LEE POWELL AND JULIE JONES FROM STOURBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO MARMOT MONKEY MIKEY

Lee Powell, born around 1961, and his partner Julie Ann Jones, born approximately in 1970, both residents of 3 Sunderland Drive, Stourbridge DY8 4LD, found themselves at the center of a disturbing case of animal cruelty. The couple was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a four-month-old marmoset monkey named Mikey, a creature they had sold as a pet without providing the necessary medical care he desperately needed.

In June 2011, Powell and Jones sold Mikey for £650 to a woman in the car park of a local fish and chip shop. At the time, they denied any knowledge of the animal’s health issues, claiming they were unaware of his condition. However, the buyer, Sheila Lister, soon became concerned after noticing Mikey’s poor state of health. She took the monkey to an exotic pet dealer, who promptly alerted the RSPCA about Mikey’s severe injuries and neglect.

Veterinary examinations revealed that Mikey was suffering from bone disease and multiple fractures, which had resulted from the couple’s failure to seek proper veterinary treatment. The injuries were so extensive that Mikey’s condition was deemed hopeless, and he was ultimately euthanized. The severity of his injuries indicated a prolonged period of suffering, with the bones showing signs of multiple healing fractures at different stages.

Jimmy Wick, the pet shop owner, described his shock upon seeing Mikey. “For a young monkey to have so many broken bones at different rates of healing means it’s just not one thing that’s happened to him — it was just awful to see,” he said. Wick recounted that Mikey was unable to walk properly and had to crawl on all fours, a sign of the pain and injury he endured. When Wick attempted to introduce Mikey to an adult female monkey with her own babies, Mikey was unable to cling onto her due to his injuries. “He was crying his eyes out because he wanted to get to her,” Wick added, expressing his heartbreak over the animal’s suffering.

RSPCA inspector Jackie Hickman, who investigated the case, described her emotional response upon seeing Mikey’s eyes. “When I looked into his eyes, I thought I could read his emotions, but I felt powerless to save him,” she said. Hickman emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “I’m pleased the court has viewed this seriously. It’s a situation where these animals shouldn’t really be kept as pets, but unfortunately, it’s a common occurrence.”

Following the conviction, Powell and Jones received a 12-month community order, which included 300 hours of unpaid work. They were also ordered to pay a total of £2,713.50 to cover RSPCA costs and a compensation of £325 each to Ms. Lister. Most significantly, the court imposed a lifelong ban on both individuals from keeping any animals, a measure aimed at preventing similar cases in the future.