MANDY SWASH FROM CROSBY SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC ANIMAL NEGLECT IN LIVERPOOL

In September 2022, RSPCA inspector Louise Showering was called to investigate disturbing reports of animal neglect at a property on Barmouth Way, Vauxhall, Liverpool. Upon arrival, she was confronted with a scene that could only be described as a 'house of horrors,' where the conditions inside Mandy Swash's residence on Rosedale Avenue, Crosby, were shockingly deplorable.

Inspector Showering recounted her experience, noting that she had to don a mask before entering the premises due to the overwhelming smell and the presence of flies everywhere. The interior was cluttered with piles of boxes and bags that obstructed her view of the floor, forcing her to step over rubbish and cat litter just to navigate the space. The bathroom was in a particularly filthy state, with items strewn across the floor and inside the bathtub, while the back bedroom's door was broken off its hinges and leaning against bags and the bed behind it.

She described the window in that room as being partially blocked by more bags, with numerous flies and fleas swarming the space. The landing was also cluttered with items, making it necessary for her to climb over debris to access the other two bedrooms. Inside the larger front bedroom, the bed was heavily soiled with faeces, and the floor was covered with rubbish. The kitchen was equally appalling, with the floor hidden beneath piles of rubbish, including faeces, empty food packets, plastic containers, and soiled bowls and litter trays. The environment was so contaminated that she could not see the floor at all.

Most distressingly, the inspector discovered the bodies of two dead cats in the living room and rear bedrooms. In the lounge area, she found a black bin bag covering a box, which contained the body of a black domestic shorthaired cat. The cat appeared to have suffered a head injury and trauma around the eye area. In the rear bedroom, she found another black cat, also a domestic shorthaired, which was underweight and infested with fleas, lying on a blanket that was also swarming with fleas. It is believed that the cat in the lounge had died as a result of injuries sustained in a road traffic accident.

Following her departure from the property, Louise Showering experienced over 185 flea bites, which she described as the worst she had encountered in her 13-year career. She expressed deep sadness over the case, emphasizing that the cats had been subjected to neglect and suffering due to the unsanitary and hazardous living conditions. The environment was so heavily soiled with faeces and debris that it posed a significant risk of disease and injury, with no safe or comfortable space for the animals to rest or recover. The hoarding of plastic bags and stacked items created additional hazards, making it difficult to spot injuries or provide proper care.

In addition to the two deceased cats, Mandy Swash previously had two other cats, Maud and Mabel, both female black and white cats. These cats had been removed from the property earlier and were found to be in good health, receiving regular veterinary care, including flea treatments. Despite her neglectful actions, Swash was not banned from owning animals but was sentenced at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on January 4, 2024. She was found guilty in her absence and received a 12-month community order, which includes 20 days of rehabilitation, an eight-week curfew with a mental health treatment requirement, and financial penalties of £1,250 in costs plus a £114 victim surcharge. The court did not impose a ban on her owning animals, acknowledging her improved mental health circumstances.