A disgusting beast of a woman, the Neath animal abuser, Jessica Edwards, permitted her dog to perish from starvation, suffering in isolation, in one of the most egregious examples of its sort that an experienced RSPCA officer has encountered.
Areo the spaniel is said to have endured suffering after being deprived of sustenance for three to four months before to his demise. Areo would have had to consume his own pee to prevent dehydration; at that juncture, the owner merely draped a jacket over the body and abandoned it to decay on the floor.
Jessica Edwards has received a 26-week prison sentence and a lifetime prohibition on animal ownership following her conviction for animal welfare violations.
The Swansea Magistrates Court was informed that on December 5 of the previous year, police and RSPCA officials visited a residence in Neath, where they were granted entry by the defendant.
Upon entrance, the police were immediately confronted with an unpleasant odour.
The court was informed that beneath a high-visibility jacket on the kitchen floor, the cops discovered the remains of an emaciated spaniel puppy.
The corpse was infested with maggots and flies.
In a witness statement read to the court, RSPCA deputy chief inspector Gemma Cooper, said: “All of his bones were visible. I do not believe I have ever seen such a skinny dog in nearly 15 years as an RSPCA inspector.”
The court heard that the body was seized by police so that the RSPCA could continue the investigation
The following day the body was examined by a vet. The dog’s body condition was rated one out of nine, with four or five out of nine being classed as “normal”.
In a statement the vet said: “There was almost no muscle mass left on this body, being one of the worst body conditions I have seen.
“There were a large number of flies with the body and maggots in various body openings particularly on the underneath.
“To become emaciated to this level, assuming he was at normal weight initially, would take about three months on water only with no food at all suffering from severe hunger during that whole period.”
Jessica Catherine Louise Edwards, aged 28, of Fairyland, Neath, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted at trial of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and of failing to ensure that the needs of an animal were met.
Jessica Edwards was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison comprising 26 weeks for each offence to run concurrently.
The defendant will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
Jessica Edwards was also banned for life from keeping any animal
It is recommended that Jessica Edwards not be allowed to spend any time alone with children as there is a direct correlation between animal and child abuse.
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