HOGHTON LORRY DRIVER CAROLINE SMITH THROTTLES NEIGHBOUR'S COCKEREL IN RAGE

In a disturbing incident that unfolded in the quiet village of Hoghton, Caroline Smith, a woman born around 1971 and residing at Riley Green Marina, Bolton Road, Hoghton, Preston PR5 0SP, was found guilty of inflicting severe harm on a neighbour's pet cockerel. The case highlights a troubling act of animal cruelty driven by frustration and sleep deprivation.

According to court records, Smith, who also works as a lorry driver, became enraged after her sleep was repeatedly disturbed by a loud cockerel named Eddy, owned by her neighbors. The incident occurred in September 2022, during the early hours when Smith was woken up at around 3 am. She believed that her neighbors had previously agreed to euthanize the bird due to its incessant crowing, but she suspected they had mistakenly killed the wrong animal. Frustrated and angry, Smith decided to take matters into her own hands.

What followed was a brutal assault on Eddy. Witnesses reported seeing Smith attempting to strangle the cockerel and striking him with a boat fender. The assault rendered Eddy unconscious, and he was found with blood around his nostrils. A neighbor, witnessing the attack, intervened and rushed the injured bird to an emergency veterinary clinic. The vet examined Eddy and observed clinical signs indicative of brain trauma, which could have resulted from head injury or oxygen deprivation during the assault.

The veterinarian noted that Eddy was suffering from brain damage, with symptoms consistent with trauma. Although the vet stated that Eddy was likely to survive, he also emphasized that the bird would require close monitoring once returned to his home in Preston. The vet could not definitively determine whether the injuries would result in permanent brain damage or disability, but the severity of the trauma was clear.

Following the incident, Smith was charged and subsequently found guilty on June 15, 2023, of causing unnecessary suffering to Eddy. The court imposed a sentence that included a fine, with Smith ordered to pay costs amounting to £1,296 and a victim surcharge of £114. Additionally, she received a four-year ban from keeping any birds, a restriction that will remain in effect until June 2027.

RSPCA Inspector Taylor condemned the act, stating, “There is never an excuse for deliberately harming and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal like this. Smith claimed that her work nights and the noise from Eddy’s owners, especially the crowing, had disturbed her over the past few months. However, other solutions could and should have been explored instead of resorting to violence against the animal.”

This case underscores the importance of animal welfare and the consequences of cruelty, even when motivated by frustration or noise disturbances. The community of Hoghton is reminded of the need to address conflicts through proper channels rather than resorting to violence or abuse.