By Chris Williamson
A man from Shirbrook is facing jail for allowing his mother’s dead home to be overrun with animals.
Martin Jones may be joining criminal convicts in a jail cell soon for allowing the Hillsway home belonging to his mother to be rundown and covered in excrement with 30 bred feral cats and ferets inside.
Chesterfield court heard how the 58 year old man neglected cats which he left in the property, feeding them only occassionally.Ever since his mother died in 2005, Jones has not done her home justice by his irresponsible behaviour with the animals he chose to own.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Reports of a sick, stray cat was brought to the attention of the RSPCA, who visted the property a number of times. Andy Cash, prosecuting the case, told the court that seals placed at the property were broken and replaced continuously. Cash said the defendant ignored notices from the RSPCA, but eventually became compliant when he was tracked down.
The court viewed a video that depicted 30 cats and kittens, and a ferret. Traps were used to round up the animals, Chesterfield court heard. Excrement was everywhere and the cats suffered with laboured breathing, a vet told the court.
”Alot of the cats paws and claws were caked in faecal matter. They were not able to groom and they bred, and there were kittens in the property,a nd a number would not have survive(in other words, they died)but it has not been possible to recover their bodies. They were all related”
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Many of the cats were rehomed, but many had to be put down because of the poor state of their health, and due to their ferral nature. Jones pleaded guilty to causing suffering to 30 cats and a ferret, after keeping them in a detrimental environment between September last year and March 2017.
The case was adjourned until August 9th to allow the self represented defendant an opportunity to consult a solicitor. District Judge Davison informed the defendant that a custodial sentence was very much on the cards for his conduct.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar