and removed 44 animals wo were living in squalor. There were caged dogs and some running around along with caged wildlife including owls, squirrels, rabbits and guinea pigs all living in a static caravan.
The RSPCA inspectors could only stay in the caravan for a few minutes because of the smell of ammonia. The donkeys had laminitis and overgrown hoofs and teeth and were unable to eat.
I personally saw the video and photographic evidence from the RSPCA and broke down in tears over the conditions these animals were forced to live in.
I obtained some small satisfaction by telling him to his face what I thought of him and what he had put the animals through whilst all the time convincing the general public that he was a caring rescue.
I personally had dealings with him and his wife when he was running WFAT [Wyre Forest Animal Trust] in Kidderminster and saw at first hand the appalling neglect the animals which he taken in were suffering. I made many complaints to the RSPCA and all the major welfare animal authorities along with the Charity Commission. Regrettably no one took any action all those years ago and he was allowed to carry on to this present day abusing and mistreating animals.
The case will now go to the Crown Court. The b…d should’ve gone down there and then.
Update | October 2023
Graham Stephens’ appeal was held on Tuesday 10 October 2023, at Hereford Crown Court sitting at Hereford Justice Centre; however it was withdrawn at the end of the hearing.
The sentence imposed from December 2022 has now remained, with an additional £750 of costs included with the sentence.
Stephens will now spend the next eight months in jail. His lifetime ban remains in place but may be reviewed after just 10 years.
CONVICTED (2022) | dog thief and abuser Clifford Hodgkins, born 6 December 1981, of 31 Woodlands Park, Blairgowrie PH10 6UW but originally from Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
Thieving animal abuser Clifford Hodgkins and one of the four dogs he stole from the Blairgowrie area in October 2020. The unnamed female dog remains missing nearly two years on although the three other dogs were recovered in the English West Midlands, from where Hodgkins originally hails.
Hogkins, who has strong links to the Stourport travelling community, was convicted of dog theft in relation to four dogs taken from their owners, and cruelty to a lurcher he left chained up outside in sub-zero temperatures.
Hodgkins has a violent past and a long criminal record.
Hodgkins, who has a long history of violent offending, stole three Jack Russells terriers and a Springer spaniel from remote properties in the Blairgowrie area.
He lifted one dog out of his kennel and bundled him into a car, while his horrified owner looked on.
Three of the dogs were later found more than 400 miles away, in different parts of the English West Midlands. The Springer remains missing, almost two years on.
Hodgkins, whose previous convictions include domestic violence, assault, carrying knives, burglary, and racially aggravated harassment, was found guilty of the thefts at two properties in Meikleour and Forneth in October 2020 following a trial at Perth Sheriff Court.
He was further convicted of a separate animal neglect charge, after a “crying” lurcher-type dog was seized by animal welfare teams from a property in Rattray, near Blairgowrie.
Police and the SSPCA swooped on the house in MacDonald Crescent, Rattray, and found the dog, called Bruce, tethered in the back garden.
Hodgkins was found guilty of failing to provide the animal with adequate shelter and exposing him to the elements between 27 and 29 November 2020. He failed to provide a suitable living environment and limited his movement by tethering him.
SSPCA inspector Katherine Aitchison told the trial she went to the property on November 28, 2021, following complaints from neighbours.
She said: “A male answered the door. At the time, he did not identify himself but I later understood that he was Clifford Hodgkins.
“He stated there was no dog in the back garden at all. I was told that a Lhaso Apso that I could see on the stairs behind him was the only dog on the property.”
Ms Aitchison said she returned with police the following day. She described the lurcher-type dog in the back garden as “very cold and all hunched up”.
She said: “I think the night before the temperature had dropped to minus four. The dog was obviously tired and was shivering.
“Its tail was between its legs and it had a roached back. That’s not happy body language.”
She said the dog had access to a wooden shed, which had a tarpaulin sheet with a slit in it instead of a door.
“There was a small blanket on the floor of the shed. It wasn’t providing much comfort and it definitely wasn’t providing any heat.”
The dog was taken to SSPCA offices and examined.
Ms Aitchison said Bruce had cracks on his paws, an infected claw and scarring on his face.
“He relaxed after a few minutes of being in the heat,” she said.
One witness told the trial she heard the dog crying and later saw Hodgkins shouting at him.
“He was being aggressive,” she said. I was on the phone to the police, watching it happen.
“He picked up a handful of gravel and threw it at the dog.”
Taking the witness stand, Hodgkins told the trial he had bought the dog for £400 after seeing it advertised on the internet.
“I bought it on the Friday and the police came and took him on the Sunday,” he said.
“It was a pet. I wanted to take him on walks in the countryside.”
He denied neglecting the animal, insisting that the shed – which had no door or windows – was wind-proof, dry and insulated.
Hodgkins rejected claims made by a neighbour that he threw stones at the dog and shouted aggressively at it.
“The dog was whinging because it was in a new environment,” he said.
“So I told it to get in (the shed) a few times.”
He said: “You have to train them, because they’re brain dead. You have to show him.”
But Sheriff Gill told Hodgkins that he found the evidence of SSPCA officers, police and neighbours to be credible and reliable and said it was clear the dog was left in a state of distress.
The sheriff found a further charge, that tree surgeon Hodgkins behaved in a threatening or abusive manner and threw stones at the dog, not proven.
Sentencing | jailed for 90 days and fined £500 for the thefts. He was fined another £400 for the animal neglect charge. Two-year disqualification order (expires June 2024).
CONVICTED (2021) | Filip Pawel Kuczkowski, born 12 February 1979, of Laxey Road, Rotton Park, Birmingham B16 0JG but with strong links to Kidderminster – kept 20 malnourished chinchillas crammed into tiny cages inside his home.
RSPCA inspector Jon Ratcliffe was called to an address in Laxey Road on October 20, 2020, after receiving reports that a number of chinchillas had been left inside unattended for some time.
After receiving no reply, he looked through the letterbox and spotted a dead animal at the bottom on a cage. He then called the police to help him gain entry into the property.
To their horror, they discovered 19 chinchillas in cages with empty water bottles. One animal was trapped inside a cage and despite the efforts of a vet had to be put down.
The rest were thin, injured after fighting with each other and underfed.
Inspector Ratcliffe said: “The chinchillas inside the cages clambered frantically to get to the water bottles to be able to drink. It was clear these animals had been deprived of water for some considerable time.
“My attention was drawn to one chinchilla who appeared to be trapped and wedged in between the wire of the cage and an internal ramp.
“I gently freed the animal but he was in very poor bodily condition and collapsed; the animal was suffering and needed immediate veterinary assistance so I drove directly to an emergency vets who sadly had to put the chinchilla to sleep because of the severity of his condition.
“The remaining chinchillas were removed from the cages.
“There were seven live chinchillas in the right hand cage nearest the front door, in addition to the deceased chinchilla I had originally seen from the letterbox and the chinchilla who I had rushed to the vet.
“A second cage contained a further ten chinchillas.
“I was again struck by how thin many of them were, how many of them had very poor quality coats and some appeared to have injuries or bites consistent with fighting with other animals.”
The surviving chinchillas were taken to RSPCA Newbrook Farm Animal Hospital where they received care and treatment before being made available for rehoming.
Polish national Filip Pawel Kuczkowski, who has a previous conviction for drink driving while living in Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to six animal welfare offences.
Sentencing | 100 hours of unpaid work; 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement days; £495 in costs and charges. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expires June 2026).
