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Pensioner jailed for animal cruelty

by JAMES BRINDLE AN 84-YEAR-OLD horse show judge has been jailed for allowing the 'unimaginable' suffering of 31 ponies and four dogs described by the RSPCA as 'one of the worst cases of neglect it had seen in recent times'.

Ashbourne News Telegraph - Horse from cruelty hearing Monica Hope Hewitt, of Roston, was sentenced to four-months in prison after admitting to 13 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals, nine of which had to be 'euthanised' on humane grounds. Her daughter Monica May Hewitt, 56, of Hollington Road, Rocester, was handed a four-month suspended sentence by Magistrates in Derby for her part in the neglect. The court was shown shocking video footage of the RSPCA's visit to the elder Mrs Hewitt's home at Squashley Bank in March 2009. Most of the horses at the farm were kept in squalor, living in up to two foot of their own faeces and with hideously deformed hooves described in court as 'curled up like Aladdin slippers'. Some of the horses had hooves which had grown to 26 inches long, more than six times the recommended length and led vets to believe they had been suffering for up to five years. Many had coats so badly matted in manure that it took days to clean them and in many cases their skin came off with the manure. Mrs Hewitt's Roston home was described by prosecutor John Sutcliffe as 'extremely dilapidated' and 'squalid'. During the raid by the RSPCA, Mrs Hewitt was asked whether she kept any more animals, leading to the discovery of four Jack Russell terriers living in cat carriers piled on top of each other in her kitchen. The kitchen was full of newspapers covered in the dog's faeces and urine. Two of the dogs were in such a poor condition they had to be put down, adding to the seven horses that were also put down.

The pensioner had been a lifelong member and judge for the Welsh Pony and Cob Society since 1990, a fact which presiding magistrate Philip Hickson said 'aggravated the case' even further. He said: "This is the worst case of animal cruelty and suffering we have ever seen in court. We have been completely shocked by the scale of the neglect and the prolonged period of suffering they endured. Only a custodial sentence will suffice." John Young, defending, said: "Since the death of her husband, Mrs Hewitt things have got more difficult although I don't ask for that to detract from the seriousness of this case." Mrs Hewitt senior was sentenced to four months in prison and given a lifetime disqualification from owning any animal. Her daughter was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, a community order for a period of 12 months and 200 hours of unpaid work. She was also disqualified from owning an animal for life. After the sentencing, Helen Briggs, from the RSPCA, said: "We are pleased with the outcome. This is one of the worst equine cases the RSPCA has seen in recent times. "The length of time these horses have suffered and been neglected to get into this state is truly shocking."

My comment, submitted to the newspaper in question.

Here is another case of the RSPCA showing unbridled cruelty in its pursuit of media coverage and prosecution stats. Let us concede at the outset that the photograph in the paper of one of the horses does support the RSPCA contention that the animals were in bad shape, and that Mrs. Hewitt should have ensured grooming and hoof trimming was done regularly. That said, what should be the proper action to take. I find it hard to believe that ANYONE, even the highly insensitive and bull-headed RSPCA, could possibly support the idea that an 84 year old woman should be taken to court, and then JAILED (!!!!) for four months for neglecting her horses. How about the RSPCA bucks in and offers some HELP. It has even got enough cash, from animal-loving donors and other sources, to pay for someone to help get Mrs. Hewitt's horses back into shape. But there are many volunteers who would be prepared to help just because that seems the decent thing to do when a woman of 84 years of age is finding it all too hard to deal with life's many difficulties. What kind of society do we live in, when this kind of court action can pass as just and reasonable. The RSPCA is fully aware that she is alone, a widow. This makes her one of the RSPCA's preferred soft targets. They are a disgrace to humanity. .