DEREK MONKTON'S HORRIFIC PONY ABUSE IN BROMSGROVE LEADS TO CONVICTION AND LIFETIME BAN

Derek Thomas Monkton, a resident of 49 Broad Street in Bromsgrove, was found guilty in 2005 of causing unnecessary suffering to three young ponies kept at his property. Born around 1943, Monkton's actions drew significant concern from animal welfare organizations, and his case highlighted the severe neglect that can occur in private holdings.

Monkton pleaded guilty to charges related to the maltreatment of the ponies, which were kept in deplorable conditions. The neglect was so severe that one of the ponies had to be euthanized due to irreparable damage inflicted by untreated growing tendons on its legs. The other two ponies were left with deformities that rendered them unrideable, their lower limbs distorted from prolonged neglect.

Following the court proceedings, Paul Teasdale, the Chief Field Officer at the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), provided a detailed account of the conditions he encountered. He recounted visiting the property at Upton Warren on July 1, 2003, alongside RSPCA inspector Simon Dix. Their inspection revealed three colts confined in tiny, filthy pens, with conditions described as 'diabolical' and 'disgusting.'

Teasdale described the barn where the ponies were kept as 'dark, airless, and acrid,' filled with the smell of ammonia and animal droppings. The ponies' hooves had not been trimmed for over a year, and their feet were described as the worst he had ever seen. The neglect was so severe that it directly contributed to their physical deformities.

In an effort to rescue the ponies, Monkton agreed to transfer ownership to the ILPH, and the animals were subsequently taken to the Glenda Spooner Farm in Hoarwithy, Herefordshire. The farm provided a safe environment for their rehabilitation and care.

It is noteworthy that no evidence was presented against Victoria Jean Manns, who shared the same address as Monkton, despite her being charged with the same offence. The court sentenced Monkton to a concurrent seven-week custodial sentence and imposed a lifetime ban on him from keeping any domestic animals.

Tragically, it was later reported that Derek Monkton, who had breached his lifetime ban and caused further harm to animals, passed away on December 8, 2021. His death marked the end of a case that underscored the importance of animal welfare enforcement in Bromsgrove and beyond.