Woman’s appeal over animal ban is rejected

Helen Todd, 47, of Moorend Lane, Shipton-by-Beningbrough, claimed under oath she was the victim of a land-grabbing conspiracy and that she was targeted by locals angry at her complaints of “jiggery pokery” at night in nearby woods.

She claimed the animals’ condition was due to extreme weather when they were found in February 2012 and that she had fed them.

“They were looked after, they were cared for,” she said. “My sheep knew they were cared for – they would run to me.”

She denied the animals’ condition was because she couldn’t afford food for them, adding: “I had just enough, the grass was coming up.”

Recorder Patrick Palmer, sitting with two magistrates, decided her lack of funds was the reason for the animals’ condition and upheld her conviction on three charges of animal neglect. They accepted her appeal on a fourth charge.

They upheld the 10-year ban on keeping animals and a three-month prison sentence suspended for two years. The RSPCA had asked for the ban to be lifelong.

Todd appealed to York Crown Court against the convictions at York Magistrates Court.

The RSPCA told both courts Inspector Heidi Cleaver found more than 20 sheep, alpacas and ponies when she investigated a report of a dead horse. The animals were in waterlogged fields with very poor grazing, mouldy hay, little shelter and no supplementary food. Eight animals, including the horse, were dead, others were injured or sick, and three had to be put down.

The Crown Court heard Todd took over the land in 2010 when she sold her previous property and used the proceeds to provide for her and her animals. She brought in some money as an artist but had difficulty selling items. When the inspector arrived, she had five alpacas, five horses and 27 sheep.

The RSPCA removed the animals.

Todd stands convicted of failing to feed 20 of the sheep, the horses and the alpacas, and failing to care properly for the sheep and horses.