Court slams Doncaster man for relaxing in hot tub while dogs lived in squalor

Nicholas Henson, 41, of Coronation Road, Doncaster, was sentenced for five Animal Welfare Act offences at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court after being prosecuted by the RSPCA.

He was found guilty of the offences in his absence at a trial on 5 October.

In sentencing, the district judge said to Henson: “At 8.30pm on the 18 September 2023, you were sitting in a hot tub with a female, no doubt enjoying the relaxing feeling of the warm water whilst two dogs around you were kept in the most squalid possible environment.

“Any decent owner would have been cleaning the two cages. However, you are selfish and it is not clear whether this is a case of long-term suffering or short term neglect.

"However, you put yourself first. Any decent owner would have cleaned the animals, not got into a hot tub.”

The magistrates banned Henson from owning animals for ten years and he was given a four-month custodial sentence for each offence and suspended for 12 months, and handed a 12-month community order. He was also ordered to pay costs of £660.

The court heard that the RSPCA was contacted by South Yorkshire Police, who had attended Henson’s property to arrest him on an unrelated matter.

When police arrived, Henson was in a hot tub while his two bulldogs were in small crates in “squalid” conditions.

In a statement read to court, RSPCA inspector Kim Greaves, who investigated for the animal charity, said the two dogs - named Norris and Milly - were living in crates which measured 2ft x 2ft.

She said: “Norris looked underweight, I could easily see his spine and ribs. He had no water or food, nor did he have a comfortable resting area. In fact the odour of ammonia was overpowering as I bent down to look at him.”

Inspector Greaves added: “Milly’s enclosure was difficult to see into as it was quite dark despite being 10.30am. The reason for this, I believe, was the large amount of stuff piled high in front of it, so much so you could only open the door just wide enough as her body.

“The enclosure was horrific inside, there were three receptacles. Two of them were dishes that were empty and the third was a saucepan with dry food in it, with a pile of faeces on top. There was also a large amount of trodden in faeces throughout the small area.”

Both dogs had sore skin around the folds on their faces and Milly had a tumour on one of her rear legs.

There was also a cat at the property, named Twinkles, whose microchip showed that she was owned by Henson.

Inspector Greaves noticed that Twinkles was underweight and could feel her ribs when stroking her. She also had a flea infestation.

The court heard that Norris and Milly were examined by a vet, who found that they were underweight with skin conditions and that Milly required surgery to remove the tumour on her leg.

The vet’s statement, read in court, described the conditions the dogs were living in as being very cramped and unsanitary with little to no enrichment, adding: “Dogs kept for prolonged periods in cramped conditions are unable to enact their normal behaviours and can result in stress and behavioural problems.”

The statement added that both dogs had not been provided with adequate nutrition, stating: “It is impossible to say if this is due to a recent period of starvation or due to a longer period of partial starvation or underfeeding.”

Norris, Milly and Twinkles are in RSPCA care and have all made good recoveries.