CONVICTED (2024) | Bogdan Gruia (aka Bogdan Gruya), born 28 June 1990, of 178 Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe DN15 7NN – part of a group of men that stole a pregnant ewe from a farm, slit her throat and left her to bleed to death.
Roma gypsy Gruia, who came to the UK from Craiova in Romania, indicated a plea of guilty to aiding and abetting “a person unknown” to cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by cutting her throat and leaving her to bleed to death.
The remains of the sheep and her unborn lambs were found in an alleyway near premises in the control of Gruia, a garage owner who gave the court an alternative address of Digby Street in, Scunthorpe
The sheep had been stolen from a farm near Epworth, and subsequently slaughtered in an inhumane manner.
Gruia was found not guilty of handling stolen goods.
Three other suspects are still being sought by Humberside Police who have released images of them.
Speaking after Gruia’s conviction, PC Grant of Humberside Police’s Rural Task Force said: “This is the first conviction for an incident relating to the theft of sheep in the North Lincolnshire area since it became a local problem in 2018.
“Operation Bo Peep has been running since 2021 to tackle this issue and has, over the last three years, reduced sheep theft by 80%.
“I hope this conviction gives the farming community confidence that the police take this matter seriously and will bring offenders to justice.
“Three suspects for this incident are still outstanding, so I appeal to the public again to identify them.
“Anyone who believes they can identify the outstanding suspects can call Humberside Police on 101 and quote investigation reference 22901960470. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Sentencing | fined £769, ordered to pay a £308 victim services surcharge and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeder Jodie Leanne Blezard, born 11 September 1987, of Gladstone View, Siddal, Halifax HX3 9DH – failed to keep her dogs under control with one attacking a woman to her severe injury.
The victim had called to visit Jodie Blezard at her home in Halifax when she was “viciously attacked” by a Staffy crossbreed named Cally, causing blood to pour out of her neck.
As she was dragged to the floor she banged her head and was knocked unconscious.
Her wounds were so severe that they exposed her windpipe and required surgery.
The result was described at Bradford Crown Court as “significant cosmetic disfigurement” that left her voice impaired and her throat susceptible to infection.
Cally, who had recently had a litter of 11 pups, was removed along with Blezard’s other dogs. Callie was destroyed a month later.
Single mother-of-six Blezard pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog following the incident at her home on November 10, 2022.
The court heard that she had four dogs, three of whom were in the kitchen on the day of the incident, but that Cally was allowed into the living room.
The attack happened when the victim, who had been outside briefly, came back into the house and a baby gate became dislodged.
Mrs Recorder Taryn Turner said: “Very unfortunately, and in circumstances that will remain unclear, Cally attacked [the victim].”
Blezard had not seen the attack and, in an interview with police, said her animals were not dangerous. However she was “immediately remorseful” and apologised to the victim.
The court heard that Blezard had been spoken to in the past by various authorities about other dogs in her control, but that Cally had not been one of those animals.
Recorder Turner said: “You have a lot of children to look after, and it seems to me that if I were to impose an immediately effective custodial sentence today that would deprive them of their mother.
“You are truly apologetic and full of remorse for what befell [the victim] on that day when she popped in with a friend just for a chat.
“There is every reason to hope that something like this will never happen again because you don’t intend to keep dogs again.”
Sentencing | 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years plus 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Banned from keeping dogs for life.
CONVICTED (2024) | Paul Desbro, born September 1965, of 58 Hall Broome Gardens, Bolton Upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 8AJ – for cruelty to several sheep found starved and horrifically neglected on his smallholding.
Desbro was prosecuted by the RSPCA following an investigation into the welfare of the livestock in his care. Inspectors visited his smallholding in Mexborough Road in May 2023 following reports of a collapsed sheep.
Animal rescue officer Liz Braidley said that, when she arrived at the paddock, she found two sheep looking skinny and underweight and a third ewe collapsed against the fence.
The ewe was emaciated, with her bones clearly visible. Large sections of her fleece were missing and the skin underneath was red and sore and covered in scabs.
Her wounds were also swarmed with flies, fly eggs and maggots.
“She was trying to turn her head to groom herself and was clearly irritated by the flies around her which were relentlessly landing on her,” Ms Braidley said.
“At this point, I knew I needed further assistance so I contacted my colleagues, the police and a vet.”
Ms Braidley said she was then approached by a man claiming to be the friend of the sheep’s owner and explained that they were aware of her flystrike and had clipped some of her fleece.
However, Ms Braidley said: “…when I asked if they had contacted a vet, the man said no and stated: ‘We will have to call the knacker man tomorrow’.”
The RSPCA found the owner and the police seized three sheep. Sadly, the ewe was put to sleep by a vet to end her suffering.
RSPCA inspector, Jennie Ronksley, said: “This was a sad case involving the neglect of multiple sheep including an emaciated ewe who was so severely burdened with flystrike that her skin was absolutely crawling with maggots and clearly needed veterinary attention.”
Sentencing remarks referred to this as a “deeply concerning case” and called the photographs and video footage “disturbing”.
In mitigation, the court heard that Desbro entered an early guilty plea, that he shared the responsibility of the livestock kept on the smallholding with two other friends and was not experienced in keeping sheep so was ignorant of their welfare needs rather than malicious.
He was described as giving “well-meaning but incompetent care”. He had no previous convictions.
Sentencing | 12-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work; £114 victim surcharge and £2,000 in costs. He was disqualified from keeping livestock for ten years and cannot appeal this for a minimum of five years. A deprivation order was also made for the two living sheep and their lambs.
CONVICTED (2024) | Del Alan Midgley, born c. 1969, of Robin Hood Street, Castleford WF10 4AX – used his dog as a weapon, leading to the dog being destroyed.
Del Midgley, who has 48 previous convictions for 164 offences, including robbery, ABH and affray, lured a man to his home to attack him with a baseball bat, then goaded his dog into attacking him.
Midgley then allowed the Staffy to attack a police officer when they turned up to arrest him. He also racially abused officers and tried to bite them himself.
He admitted a raft of offences including GBH and allowing a dangerous dog to be out of control. The unnamed dog was ordered to be put down.
The incident took place on June 30, 2023, after Midgley swung a baseball bat at the man, who then tried to grab the weapon.
The man was able to get out of the home and into the street, followed by Midgley who continued to hit him. His dog was with him, and when Midgley relented, the dog pounced and mauled the man for around 40 seconds. The man suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung from the bat attack, and lacerations to his skull and ears from the dog.
After the police were called, they found Midgley in an irate state and he tried to shut the door on the officers, but they were able to force their way inside. The court was told that Midgley allowed the dog to intimidate the officers who had to withdraw, but not before he jumped at one officer and sank his teeth into her arm with such ferocity it left the muscle exposed.
Midgley was Tasered and brought under control, but after claiming he had a heart condition, the officers took him to hospital. However, he continued to struggle and be abusive. He racially abused two officers who had to restrain him when he tried to bite them. Finally, he urinated in the police van.
Held on remand since his arrest, he admitted section 20 GBH, two counts of being a a person with a dangerous dog that caused serious injury and two of racially-aggravated harassment.
An order was made to have the dog put down and Midgley was given a 17-year ban from keeping animals.
Mitigating, Chloe Hudson said that Midgley did not object to the dog being euthanised.
She said that on the day of the attack, Midgley had been drinking heavily and in relation to the dog, she added: “It was clearly very loyal and he [Midgley] should have intervened. He is beginning to realise that offending of this type will just end up in further custodial sentences.
She said of the relationship with the victim: “There’s a long history of knowing one another and there’s not always been a mutual liking, but it does not excuse what went on, it should not have happened.” Miss Hudson said Midgley was having drug counselling in prison and was enrolling in courses to better himself.
The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani, jailed him for 45 months, and activated an additional two months of a suspended sentences he was on at the time for a driving matter.
Sentencing | 47-month custodial for non-animal welfare offences. Destruction order for the dog which Midgley didn’t object to. Banned from keeping animals for 17 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Aidan Swift, born 11 July 1981, from Holmpton Road, Hollym, Withernsea HU19 2QG – kicked his girlfriend’s Chihuahua to death in a fit of jealous rage.
Swift flew into a jealous rage and kicked the little dog, Kiki, so hard that she died immediately. He also hit his girlfriend with a piece of wood and threatened to kill her.
He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on April 7, 2023. He also admitted to being controlling and hurting his girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
Sentencing Swift the judge stated his behaviour was “appalling” adding that “Kiki was only a small dog, but you must have kicked it hard to kill it. I simply can’t bring myself to express my view about that.”
“You will appreciate that I have dogs myself. The way you treated her pet has left me no alternative but to impose a sentence of imprisonment.
“These offences are simply too serious to overlook.”
Sentencing | two-and-a-half years in prison including one year for the attack on Kiki. Five-year restraining order. Prohibited from owning and/or keeping dogs for five years but may apply for the ban to be lifted after three years (expires March 2029).
CONVICTED (2024) | petting farm owners Alan Riley, born c. 1970, and Sarah Nethercoat, born 14 July 1989, of Park Avenue, Beverley HU17 7AT – neglected a donkey and pony until they became so unwell they had to be put down.
Melody, a 30-year-old pony, and Maggie, a 15-year-old grey donkey, were among the animals neglected by Alan Riley and Sarah Nethercoat, owners of Aroha Donkeys rescue centre and sanctuary, at Ashfield Farm in Wilfholme, between Beverley and Driffield. Both were so emaciated and distressed that vets had no option but to euthanise them.
In court the couple admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the animals in 2021.
Aroha Donkeys was run as a business, which initially cared for donkeys used in beach rides but expanded to become a breeding and training centre. A total of 20 donkeys were kept at the centre as well as goats and ponies.
The RSPCA first became involved with the couple in July 2019, when a welfare officer advised them to provide the donkeys with shelter. Riley and Nethercoat insisted that a hedge in the field provided sufficient shelter for the animals. They also claimed that the donkeys received regular hoof and dental care.
The RSPCA issued them with a non-statutory improvement notice. Follow-up attempts to contact the pair were unsuccessful.
On a subsequent visit, officers found dirty bedding full of faeces. A shelter was too small for the number of animals using the centre.
In November 2021, RSPCA inspectors Tom Hutton and Alice Wilson along with staff from the Donkey Sanctuary charity, paid a visit to Ashfield Farm where they found around 25 horses and donkeys, owned by the pair, living in poor conditions in a field and barn.
Inspectors found poor quality fencing. A shelter area was made of corrugated iron, which was described as “rusty and dangerous”,
Inspector Hutton said in a statement presented to the court that there were concerns for the health of four animals, in particular Maggie and Melody.
“There were around 23 equines in a large paddock and an open barn with a thick straw bedding with excessive faeces inside,” said the inspector.
“As I walked around the field, there were several hazards littering the perimeter, including bits of loose wire, fallen fencing and loose fence posts.
“One small pony was extremely underweight as it walked across the field towards us with her head down. Her ribs and hip bones were excessively prominent.”
“The owners said they were providing feed. But there was now evidence the animals were in a sub-optimal condition,” he added.
Elderly pony Melody (pictured) was suffering with two large wounds and one small one to her side. These had been left untreated for weeks if not months
Vet Suzanne Green attended the scene and found Melody in a weak, thin and lethargic state, with a wound to the side shoulder and a second large wound on one of her thighs.
They were inflamed and bleeding and in the vet’s expert opinion they had been left untreated for weeks, if not months.
Nethercoat told the vet that the wound had been treated for about six months with antibiotics. No evidence was provided to substantiate the treatment.
Melody and Maggie and the two other horses were removed from the field, with Melody later transferred to an equine hospital for treatment.
Prosecutor Phil Brown told the court: “Melody needed urgent treatment for overgrown hooves as there had been a lack of hoof care. There was pain and suffering.
“Euthanasia was the only way to ease the suffering,
“They also found ulcerations to the mouth which had made eating difficult.”
Pregnant donkey Maggie required urgent treatment to her hooves. X-rays taken later showed that the failure to provide hoof care had caused malformed bone structures within her feet and osteoarthritis.
She had bonded with another donkey who was earlier found dead in a field.
Maggie gave birth before she too was put down in February 2024.
Riley’s lawyer, Matthew Moore-Taylor, told the court his client had an acute bowel condition, which caused a serious reduction in his weight. Before 2021, all the animals in the centre were in good condition, he added.
For Nethercoat, Sheila Whitehead said: “She needed more help than she admitted. People came to her with wild animals for care. She has always allowed the animals to come to her irrespective of the condition they were in..”
The pony was old. so certain treatments could not be done, Miss Whitehead said. “She was very upset it had got to the level that it had.
“She is remorseful that it got to the position that it had,” she added.
It was claimed that any money raised at the donkey sanctuary was ploughed back into the centre for feed and care.
Sentencing the pair, Recorder MacDonald KC said he had read testimonials highlighting their care for animals.
“But you don’t have to be an expert to see that the pony had three significant injuries, ribs sticking out and was malnourished and you could see it needed veterinary treatment,” he added.
“It is perfectly clear to me, being a non-veterinary person, its ribs were poking out and it had a large wound on the shoulder and the thigh was bleeding. These injuries had been there for weeks or months. It was chronically mal-nourished.”
Recorder MacDonald said that he did not view the petting farm as a money-making venture. He accepted that both defendants had health problems and it was this that caused neglect of the animals, rather than a cynical disregard for the animals’ care to make money.
“These were just two of a much larger number of animals which were generally in good condition,” Recorder MacDonald added.
Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton said: “This was a clear case of neglect. Both these equines were left in appalling conditions when they needed urgent vet treatment and one sadly had to be put to sleep because she was so unwell.”
Riley, a former farmer, and Nethercoat, who worked as a riding instructor, were well-known in the area as their donkeys, many of whom were rescue animals, took part in events such as the Beverley Christmas Festival.
In 2021 they were given sudden notice to leave a smallholding between Beverley and Driffield they had been renting from a farmer and appealed for the public’s help in finding a new home.
Sentencing | six-month custodial, suspended for two years; 25 rehabilitation days. No order for costs was imposed because the petting farm was not making money. Both are disqualified from keeping donkeys, mules and equine hybrids for 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | former pet shop owner Andrea Maxine Darnell aka Andrea Cooper, born 17 December 1964, of 81 Wivern Road, Hull HU9 4HR – for the starvation and neglect of several snakes all of which died.
In an RSPCA prosecution, Darnell, former owner of the Diamond Exotic pet shop in Saville Street, Hull, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to six snakes. The reptiles died shortly after being rescued.
The court heard that the RSPCA first visited Darnell’s shop in May 2023 after concerns were flagged about the welfare of the animals there.
RSPCA Inspector Laura Barber said: “On our initial visit, a range of worrying issues were immediately apparent. To me and my colleague, exotics expert Inspector Kim Greaves, the shop appeared very overcrowded, with various vivariums stacked on top of each other and inappropriate numbers of animals in the same, small vivariums.
“Many of them – including iguanas, snakes, bearded dragons and a Chinese water dragon – were being kept in dirty, inappropriate conditions or showed historic injuries. A rhinoceros iguana was running free, some vivariums had no substrate and a large, reticulated python was found in a too-small vivarium.
“A Chinese water dragon seemed to have a historical healing mouth issue and many of the vivariums were over-heated. We were very concerned for these animals.”
The RSPCA inspectors issued Darnell with Animal Welfare Notices setting out what was required for her to improve the conditions in the shop. They said that they would revisit to check her progress after a month.
In late June 2023, Inspector Barber and Inspector Greaves reattended the pet shop accompanied by a pet shop inspector from Hull City Council, but there was no improvement. Darnell had failed to keep feeding or care records, which was a breach of her licence conditions.
Inspectors also visited two rooms on the second floor of the premises. These were messy, cluttered and littered with rubbish.
In one room inspectors found 18 young snakes in a racking system without thermostats. Many had no water available.
Six of the snakes were in particularly poor condition. Five corn snakes and one royal python were cold to the touch, underweight and close to death. The corn snakes’ vivarium was dirty with a bad odour. It had no lighting and and the single water bowl contained very little water and wasn’t large enough to bathe in.
Darnell claimed the python had not eaten since she had acquired it but conceded she had never taken him to a vet. She confirmed she owned all six ailing snakes.
The council revoked Darnell’s pet shop licence.
The dying snakes were signed over to the RSPCA and taken to a vet for a preliminary examination. They were then put in the care of a specialist boarding facility to await further in-depth veterinary checks.
Sadly, the royal python and one of the corn snakes soon passed away. The remaining four snakes also died over the next few days.
A vet reported that all the snakes had been dehydrated and extremely emaciated with significant weight loss. They had suffered from mites and some showed suggestions of metabolic bone disease. She believed starvation and dehydration were the probable cause of death.
The vet concluded all the snakes had been caused to suffer unnecessarily in that the person responsible for their care had failed to provide appropriate nutrition, hydration, a clean environment and ability to perform normal behaviour through lack of appropriate environment, husbandry, and feeding.
RSPCA Inspector Barber said: “There was no excuse for not providing those poor snakes with their basic needs and failing to seek veterinary care for them when it was abundantly clear that they so desperately needed it.
“These were awful cases and simply shouldn’t have happened. The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their animals to ask for help, rather than neglecting them and leaving them to suffer.”
According to Companies House, the Diamond Exotic shop is now under the ownership of Luke Franklin, who is believed to be Andrea Darnell’s son-in-law.
Sentencing | 12-month community order of 250 hours of unpaid work; £400 costs and £154 victim surcharge. A confiscation order was made in relation to four tarantula spiders . 10-year ban on keeping any exotic pet.
CONVICTED (2024) | Rachel Louise Smith, born c. 1992, from Skirpenbeck, near Stamford Bridge, York YO41 – strangled her pet cat to death.
Smith, who is said to be mentally ill, is banned from having any role in owning or caring for animals for the rest of her life after pleading guilty to killing a cat named Chico.
RSPCA prosecutor Phil Brown told the court Smith had strangled the pet because he had urinated on her clothes.
Mr Brown said a mental health team had contacted Humberside Police after Smith told them she had shot the cat.
She later told an RSPCA inspector she had strangled him having “lost her temper” when he damaged her clothes.
Mr Brown said the RSPCA was aware of Smith’s mental illness and had prosecuted her so that she could be banned from having control of animals in future.
Smith’s solicitor Kevin Blount argued that Smith’s mental illness meant she had not dealt with the incident in the way someone who was not mentally ill would have dealt with it.
Mr Blount said she had been given the cat by someone who thought having a pet would help her with her difficulties.
“She soon realised that was not the case,” he said.
Mr Blount said the defendant had “complex psychiatric needs” and that she had a “very complex and tragic history”.
She had tried to arrange for the cat to be rehomed without success.
Smith was already working with health professionals to deal with her mental illness and the probation service could not help her, the court heard.
Her illness meant it was not possible for her to do unpaid work or be put under a curfew.
That left the judge with the choice of giving her a conditional discharge or a prison sentence, said Mr Blount.
District judge Adrian Lower said prison was not appropriate for Smith although he would normally consider jailing someone for killing a cat.
“There is no excuse for killing Chico,” he told Smith. “But I have to take into account your poor mental health as it was then and is now.”
Sentencing | three-year conditional discharge; £200 prosecution costs and £26 statutory surcharge. Banned from keeping, owning or caring for any animal for life but can ask for the ban to be reviewed after 10 years.
CONVICTED (2024) | Robert Lay, born c. 1991, from Heywood, Rochdale – killed a cat in a washing machine.
Lay put the cat, called Buddy, into the washing machine then switched it onto a wash cycle. He then dumped the animal’s horrifically injured body behind a bush in a cemetery.
In court Lay pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal on or around February 11, 2023, at an address in the Queensbury area of Bradford.
Phillip Brown, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the facts show an individual had committed a “sadistic act of cruelty”.
In a statement, the RSPCA said they were alerted to Buddy’s killing after Lay admitted to it in a Facebook chat group.
Messages showed Lay had said he had committed the act because the cat had scratched him and his girlfriend at the time had told him to do so or else she would end their relationship.
After the cat’s body was discovered, he was taken to a vet who was able to find the owner through the cat’s microchip.
The RSPCA said: “The court heard that a post mortem examination showed Buddy had a number of injuries, including fractures, bruising and skin lacerations consistent with being placed in a washing machine on a high heat.”
An expert vet’s witness statement, presented to the court, said Buddy had attempted to grip onto the drum with his claws as it was going around on a program ‘likely of high heat’ in the washing machine.
It said: “The cat would have experienced suffering via mechanisms of fear, distress and pain for a period of at least several minutes, possibly longer.
The court was told Lay had associated with a group while living in alternative accommodation to where he is now.
In mitigation, Lay’s lawyer claimed the group took advantage of his client’s significant disabilities.
Speaking after a sentencing hearing, RSPCA Inspector Natalie Taylor, who investigated the case, said: “This was a deeply distressing case involving intentional harm and cruelty to a defenceless cat. It is heart-breaking to think about the pain and suffering Buddy endured.
“We are grateful to the people who worked with us on getting this case to court.”
Sentencing | 14-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 30 days of rehabilitation activity; ordered to pay a total of £550. Banned from keeping any animal as a pet for life.
CONVICTED (2024) | Yassar Hussain, born May 1986, of 46 Aldred Street, Rotherham S65 2AL – left a Belgian Shepard in pain with multiple untreated injuries.
The two-year-old dog, named Deli, had extensive scratches and bites on all four limbs and infected wounds on her front legs. These had been present for several days. She had also reportedly birthed a litter of puppies just days before, who all sadly died.
Deli’s owner, Yassar ‘Yass’ Hussain, sole director of vehicle recovery firm S60 Recovery and Transportation Ltd, admitted one offence contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at a hearing in December, 2023.
The court heard how Hussain had taken the injured dog to a PDSA clinic in Sheffield on June 30, 2022. The examining vet subsequently contacted the RSPCA over concerns for her welfare.
In a written statement, RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Sara Jordan said Deli was “in lean body condition” when she saw her five days later. She noted “extensive wounds on both front legs – notably a large open wound on her right foreleg and an open, draining abscess to the armpit region of her left foreleg”.
DCI Jordan added: “She was on pain relief and antibiotics and had a lot of criss-cross scratches and bite wounds to all limbs.”
Speaking to DCI Jordan on the same day, Hussain said four days before he took Deli to the vet, she was jumping up at him and playing. He said she then gave birth at a property on Sheridan Drive, Rotherham on 28 June 2023 and it was at that point he noticed a wound on her right foreleg.
The PDSA vet said in a written court statement: “On examination she was underweight with milk expressible from all nipples. From the size of the nipples I would suspect this was not the first litter of puppies.
“The fur coat was matted with purulent material and other dark matter over the entire body. She was clearly uncomfortable on both forelimbs despite having pain relief overnight.
“The left forelimb was very swollen and purulent material was dripping down it. Several wounds were visible over all four limbs, not all fresh. The largest wound was present on the centre of the right forelimb near the elbow, which couldn’t be fully assessed conscious.
“I believe Deli was caused unnecessary pain and suffering by not having these wounds treated earlier, for this degree of swelling and purulent material these particular wounds had been present for several days most likely. All limbs, once clipped, showed wounds which appeared to be even older than the deep wounds present on the forelimbs.”
In mitigation the court heard that Hussain had since rehomed another dog he owned and it was to his credit that he did eventually recognise, albeit very late, that Deli needed veterinary intervention.
Deli, who was signed over to the RSPCA by Hussain during the course of the investigation, was cared for at the charity’s Hull & East Riding Branch animal centre. She made a full recovery and has since been happily rehomed.
Sentencing | 18-month community order, with 120 hours of unpaid work and up to 15 rehabilitation activity days; costs of £750. Banned from keeping a dog for 10 years.
