LEANN AND JON BROOKSHAW FROM BIRKENHEAD SENTENCED FOR DOG STARVATION HORROR IN DORSET GARDENS
Leanne and Jon Brookshaw, a couple residing on Bebington Road in Birkenhead, Wirral, have been convicted of neglecting their pet dog, leading to her tragic death by starvation.The heartbreaking case unfolded after the couple moved out of their flat in Dorset Gardens, leaving behind their beloved bulldog, Coco, who was found to have succumbed to severe neglect.
It was a police officer responding to a call at the abandoned property who first discovered the grim reality.
The officer reported that the flat was in a deplorable state, with dog feces scattered across the floor and no visible food or water for the animal.
The officer’s inspection prompted immediate contact with the RSPCA, which dispatched inspector Anthony Joynes to assess the situation.
Inspector Joynes described the scene as overwhelming with the stench of decomposition, urine, and feces permeating the air.
Inside, he found the remains of Coco, a black-and-tan bulldog, lying amidst dried diarrhea and filth.
The water bowls present were dry and empty, and there was no sign of any nourishment for the dog.
The flat was registered under Leanne Brookshaw’s maiden name, Leanne Griffiths, and during the investigation, she and her husband Jon were interviewed.
Jon Brookshaw’s reaction was immediate and intense.
He questioned the officers about Coco’s condition, asking, “What’s going on, how is she, is she dead?
I’ll kill him,” referring to his wife’s brother, Kyle Stephen Moore, who was also prosecuted in connection with Coco’s death.
Photographs posted on Jon Brookshaw’s Facebook profile in February 2021 show a dog believed to be named Fifi, whose current status remains unknown.
It was confirmed that the couple was responsible for Coco’s care, although Leanne claimed she had been paying Moore to look after the dog.
During her interview, she admitted that she and her husband had been struggling financially and that she had visited Coco just three or four days prior, noting that the dog was skinny but still alive.
Leanne explained that Coco could not accompany them when they moved because she was incontinent, “shitting and pissing everywhere.” She also revealed that she had received the dog on breeding terms several months earlier but acknowledged that it might have been more than five days since she last checked on Coco.
She stated that she and Jon had not taken Coco with them because their other dog, Molly, would attack her.
Despite visiting Dorset Gardens after moving, she described the place as a “shithole,” and confirmed that the last time she checked, Coco was noticeably thinner, lethargic, and weaker, with diarrhea.
She initially thought her dog’s condition was due to underfeeding but later admitted that Coco ate when fed.
On May 17, 2022, Jon Brookshaw was formally interviewed.
He admitted that he had visited Dorset Gardens when Coco’s body was discovered but confessed that it was the first time in several months he had been there.
He explained that he moved out of the property in November 2021, and his wife left in March 2022, leaving Coco behind for approximately two months.
Jon justified not taking Coco with them by claiming that their other dog, Molly, was protective, which prevented her from being brought along.
Defense lawyer Malcolm Gregg expressed concern over the couple’s sentencing, stating, “The thought of them being sentenced to imprisonment horrifies them and terrifies them.” He emphasized that the couple had initially taken Coco for breeding purposes and acknowledged their failure to properly care for her, describing them as equally culpable for her suffering.
Prosecutor Peter Mitchell highlighted Leanne’s remorse, stating, “She is very sorry, she does express deep remorse and she does have empathy for the loss of Coco.
She does try her best but has clearly failed immensely in Coco’s welfare.” Mitchell also noted that Leanne was caring for her ill father at the time, including hospital visits.
Similarly, he described Jon as “extremely devastated by the impact of what has happened in this case,” and “ashamed and embarrassed.” Additionally, Molly, Jon’s dog, was found to have a skin condition but has since been rehomed safely.
The couple received a sentence of 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, along with 100 hours of unpaid work each, a rehabilitation activity requirement, and a total of £628 in costs and surcharges.
They are also subject to a five-year ban on owning animals, which will expire in January 2028.
Kyle Stephen Moore, from Oldfield Road in Ellesmere Port, was also charged and pleaded guilty to similar charges related to Coco’s neglect.
Details of his sentencing are available separately.
