CONVICTED (2014) | Claire Louise Williams, born 28 September 1985, previously of Hodge Hill, Birmingham and as of 2021 living at Mason Street, Blakenhall, Wolverhampton WV2 3AG – starved a dog then tried to pass him off to wardens as a stray

Williams contacted Birmingham City Council claiming to have found the ailing animal in an alley near her home.

When wardens arrived they found the Staffordshire bull terrier cross, called Buster, emaciated and suffering from hypothermia and dehydration.

Williams was said to be upset when told the dog might have to be put down and offered to adopt him if vets could revive the animal.

But as the wardens were leaving her home a member of the public told them Williams owned the dog – who they said had been kept outside in a garden over Christmas.

Williams tried to deny Buster was hers until finally admitting the truth after wardens spotted paw prints on her patio door windows.

Vets were eventually forced to put down the 18-month-old because of his condition.

District Judge Robinson told Williams: “Buster was a family pet who lived for 18 months.

“It was his misfortune to have been owned by you. I have no doubt his suffering was high as was the extent of your neglect.

“When you were faced by what was then a gravely ill dog you tried to lie your way out of it, pretending to the authorities he was a stray.

“You even had the gall to offer to adopt him if he could recover.”

However in sentencing Williams to 16 weeks suspended for a year he said he had taken into account that her three children would be taken into care if she received a prison sentence.

Sentencing: 16 weeks in prison suspended for a year, 250 hours’ unpaid work. Banned from owning any animal for 15 years (expires October 2029).

Birmingham Mail