SUSAN SMITH AND MARK DOWNES HORRIFIC ANIMAL CRUELTY AT OLDESTON FARM

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community and animal welfare advocates alike, Susan Smith, her daughter Georgina Blizzard Smith, and employee Mark Downes were found guilty of a series of heinous animal cruelty offences at Ingst Manor Farm in Olveston, Bristol. The farm, once a working agricultural site, became the scene of unimaginable suffering and neglect, as revealed during a series of inspections carried out by the RSPCA.

According to the RSPCA, the conditions at Ingst Manor Farm were among the worst they had encountered in recent years. Inspectors who visited the farm in March 2015 were met with scenes of horror that would leave a lasting impression. They discovered hundreds of animals in various states of suffering, including dead and dying horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, and goats scattered across the property. The farm was littered with carcasses, some of which had been left to decompose in the open, while others were found wrapped in plastic or tied to vehicles with ropes, indicating a blatant disregard for proper disposal procedures.

Among the most distressing sights were the carcasses of 87 dead sheep, nine cattle, two pigs, and two goats. The number of dead chickens and poultry was so overwhelming that the inspectors could not count them all. The surviving animals were found in deplorable conditions, waist-deep in faeces and decomposing bodies, with some horses wandering through mud that reached up to their knees. The farm was cluttered with scrap metal, broken fencing, barbed wire, and a bonfire containing animal bones, further illustrating the neglect and cruelty inflicted upon the animals.

Inside a muddy barn, the inspectors uncovered a scene of utter despair: sick, starving sheep, cows, and pigs living atop piles of dead animals, struggling to survive in the filth. The farm's conditions were so severe that the RSPCA had to undertake a large-scale disposal operation of animal carcasses, reminiscent of the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth crisis 17 years prior. The situation was so dire that it prompted multiple visits over the course of 2015, during which the RSPCA also rescued numerous animals in need of urgent care. Despite efforts to improve conditions, subsequent inspections in April 2016 revealed that the situation had worsened over the winter months, with more animals suffering and dying.

The cruelty extended to the neglect of animal welfare regulations. Piles of carcasses were found throughout the barn, alongside live sheep and dogs confined in small, faeces-filled cages without access to food or water. The inspectors documented the suffering of animals such as lambs lying on their mothers' bodies, covered in six inches of mud, and goats that had starved to death. Pigs were observed eating carcasses of dead sheep and other pigs, highlighting the extent of the neglect.

In total, Susan Smith, born circa 1958, was convicted of 36 charges, including ten related to improper disposal of animal remains and 26 concerning animal cruelty, neglect, and violations of registration and feed licensing laws. Mark Downes, from Pilning, Bristol, born circa 1968, faced 22 charges of animal cruelty, neglect, and failure to properly dispose of animal bodies. His ban from keeping farm animals was made permanent, and he received a prison sentence of 32 weeks along with a fine of £1,000.

Georgina Blizzard Smith, born December 20, 1996, was found guilty of two charges related to two dogs at the farm in April 2016. She was also convicted of failing to meet the needs of her dogs, Angel, a golden Labrador, and Savannah, a Border Collie, resulting in unnecessary suffering for the animals. She was deprived of ownership rights, ordered to pay costs of £500, and awarded £306 in compensation.

Sentencing took place in November 2019, with Susan Smith receiving an 18-month prison term following an appeal, and a lifetime ban from owning animals. Mark Downes was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison, with additional costs and a lifelong ban on keeping pigs, sheep, goats, horses, and cattle. Georgina Blizzard Smith received a sentence in June 2018, including deprivation of ownership and financial penalties.

Additional historical context reveals that Susan Smith had previously been banned from keeping horses for life in 2002, alongside her then-partner Brian Blizzard, who still resides in Bristol. The court heard that RSPCA inspectors had first visited Ingst Manor Farm in February 2001, describing the conditions as akin to a rice paddy, with waterlogged fields and dead animals in the mud. Video evidence shown during the trial depicted the horrific state of the farm, including dead horses and emaciated foals, some of which had died from starvation and fractures.

In recent developments, Mark Downes was exposed by a paedophile hunting group on Facebook for alleged online child grooming, with charges pending. The case continues to attract attention, highlighting the complex and troubling history of those involved in this case and the ongoing efforts to seek justice for the animals and the community of Olveston.