Three men have been jailed after puppies were sold in awful conditions for thousands of pounds. Michael Stokes, aged 27, John Stokes, aged 46, and Tom Stokes, aged 35, all sold dogs with parvovirus, which is caused when puppies have not had vaccinations, for large sums of cash.
The £100,000 fraud saw puppies of various breeds advertised on Gumtree, and when buyers expressed concerns about their health, they were fobbed off and sometimes mocked. Many people bought the puppies as they felt bad leaving them behind in such a sorry state, a court heard.
Sadly, some of the puppies died soon with the buyers having gone to the expense of paying vet fees. Michael Stokes has been jailed for three-and-a-half years; John Stokes was locked up for three years and Tom Stokes was jailed for two-and-a-half years following a hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
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Prosecutor Caroline Harris said the conspiracy involved the defendants selling puppies from addresses across Stoke-on-Trent after advertising puppies on Gumtree. Miss Harris said: “The same wording was used to advertise different types of puppies from several addresses in a short space of time. The Crown’s case is they were bred elsewhere and brought to the addresses.
“The buyers asked to see the dogs’ mother. Various excuses were given. The defendants lied about the dogs to profit from them. Scant regard was shown for the welfare of the puppies. Many dogs were sold in an unwell state or became unwell soon after.
“The buyers raised concerns. They were dismissed and some were mocked. Certain purchasers spoke of their discomfort with what they saw. Most felt unable to leave the puppy in the kennels.
“The defendants paid scant regard for the puppies’ health and welfare. Had they taken the dogs to the vets for their vaccinations, numerous dogs would have been spared the suffering that they endured.
“They did not care whether the dogs lived or died. They simply focussed on the profit to be made. Significant sums were paid through bank accounts, but many payments were made in cash.”
Buyers paid around £1,000 to £2,000 for the puppies and some were not the breed advertised. Police recovered £18,280 and 350 euros from John Stokes’ address in Festival Close, Festival Park and £8,790 was seized from Michael Stokes’ property in Norris Road, Stanfield, StokeonTrentLive reports.
Numerous documents were seized including fake vaccination cards. Dogs were also sold by Tom Stokes from Finstock Avenue, Blurton. Miss Harris said the puppies who were sold in an unwell state all had parvovirus. “They failed to ensure proper vaccination,” she said.
She continued: “Victims in this case were emotionally exploited. Several reported not being able to leave unwell dogs with the defendants. There was a further loss to the complainants in vets’ fees. A number of puppies died as they were unwell when they were sold.”
All three defendants admitted conspiracy to commit fraud. Michael Stokes, now of Dashwood Avenue, High Wycombe, also admitted possession of criminal property, two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and breaching a suspended sentence.
John Stokes, now of Haydn Road, Liverpool, also admitted possession of criminal property and two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Tom Stokes, now of Boathouse Road, Linehouses, near Kidsgrove, also admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Milly Webb, mitigating for Michael Stokes in his absence as he was in the hospital, said he suffers from emotionally unstable disorder, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. She said there would be a significant impact on his children if he was jailed.
Miss Webb added: “He accepts he made a stupid mistake. He is young. He has mental health issues. He has not experienced a prolonged period of time in custody before.”
Dean Easthope, mitigating for John Stokes, said his client has a heart problem and is wheelchair-bound. Mr Easthope said: “He was desperate. They had rent arrears. He simply needed money.
“He accepts the full facts of the prosecution case. He regrets what he did and is remorseful. He regrets the death of the puppies.”
Danae Larham, mitigating for Tom Stokes, said he sold the fewest number of puppies. Miss Larham said: “He was unable to pay his bills. That is what led to this offending. He did not have enough money and found illegal ways to rectify that. He has now found legal ways.”
She added there was a significant prospect of rehabilitation and the judge could suspend the sentence. Judge Paul Glenn said the offences were too serious to be dealt with in any other way than an immediate jail sentence. He banned all three defendants from owning or keeping dogs for 10 years.
Judge Glenn said: “The COVID pandemic saw a boom in pet ownership. Nearly three million pets were acquired during lockdown with dogs being the most popular choice. For many people dogs helped to prevent social isolation and mental health benefits are clearly identified.
“The lockdown restrictions meant many purchasers were unable to see the puppies in a domestic setting with their parents. In a situation where demand was very high, scrupulous individuals like you set about maximising your profits.
“Some of the puppies were bred on illegal puppy farms and illegally imported. Once in your possession, some were kept in squalid conditions. A number of buyers commented they bought the puppies because they could not bear to leave them behind. They were frail, weak, underweight, and dirty, sometimes in excrement and vomit.
“Fraudulent paperwork was supplied. If buyers sought to contact you they were fobbed off. For you, it was all money-driven. A number of dogs sold were seriously ill. Some needed to be euthanised. Some were not of the breed advertised.
“These offences involved significant planning. The impact on the victims was very substantial. This was organised and sustained criminality on a significant scale in which the three of you played pivotal roles.”