KIERAN WYNN AND CO DURHAM CRUELTY CASE SHOCKS FERRYHILL AND BISHOP AUCKLAND

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local communities of Ferryhill, Bishop Auckland, and surrounding areas, three individuals from County Durham—Kevin Varty, Andrew John Painter, and Kieran Wynn—were involved in a heinous act of animal cruelty that left a young lurcher puppy named Maggie May suffering unimaginable pain and distress.

According to court reports, Maggie May was hit by a car on a Saturday evening, just hours after she was purchased by Kieran Wynn. The incident occurred in Ferryhill, where Wynn resides on Raby Terrace. Faced with the puppy’s severe injuries and unable to afford proper veterinary treatment, Wynn took a makeshift and cruel approach to her injuries. He tied chopsticks to the dog’s broken leg using red lace and Sellotape, an act that demonstrated a shocking disregard for her suffering.

The following day, friends of Wynn—Kevin Varty of Brocket Close, Newton Aycliffe, and Andrew Painter of Westerton View, Coundon, Bishop Auckland—visited Wynn’s home. It was during this visit that the trio decided to end Maggie May’s life in a brutal and inhumane manner. Varty initially attempted to suffocate the dog by choking her, but when she showed signs of life, Painter stepped in. Painter then forcibly held the dog down, standing on her and pulling her back legs over her head, which resulted in her neck being broken.

Not stopping there, Painter proceeded to stab Maggie May repeatedly with a potato peeler. Believing she was dead, he took her outside, but the dog miraculously regained consciousness later that night and wandered off. She was eventually found by a passer-by who took her to the RSPCA. Over the following weeks, Maggie May underwent extensive treatment, including the amputation of one of her legs. Despite the horrific ordeal, she survived and was eventually rehomed, a testament to her resilience.

In court, Kieran Wynn pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Maggie May by neglecting her veterinary needs after her accident. Meanwhile, Varty and Painter admitted to causing her suffering through physical trauma that resulted in a fractured neck. Painter also admitted to repeatedly stabbing her with a potato peeler, an act of extreme cruelty.

Sentencing for the three men was handed down in 2011. Varty and Painter received 18 weeks in custody each and lifetime bans from owning animals. Wynn was granted conditional bail and was scheduled for sentencing on August 22, 2011; however, the outcome of that hearing was not publicly reported.

Since then, Kieran Wynn’s life has taken a darker turn. In February 2015, he was sentenced to five years in prison after forcibly entering a family’s home wielding a machete and making threats to kill. His criminal record also includes multiple convictions for burglary, larceny, and using counterfeit currency. Wynn’s subsequent offenses include breaching a court-imposed restraining order in March 2022, which resulted in a four-month jail sentence. In September 2020, he was jailed for ten months following four counts of battery, possession of an offensive weapon, and harassment, related to an attack on a woman and her friends in Ferryhill in July 2020.

This case remains a stark reminder of the severity of animal cruelty and the importance of accountability for such heinous acts, especially within communities like Ferryhill and Bishop Auckland where these events unfolded.