A Nottinghamshire farmer who left more than 450 animals to suffer in filthy, overcrowded pens has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for life.
Lee Hayes, 52, of Croftfield Farm in Skegby, admitted 25 offences under the Animal Welfare Act. District Judge Grace Leong said his “deliberate and sustained” neglect was “harrowing”.
RSPCA officers and police raided the farm in November 2023 and uncovered animals living in shocking conditions.
Dogs were found standing in their own waste, goats had overgrown hooves, cats were riddled with fleas and flu, and horses were left with untreated infections.
Some animals were so ill they had to be put down on the spot. An elderly German shepherd was found tethered and unable to walk, while donkeys with rotting hooves needed emergency sanctuary care.
In a two-day rescue operation, codenamed Operation Teal, 455 animals including dogs, horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and even a llama were seized with the help of seven charities.
Hayes told the court the situation had “got out of hand”, but the judge said he had ignored repeated warnings. He was jailed for 12 months, ordered to pay a £187 surcharge and faces RSPCA costs of more than £664,000.
His partner, 33-year-old Tammy Heath, admitted two offences over the neglect of her dogs. She received a suspended sentence, a five-year ban on keeping canines, and 200 hours’ unpaid work.
RSPCA Inspector Laura Baker said the scene was “absolutely appalling” and described it as one of the charity’s biggest ever cases. Many of the rescued animals have now been treated and rehomed with the help of partner charities.
A deprivation order was also made against Hayes for about 200 remaining animals, giving him six weeks to rehome them.
