NATHAN PYLE AND SHANNON ADAM CONVICTED OVER ANIMAL CRUELTY IN MIDDLESBROUGH AND DARLINGTON

Nathan Thomas Pyle, born around 2001, currently residing on Eglington Road in Middlesbrough TS6 7EY, and Shannon Adam, also known as Shannon Purdy, born circa 2003 and now living on Thomas Court in Darlington DL1 4YL, were convicted in 2025 for causing unnecessary suffering to a dog. The charges stemmed from their neglect of a one-year-old female Malinois named Midnight, who was found dead in their shared home.

The case was sparked by reports made to the RSPCA in September 2023 about a malnourished dog living in unsuitable conditions in the couple’s garden. Throughout the following months, RSPCA officers made several attempts to access the property. Initially, owners refused entry or were absent. In October 2023, Inspector Stephanie Baines was finally allowed into the backyard, where she observed Midnight in a good condition at that time. Pyle showed her the small, unlit sleeping area, which lacked bedding. He admitted to planning to build a larger kennel and explained that Midnight was kept outside because she was too excited to be indoors and because Adam was eight months pregnant.

Pyle acknowledged the inadequate size of Midnight’s enclosure and expressed intent to improve her living conditions. The inspector advised him to clean up the garden and provide proper shelter, promising further follow-up. Despite subsequent attempts, officers were unable to see Midnight until December 2023, when Animal Rescue Officer Kristina Raine interviewed Shannon Adam. She described an upstairs showing her a window through which she claimed the dog had been rehomed a week earlier.

During the visit to the garden, Adam pointed out a dilapidated, makeshift kennel labeled ‘Nathan’s bar,’ filled with rubbish, food wrappers, and impacted faeces. Inside, the kennel was filthy, wet, and not weatherproof, with a frozen, hard floor covered in stale bread, a bowl of bread pieces, an empty bowl, and two wet blankets. Adam claimed she had rehomed Midnight to a friend’s mother’s dog trainer, but when asked for contact details, she said she did not have them and would supply the information later.

Later that day, Raine returned after receiving a report that Midnight was dead among garden debris. Adam answered the door, broke down crying, and confirmed that Midnight had been ill, losing weight, and that Pyle had found the dog dead in a bin bag outside the property. The dog’s corpse was severely emaciated, with bones visible, open sores, and dark fluid leaking from her back end. A vet's report confirmed Midnight was in a state of extreme starvation, with muscle wastage and sunken eyes. She also had lacerations on all four paws and was covered in mud and dirt. The post-mortem determined her death was caused by starvation and exposure, with hypothermia likely contributing due to her inability to regulate body temperature resulting from her poor condition.

The RSPCA described the case as “really tragic,” stating, “There is absolutely no excuse for letting your pet get into this state and it’s hard to imagine what poor Midnight must’ve been through.”

Sentencing details revealed that Shannon Adam was given an 18-week custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months, along with 150 hours of unpaid work, 25 days of rehabilitation activities, a £720 cost order, and a £154 victim surcharge. Nathan Pyle received the same sentence, 18 weeks suspended for 24 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days, a £1,080 costs order, and a £154 victim surcharge. Both individuals are banned from owning animals for 10 years, a restriction set to expire in early 2035.