HORSE show judge, who allowed 31 ponies and four dogs to suffer what the RSPCA called "one of the worst cases of neglect it had seen in recent times" has been jailed for four months.
Monica Hope Hewitt, 84, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals at her home in Roston, near Ashbourne.
Seven of the horses and two of the dogs had to be put down after being neglected for periods of what a vet estimated to be " a period of up to five years."
Her daughter, 56-year-old Monica Mary Hewitt, of Rocester, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of causing unnecessary suffering and was given a four month sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Sentencing the 84-year-old at Derby Magistrate Court, Philip Hickson said: "This is the worst case of animal cruelty we have ever seen in court.
I just feel sick. Ok, maybe the old biddy had lost the plot, but someone should have noticed. As for the daughter....
Well, to all listening friends, it's just appalling that things like this can go on for so long.
But maybe a bigger question is - how many others don't get to court? (I heard of a dead young pony being dumped in Cheshire, along with a goat. No ID whatsover of owners. Was near Nantwich.)
As the law seems powerless to prevent these sort of appalling crimes, maybe local communications between ourselves is a far better way to find the culprits? I drink in our local pub, i + my partner work in the local community, shop in local shops, talk + laugh with everyone. We know when newcomers come into our place (although they're welcome, we notice, + chat to them). I know exactly who owns which horse, who has which yard, etc, it's part of our community, so how come no-one knows about these poor ponies + dogs, who lose their lives from simple neglect?
If i saw a horse suffering in our area, well, probably 20 folk would see it before me... We'd know whose horse it was, + if we didn't, we'd know who'd recently come to the village, or who's recently let land, etc.
So, what happens in Rocester? Is it the equine equivalent of Midsomer? Bring in PC Barnaby, or his equine relative! (And his dog, to deal with the canine side!)
Still feeling sick, but thanks for telling us, dear Keltic,
Every best wish, BS x
PS: Just noticed she was a judge. (Well, all i can say is, i'm even more glad now that i've never been inclined towards showing...)
Brandysnap - as much as I applaud your community spirit you must realise that not everyone in the UK lives like this. It is very easy for someone to live in an isolated position and not be visited by anyone. We cannot blame the neighbours for not noticing what goes on but only those that cause the suffering themselves - as this case has shown.
I wasn't blaming the neighbours, i'm just not understanding how no-one else noticed. My suspicions are that they did, but felt very bad about saying anything.
The figures mention 31 ponies and 4 dogs.
Derbyshire is a lovely county, and walked by many, in its prettiest areas. Its less pretty areas are well populated.
Please let's return to the topic in question of Mrs Hewitt of Dove Stud, and apologies from me if i've suggested otherwise, which wasn't my intention. I did ask, in my post, how many other such cases don't get to court, and maybe we should think on this, especially in view of your response.
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only 4 months! doesnt seem very extreme?
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She is 84!!!!!!
She shouldnt have been sentenced at all. Sorry but how the hell is an 84 yr old going to cope in prison. And what is the point. Unless it is a way to get her to go into sheltered accomodation. To get to 84 having never had a problem with the welfare of her animals and then this. My guess is, and I dont know her from Adam, is that she carried on and it all became too much. But like many 84 year olds she possibly couldnt face the fact or had no idea who to turn to for help.
I really do not see any reason to imprison an 84 year old.
Animal cruelty or not. Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye as I really believe a judge would probably feel the same.
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only 4 months! doesnt seem very extreme?
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She is 84!!!!!!
She shouldnt have been sentenced at all. Sorry but how the hell is an 84 yr old going to cope in prison. And what is the point. Unless it is a way to get her to go into sheltered accomodation. To get to 84 having never had a problem with the welfare of her animals and then this. My guess is, and I dont know her from Adam, is that she carried on and it all became too much. But like many 84 year olds she possibly couldnt face the fact or had no idea who to turn to for help.
I really do not see any reason to imprison an 84 year old.
Animal cruelty or not. Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye as I really believe a judge would probably feel the same.
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So age is an excuse for cruelty and neglect
Should have had 4 years ...and the daugter .... she could and should have helped,I hope they both suffer... might discourage others from this unxeceptable behaviour ...
In some ways I agree with Dozzie, at 84 we dont know what was going on, an old fella near us wasnt coping with his ponies, his daughter and wife had both died, and he couldnt cope with loosing the last love of his life - his horses, people who knew him mucked in as best we could, sadly (or perhaps fortunately) he followed his wife and daughter quite quickly.
However - in this case there was a daughter, presumably she could or should have been able to help!
She was offered help and refused it, she continued to do judging appointments and stood in judgement on others ponies etc... it really beggars belief..
We have one of the ponies that were lucky enough to survive at our yard as our yo has given her a home for life. The pictures of some of the ponies are horrendous.
At the end of the day she only got 4 months and the ponies suffered for upto 5 years!!
Fair enough. I dont know the whole story. But I still dont see the point of putting an 84 year old in prison. By all means fine her, stop her keeping animals, even give her a suspended sentence. Why not make her do community service! I am not excusing her as i have no idea of the whole story but i still feel it is a waste of public money and inhuman to put an 84 yr old in prison. She is of no risk to anyone is she? Providing she is not allowed to have horses/animals again, as she clearly cannot look after them, I cant see why she cant pay her penance in another way.
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Fair enough. I dont know the whole story. But I still dont see the point of putting an 84 year old in prison. By all means fine her, stop her keeping animals, even give her a suspended sentence. Why not make her do community service! I am not excusing her as i have no idea of the whole story but i still feel it is a waste of public money and inhuman to put an 84 yr old in prison. She is of no risk to anyone is she? Providing she is not allowed to have horses/animals again, as she clearly cannot look after them, I cant see why she cant pay her penance in another way.
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Just carnt understand why you would feel sorry for her??? SHE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED over a 5 year period no one made her do it ... is abuse ok in your book... sadly prison will be like a holliday camp for her with do gooders catering for her every need , we punish people as a deterant to them and anyone who thinks of taking the same path, sometimes to keep others safe .... dont know the woman but I imagine an arrogant beligerant old cow...
Much cheaper than going into a care home for the elderly - I know - had both parents in one for a few years. Prison saves their family having to pay.....................errrrr???
I dont know how i feel about this tbh , if age hadnt come into this i would of been screaming four years too, but at 84 years of age i dont think prison is the answer , she`s too old to go to prison FGS, a life ban on keeping and judging ponies and a fine.
I expect the daughter didnt get jail because the ponies were probably owned by her mother.
I dont feel sorry for her tbh and I am not excusing her. I cant really understand how this could have come about. But it stems from when she was 79! (the last 5 years) That is actually quite old. Knowing how stubborn old people can be when it comes to admitting they can't cope, I just dont see that prison is the answer. Take away the ponies/dogs. Fine her. Stop her being a judge. Stop her from owning animals in future. That is enough for someone who is 84 and not a danger to humans in my book. She has lost everything by doing that. What is the point in sending her to prison? At 84 I dont think prison is a deterrant. Plus it is a waste of public money.
If she was 44 fine, no problem, send her down, but 84? Cant see the point really.
I have to agree that prison is unnacceptable for a woman of her age. It is quite possible that she was unaware of her innability to cope with her animals. If the horses did not belong to her daughter then she was not responsible for them. It is possible that the older woman was in need of care herself. Abuse and neglect is not acceptable, for either people or animals, it would be my guess that the Mental Health Act would have been a more appropriate route for this woman.
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/H...il/article.html
Just found this link the photos are shocking and there are photos of both mother & daughter too.
Mrs Hewitt looks quite sprightly actually considering her age
defo not a frail old thing maybe she should have got 4 years after all .
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Fair enough. I dont know the whole story. But I still dont see the point of putting an 84 year old in prison. By all means fine her, stop her keeping animals, even give her a suspended sentence. Why not make her do community service! I am not excusing her as i have no idea of the whole story but i still feel it is a waste of public money and inhuman to put an 84 yr old in prison. She is of no risk to anyone is she? Providing she is not allowed to have horses/animals again, as she clearly cannot look after them, I cant see why she cant pay her penance in another way.
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Yes your right old people shouden't ever be jailed isnt it terrible we are jailing war criminals, heck they only toutured and killed people ,and they are wrong to jail older criminals who have been on the run for years, oh and what about poor old myra hindley .... sorry did you wooly minded idiots read about the case ??????????? or is animal abuse ok if your old, how about child abuse ,theft, arson??? i just dont see what age has to do with it a wrong is wrong.....
What I would like to know is why it took (again) so long (probably) for the RSPCA to take any action.
The report that triggered off the investigation would not have been the first to have been received by the RSPCA (I would bet). Yet the vet estimated that these animals had been suffering for periods of up to 5 years.........
I would love to know the full story too, i have heard the neglect started after her husband died ,these ponies were all kept in a barn in 10x 10 pens 4 in each, standing in a 2` high pile of shite, they hadnt been out for years , even her neighbors didnt know she had them.
When they took her stallion from his pen they bitted him so to have more control and she took an issy fit incase they hurt him. ( the mind boggles )
Was reluctant to sign them over and showed no remorse whatsoever ,a nasty , bombastic piece of work by all accounts.
Ive heard this and more tbh, its such a shame they had some lovely ponies, the one we have that was rescued from them spent some time at the local equine hospital and then came to our yard, our yo offerred her a home for life, she is so sweet (the pony) and its lovely to see her charging around the field bucking and farting and really enjoying life!!
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I never realised she was 84! dear.. it kind of changes my perception of things...
maybe she's mentally ill? You mention it happened after her husband died.. grief can do things to people afterall.
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Oh please
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what? an 84 year old with mental illness is hardly uncommon...? IF this was the case, obviously we don't know for sure, Id put more blame on anyone else who knew of the horses, i.e. her daughter.
Obviously I only know what I have read on here and elsewhere, but imo the daughter should be held responsible as much if not more than her mother, particularly if her mother had become mentally infirm. Before my late Mum went into a care home she was living on her own with a GSD and 2 cats. She loved them dearly but in the last few months would not have been capable of looking after them without my help. In the case of the dog it was overfeeding rather than neglect I admit, but a GSD can only have so much chocolate cake
Do feel the prison sentence is harsh for someone of her age but there may be other factors we are not aware of.