CHRIS ADAM OF COXHOE SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO DOGS IN SEAHAM

Christopher Paul Adam, born on October 4, 1992, and residing on The Avenue in Coxhoe, DH6 4AD, was convicted in 2019 of cruelty towards two dogs by depriving them of food and water in August 2018.

RSPCA inspectors visited Adam’s former residence on Heathway, Seaham, where they found Lola and Charlie in dire conditions. Lola was discovered in a dog crate in the backyard, while Charlie was kept in a brick outhouse.

Both dogs showed clear signs of distress—thirsty, starving, and lacking any comfortable place to rest. Inspector Rowena Proctor described her shock at the scene: “I was shocked to see how Lola and Charlie were living, particularly after being shown through what was an immaculately clean house. “Lola was in a dog crate that was entirely empty aside from her, curled up in a ball. There was no bedding, food, or water. Adam let her out then went to an outhouse from where he let out Charlie.

“It was immediately obvious that both dogs were very thirsty and that Lola in particular was hungry. They quickly started to drink dirty puddle water and what appeared to be rainwater that had filled a dirty kitchen bowl. Charlie toileted and Lola immediately ate it.

“Lola was obviously very, very thin, with her white coat dirty and smelly, her feet and legs stained brown and yellow.

“Adam allowed me to look inside the outhouse, which had very little natural light and was piled high with tools and belongings, leaving Charlie—a large dog—with very little space to move. There was no comfortable place for her to rest, only an old piece of carpet on the floor, but because she couldn’t escape to toilet, it was heavily soiled with her urine and faeces. The smell was overpowering, and it must have been an absolutely awful place to be confined.

“There was a water bowl inside the outhouse but it was empty and dry.”

Charlie, who weighs 25.2kg, was found severely underweight; a vet explained that a dog of her size should weigh over 30kg. Lola, weighing just 6.4kg, was emaciated with ribs, pelvis, and spine visible through her coat. The vet noted her size was permanently stunted due to early starvation.

Both dogs were taken to a veterinarian for assessment before police took custody based on vet advice, with the owner’s permission. Lola's condition indicated she would always be of small stature because of the neglect.

In mitigation, the court was told that Adam, a construction worker, had been experiencing a difficult period in his life and was of previously good character. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 18 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities. He was also fined, ordered to pay £300 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge, and was banned for life from owning animals.

This case was reported by ChronicleLive.