Crime

Suspended sentence for Llandeilo man who neglected five horses and foxhound

Published

6 months ago

May 21, 2024

A WEST WALES man has been handed a suspended sentence after he was found to have neglected five horses and a foxhound.

Gregory Edward Baker, 43, of Rhydcymerau, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court for a two-day trial on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 April, and faced five offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

They were that he caused unnecessary suffering to five equines by failing to adequately investigate or address the causes of their poor or underweight bodily conditions along with skin diseases namely rain scald, mud fever and lice infestation, and also did not meet their needs.

He also caused further unnecessary suffering to one of these equines – a chestnut mare – relating to her lameness of her left foreleg and unnecessary suffering to a foxhound by failing to provide prompt or effective professional veterinary care and attention for his paraphimosis (unretracted penis) with associated ulceration and fracture.

Following a two-day trial Baker was found guilty for all offences and on Thursday 16 May he was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment which has been suspended for 24 months.

This included a 20 week sentence for the first offence, 20 weeks for the second offence, 12 weeks for the third offence, eight weeks for the fourth offence and 12 weeks for the fifth offence – which will all run concurrently.

He was also ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. One of the horses – which had been placed in another person’s care – was also transferred to the care of the RSPCA.

In a witness statement, provided to the court, RSPCA Inspector Neill Manley said he attended the location with RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Rohan Barker on 19 April 2023.

As permission was not granted by the owner to access the land, police were called along with a vet. Inspector Manley and ARO Barker inspected a large number of horses and dogs at the location with serious concern raised for five horses and one foxhound.

Firstly they saw the chestnut mare who was in the top field and was lame on the front leg.

He said she was “in very poor body condition with her ribs, spine and hip bones prominent and her coat covered in mud and patchy in places” which looked like rain scald.

In the lower field which was steeply sloping there was a grey/cream colt with a dark mane and tail and was in “very poor body condition with a muddy and unkempt winter coat”.

He said: “Even through the winter coat you could see her ribs, spine and hip bones protruding. The field was overgrown in patches with bramble and in one bramble patch was the decomposing carcass of a horse.”

Another horse – a grey gelding with a rug on was also “in very poor body condition with its rib hip and spine bones clearly visible”.

Whilst another horse, a grey/palomino yearling colt, was found to be in very poor body condition and a black Shetland pony mare was found to be in very poor body condition.

Inspector Manley said the pony “was quite weak and unsteady on its feet” and when they along with the vet caught her the pony collapsed and needed help to get back on her feet.

At the dog kennels there were a number of female hounds – and advice was given to the owner about one of them who was lame on her front leg to get the dog checked by a vet.

A male hound was found with a prolapsed penis. Inspector Manley said: “He was a white entire male in reasonable body condition, but had what appeared to me to be a prolapsed penis that looked infected and misshapen.”

In a witness statement – provided to the court – by the vet who examined the foxhound, they said that there were two ulcers on the penis and the “smell of the area was of rotting flesh”. Suggested options were partial penile amputation and castrate, urethrostomy or for the dog to be put to sleep. The vet added the owner “elected for the dog to be put to sleep”.

Two of the horses were transferred to a family member but sadly one of these – the chestnut mare who was found to be severely lame – was put to sleep on advice from an independent vet on welfare grounds to prevent further suffering.

In a witness statement – provided to the court – by the vet who examined and monitored the horses they said the mare had a “discharging abscess on her left fore”, she had a body score of two out of five, rain scald and lice and was heavy in foal. Treatment was given but sadly she lost her foal and failed to improve.

The vet added: “I radiographed her left fore food and sadly but unsurprisingly found a sequestrum (infected fragment of bone) and osteomyelitis (bone infection). Enthanasia was recommend on humane grounds as there was a hopeless prognosis of successful treatment.”

The other three horses – who were placed in the care of the RSPCA – were taken to a boarding establishment.

The vet added: “All three ponies had put on a considerable amount of weight in just under a month – this was only attributable to the provision of appropriate nutrition.”

Inspector Manley also issued the owner an improvement notice advising him of the improvements that needed to be made. In mitigation the court heard that there has been no criticism since with any of the animals in his care and a disqualification order was not imposed.

Crime

Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs

Published

24 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Crime

Welsh shop workers face ‘surge in shoplifting linked violence and abuse’ says union

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A NEW survey by retail trade union Usdaw has revealed disturbing figures on the abuse, threats, and violence endured by Welsh shop workers, with incidents increasingly linked to shoplifting. Released during Respect for Shop Workers Week, which runs from November 11 to 17, the statistics highlight a troubling trend that is impacting thousands of retail employees.

Usdaw’s survey, based on responses from over 4,000 retail staff, shows that in the past year:

69% experienced verbal abuse.
45% were threatened by customers.
17% were assaulted.

Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis commented on the findings, saying: “Shop workers deserve far more respect than they receive. These reports from Welsh retail staff make grim reading. It is shocking to see over two-thirds of our members subjected to abuse, threats, and violence. Seven in ten of these incidents are related to theft, much of it tied to addiction and organised crime.”

Usdaw’s survey suggests that shoplifting is increasingly becoming a flashpoint for violence. Many shop workers report encountering hardened criminals who appear to steal goods “to order” or to fund addictions. According to the union, incidents are on the rise across Wales, with police-reported shoplifting up by 33% in the past year.

Usdaw member testimonies paint a vivid picture of the dangers faced on the shop floor:

One respondent described being “spat at, pushed against a wall, punched, and threatened with a knife.”
Another reported that, after refusing to sell alcohol, they were told to “F**k off” and threatened with a beating by a group of five.
Others spoke of being punched, spat on, and verbally abused, with threats that often left lasting emotional scars.

New measures on the horizon

Usdaw has been calling for greater legal protection for retail workers for years, and it appears these calls are finally being heard. The recent Crime and Policing Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, proposes to:

End the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, which has been a source of frustration for retailers.
Introduce town centre banning orders for repeat offenders.
Allocate funding for tackling organised shoplifting and increase police presence in shopping areas.

“We welcome these new measures and hope they will provide much-needed protection,” said Mr. Lillis. “After 14 years of neglect under successive Tory governments, we are encouraged by the steps the new Labour government is taking to address the retail crime epidemic.”

As Christmas approaches—a time when retail crime tends to peak—Usdaw is urging the public to “respect shop workers” and remain calm as stores become busier.

Usdaw, which represents around 360,000 members, primarily in retail, launched its Freedom From Fear Campaign to tackle the growing issue of violence against shop workers. The final results of the 2024 survey are expected in March 2025.

Crime

Pembroke Dock resident faces court over dog control breaches

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2024

Court Reporter

PHILIP Murray, 52, of 11 Picton Place, Pembroke Dock, will appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 14) to face several charges of breaching a community protection notice. The notice, issued under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, required Murray to control his dogs in response to repeated disturbances.

The charges relate to incidents from May to September 2024, when Murray allegedly failed to comply with the restrictions set out in a notice issued on January 3, 2024. Court documents state that despite multiple warnings, Murray continued to disregard the order, leading to ongoing issues linked to his dogs’ behaviour.

If found guilty, Murray could face a Level 4 fine for each offence. The hearing is scheduled to take place from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Courtroom 1, presided over by the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Adult Panel.

The case underscores the role of community protection notices in addressing persistent anti-social behavior.