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Case #6943 Rating: 1.0 out of 5
Hoarding - over 100 animals discovered in home
Swansea, WA (UK)Incident Date: Thursday, Oct 27, 2005
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Margaret Jones
» Glyndwr Jones
» Michael Jones
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Among the cases which came to court in 2005 was a hoarding situation involving a Swansea couple who were housing 166 animals at their home.
Case UpdatesA couple have been banned from keeping animals for life for causing unnecessary suffering to 36 animals at their three-bedroom council house.
Glyndwr and Margaret Jones, from Gorseinon, Swansea were given 56-day suspended jail sentences and fined £2,000 each by a district judge.
Their son Michael, 19, was banned from keeping animals for two years and ordered to do 150 hours community work.
The RSPCA prosecution said 100 animals were found in "appalling conditions".
The Joneses were found guilty of three charges of causing unncessary suffering to 14 dogs and 22 cats.
The parents had also been found guilty of breaching an order preventing them owning more than five pets each.
The trial last month had heard council officials found litter trays were overflowing with faeces and a "sickening" smell.
Sentencing Michael Jones, District Judge Richard Williams QC told the 19-year-old that he believed that he loved animals but that he lacked the sufficient capability and skill to look after them in such numbers.
More than 100 animals were kept at the Jones' home
"You were indulged and encouraged by your parents," he said.
"You've shown no remorse or little understanding of the offences that you've committed."
Sentencing his parents, Judge Williams said: "This was your property, you were in my judgement fully a part of what was going on in it." Solicitors for the parents said that they had no intention of keeping animals ever again.
Mike Reed, for Michael Jones, said: "He was, in a sense, running an informal animal sanctuary. It was known in the area as a place where you could take animals."
Mr Reed said that Mr Jones would like some of the confiscated animals returned.
Swansea council had been alerted after receiving anonymous complaints and a warrant was executed at the house in Llanerch Crescent in October 2005.
Council officers told the court the house had an "overpowering smell of ammonia" being used to disguise the smell of urine.
The house in Llanerch Crescent in Gorseinon, Swansea
Housing officials received complaints in October 2005
The house had litter trays behind each chair which were "full to over-flowing".
The family had told council officials some of the animals were rescued, some belonged to Carmarthenshire College and others were pets of two younger daughters.
After the case, RSPCA officer Nigel Duguid said that he broadly welcomed the sentences but had concerns over the length of time Michael Jones had been disqualified.
"It's obvious that the judge took a very serious view of the offences committed. This was a very, very serious case."
He said this was a "carbon copy" of what the couple did on the first occasion when they were disqualified.
"There is no excuse this time," he added.
Mr Duguid asked for residents in the area to continue to be vigilant. | Source: BBC News - Jan 16, 2007
Update posted on Jan 17, 2007 - 11:12PM |
A family from Swansea has been convicted of two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to almost 40 animals at their three-bedroom home.
Glyndwr and Margaret Jones, and their son Michael, 19, of Gorseinon, were prosecuted by the RSPCA.
Mr and Mrs Jones were also found guilty of breaching an order preventing them owning more than five pets each.
They were cleared of another charge of not providing veterinary care. Sentencing was adjourned until January.
The trial previously heard around 100 animals were found in "appalling conditions" in a three-bedroomed council house.
Some were in cages, covered by blankets, while others roamed free.
Litter trays were overflowing with faeces and the smell was "sickening", council officials told the court.
The case was brought by the RSPCA at Swansea magistrates court.
The council had been alerted after receiving anonymous complaints about the state of the property and a warrant was executed at Llanerch Crescent on 27 October 2005.
Council officers told the court the house had an "overpowering smell of ammonia" being used to disguise the smell of urine.
The house had litter trays behind each chair which were "full to over-flowing".
The family had told council officials some of the animals were rescued, some belonged to Carmarthenshire College and others were pets of two younger daughters.
But during the trial Michael Jones claimed he was solely responsible for the animals at his parents' home.
He said he took in animals rejected by other groups and was effectively running an unofficial refuge of last resort.
He told the court he loved animals, had done a college course in animal care and wanted to be a veterinary nurse.
Under cross-examination he admitted he did own too many animals but said he had never put any of them at risk.
'Inconceivable'
But District Judge Richard Williams QC rejected his parents claims he had brought the animals into their home without permission.
"I do not believe Mr Jones, who, figuratively, washed his hands of all of this and said it was all down to his son," he said.
"I think that it is inconceivable that this number of animals were introduced into the house against their wishes."
The Joneses were found guilty of charges by the RSPCA of causing unnecessary suffering to 36 animals by not properly feeding them and keeping them in a poor environment.
Judge Williams QC adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports, and all three family members were released on bail. | Source: BBC - Dec 13, 2006
Update posted on Dec 14, 2006 - 8:47AM |
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