Members of a deviant Stoke-based organised crime syndicate of extreme dog breeders, including:
- Alex Johnson from Abbey Hulton ST2
- Holly Dunn from Longton ST3
- Mandy Whitehouse from Bucknall ST2
- Charlotte Bailey together with her partner Tom Taaffe, both from Bucknall ST2
have been charged with abusing and torturing the bully puppies they sold.
The RSPCA presented the five accused before the courts. All were affiliates of a merciless organised crime syndicate engaged in the illicit trafficking of bulldog puppies, callously altering their ears and abusing the animals.
Aaron Lee Wareham, the ringleader from Chell who operated under the aliases Balaclava Bullies and Highgrade Bullz, succumbed to cancer in May 2025 prior to facing legal consequences.
Heavily tattooed Wareham enlisted self-proclaimed “icon in the dog world” Alex Johnson, who has two prior cruelty convictions, offered to crop the ears of little puppies for £450 each amongst other services that cannot be published.
Single mother Holly Dunn, still with her kids, a long-term associate of Aaron Wareham and partner Tom Taaffe, admitted causing a prohibited procedure to be carried out on a protected animal and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Mandy Whitehouse, the aunt of Tom Taaffe, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. She said she was promised she could keep pregnant bully bitch Lyla secured until she gave birth.
Charlotte Bailey and her violent partner Tom Taaffe (he has a conviction for beating her but she is still with him) both pleaded guilty to multiple animal cruelty and abuse offences and will be sentenced on 4 September 2025. Taaffe is believed to be Aaron Wareham’s partner in Highgrade Bullyz and Balaclava Bullys.
- Alex Johnson: 12 months in prison. Lifetime ban.
- Holly Dunn: 23-week custodial suspended for 12 months; 100 hours of unpaid work; £500 costs; Lifetime ban.
- Mandy Whitehouse: nine-week suspended sentence. 10-year ban.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.