NIGEL LEONARD OF NEWTOWNBUTLER SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO DOGS IN FERMANAGH
| Red Rose Database
Newtownbutler Animal Abuser
Nigel Leonard, a resident of Wattlebridge Road, Mullaghgare, Newtownbutler, Enniskillen, BT92 8LY, has been convicted of severe animal cruelty involving twelve dogs. The case drew significant attention due to the appalling conditions in which the animals were kept and the subsequent legal proceedings that followed.
Leonard faced charges related to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog and failing to take reasonable steps to meet the needs of the animals under his care. The incidents in question occurred on July 20, 2021, at a property on Trivally Road in Macken, County Fermanagh. The investigation was initiated after a visit from a Council animal welfare officer on July 15, 2021, who, along with two police officers from the PSNI, returned on July 20 to conduct a thorough inspection of the site.
During the inspection, the officers discovered twelve dogs confined within isolated tin and wooden pens scattered across a field. The conditions were described as 'horrendous' by the court, with the officers noting the presence of a strong, overpowering smell in the first pen they examined. The smell was so intense that only one officer was able to enter that pen. In another pen, there was no lighting, preventing the officers from assessing whether the dogs had access to bedding or water.
Disturbingly, some of the pens contained rotten meat and offal on the ground, which the dogs were walking through, raising concerns about their health and well-being. The dogs included a female hound, a crossbreed, a lurcher, and a beagle. One of the dogs, a female hound, was found to have a large polyp protruding from her rear end. Veterinary examination later revealed that the polyp was in the early stages of kidney failure, likely caused by dehydration. Another dog was found to have an injury to her eye.
One of the officers remarked that the conditions the dogs endured were the worst they had encountered in their nine years of service. The dogs were subsequently seized by the Council, provided with veterinary care, and eventually rehomed. Despite the confiscation, Leonard left voicemails claiming ownership of the animals and objecting to their removal.
Following the legal proceedings, Leonard appealed his conviction. However, on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, the appeal was dismissed, and the original sentence was upheld. The court sentenced Leonard to four months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £184 in rehoming costs and £250 in legal expenses. His ban on keeping animals was set for three years, expiring in November 2027.
Further revelations emerged after the appeal's dismissal. The Impartial Reporter uncovered that Leonard had been an active user of their Facebook page, where he boasted about killing foxes and posted graphic images of himself with dead and mutilated foxes alongside his dogs. This disturbing behavior added to the severity of his conviction and highlighted ongoing concerns about his treatment of animals.
Leonard faced charges related to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog and failing to take reasonable steps to meet the needs of the animals under his care. The incidents in question occurred on July 20, 2021, at a property on Trivally Road in Macken, County Fermanagh. The investigation was initiated after a visit from a Council animal welfare officer on July 15, 2021, who, along with two police officers from the PSNI, returned on July 20 to conduct a thorough inspection of the site.
During the inspection, the officers discovered twelve dogs confined within isolated tin and wooden pens scattered across a field. The conditions were described as 'horrendous' by the court, with the officers noting the presence of a strong, overpowering smell in the first pen they examined. The smell was so intense that only one officer was able to enter that pen. In another pen, there was no lighting, preventing the officers from assessing whether the dogs had access to bedding or water.
Disturbingly, some of the pens contained rotten meat and offal on the ground, which the dogs were walking through, raising concerns about their health and well-being. The dogs included a female hound, a crossbreed, a lurcher, and a beagle. One of the dogs, a female hound, was found to have a large polyp protruding from her rear end. Veterinary examination later revealed that the polyp was in the early stages of kidney failure, likely caused by dehydration. Another dog was found to have an injury to her eye.
One of the officers remarked that the conditions the dogs endured were the worst they had encountered in their nine years of service. The dogs were subsequently seized by the Council, provided with veterinary care, and eventually rehomed. Despite the confiscation, Leonard left voicemails claiming ownership of the animals and objecting to their removal.
Following the legal proceedings, Leonard appealed his conviction. However, on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, the appeal was dismissed, and the original sentence was upheld. The court sentenced Leonard to four months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £184 in rehoming costs and £250 in legal expenses. His ban on keeping animals was set for three years, expiring in November 2027.
Further revelations emerged after the appeal's dismissal. The Impartial Reporter uncovered that Leonard had been an active user of their Facebook page, where he boasted about killing foxes and posted graphic images of himself with dead and mutilated foxes alongside his dogs. This disturbing behavior added to the severity of his conviction and highlighted ongoing concerns about his treatment of animals.