JOHN AND LISA EVANS AND BRIERLEY HILL: HORRIFIC ANIMAL WELFARE CASE IN DUDLEY

In a case that has been described as one of the worst animal welfare violations handled by the RSPCA, John Jason 'JJ' Evans, born on 23 November 1976, and his wife Lisa Evans, born on 26 April 1977, of Hurst Lea on Pedmore Road, Brierley Hill, Dudley DY5 1TP, were convicted in 2022 for neglecting nearly 30 animals and leaving them in squalid conditions on a scrap yard.

The couple kept their animals in deplorable conditions, with many confined in kennels, sheds, shipping containers, horse boxes, and vans amidst the debris of a scrap yard behind their residential property, which they shared with their children, including adult son Blake Evans, and extended family members.

On 29 July 2021, RSPCA inspectors, supported by West Midlands Police officers, raided the property after receiving concerns. They discovered animals in a dire state of neglect and malnourishment, abandoned with no food or water, left to survive in their own filth. At the scene, two veterinarians and at least five RSPCA vehicles were present, with officers taking a number of dogs into care.

Satellite imagery shows Hurst Lea as a residence occupied by gypsy travellers JJ and Lisa Evans. The investigation revealed several hazards in the yard, such as old washing machines, tyres, and gas canisters, with animals suffering from extreme neglect, many with visible ribs and hips protruding through the skin. None of the animals had bedding, and only a few had any access to water or food.

Rescuers found 18 dogs, three cats, six horses, and a donkey, many in dilapidated enclosures or chained within the yard. Conditions were so severe that rescue workers used head torches to search for animals after dark. Initially, six horses were located—three foals huddled together—and various enclosures lacked hay, water, and had floors soaked with faeces. One horse was found in a pen with ribs and hips clearly visible, in a foul-smelling environment with faeces-covered floors. Access to some pens was blocked by large objects, including car doors and pallets.

In addition, inside a shed, two live kittens were discovered, alongside a dead kitten with a hole in its abdomen exposing flesh and bone, and a skull of another animal. As the shed door was opened, the kittens rushed out, calling for food, and appeared to be in very poor health.

A nearby horsebox was also found containing a horse with visible ribs and faeces caked on its legs. Two lurchers tethered in poor condition, without food, water, or bedding, were also detained. Six more dogs were inside an outdoor kennel filled with old bedding and dried faeces, lacking water. The remains of a decomposing puppy were found in the back of a white transit van, and a blue horse box-type container housed a horse with visible ribs and spine.

In the garden, three dogs were located, along with two puppies in stacked crates inside the house—one of which was a collie-type and a long-haired terrier. These crates contained no bedding, food, or water, and were cluttered with children’s toys, urine, and faeces, offering no space for the animals to sit or rest properly.

Further inspection revealed a shipping container divided into two sections, housing a male German shepherd with visible bones and a female mastiff suffering from a swollen, discharging eye. Veterinary assessment described the conditions as horrendous, with the mastiff in significant pain and living in filth, suffering from a lack of nourishment and medical care.

RSPCA inspector Jack Alderson commented: “This enclosure was too small for this number of animals. There was no hay or any other food available and although there was a large black trough in front of me, it contained nothing. The floor was completely sodden with a large build-up of faeces and the roof wasn’t large enough to cover the animals inside. This was compounded by the numerous hazards dotted around the enclosure including gates and ladders on the floor.”

The investigation led to legal proceedings where John Evans was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, and Lisa Evans received a 12-week sentence suspended for 12 months, along with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. They were ordered to pay £500 in costs and victim surcharge with a lifetime ban on keeping animals, although Lisa may appeal after 10 years.