RSPCA GIVEN PERMISSION TO SELL SEIZED PETS BEFORE PROSECUTION

THE RSPCA has been given permission to sell more than 20 dogs at the centre of an animal cruelty case in Paignton.

HEAD OF RSPCA PROSECUTIONS SALLY CASE

The order was granted on Tuesday by Newton Abbot magistrates who heard that owner James Noon, 57, of Blagdon Road, Paignton, has pleaded not guilty to 26 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and 13 counts of failing to ensure the needs of an animal were met.
His son Hamish Noon, 26, also of Blagdon Road, Paignton is accused of 23 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and one offence of possessing cannabis. He denies all the charges.
The court heard that 14 dogs were seized in February and a further 12 were taken at a later date. It has cost the RSPCA £15,000 to care for the animals.
Speaking outside court James Noon said he had been keeping dogs for 40 years and would be found not guilty of the charges.
During the hearing, in an outburst from the dock, James Noon said: "I love my dogs and I have done nothing wrong. I want to keep my dogs. I do care about my dogs."
Defending the Noon's Clive Rees said: "These dogs are evidence, as long as they are evidence I do not see how the police can get rid of them. They can put them into RSPCA custody but I cannot see how the evidence can be given away to a third party while the case is ongoing.
"Mr Noon has kept dogs for 40 years and there had not been a problem before. He does not want to pass them over."
He also said the application would 'deprive' James Noon of ownership of the dogs before he has been convicted of any offence.

PROSECUTOR SEWELL

Prosecutor Philip Sewell said the dogs were checked over by a vet before they were seized. But Mr Rees said a different vet had visited the premises five days before the dogs were taken and on that occasion none of them were seized.
Granting the application for the dogs to be passed into the ownership of the RSPCA and sold, chairman of the bench Dave Thompson said: "The welfare of the animals has to come first. We will grant the application because there is an option by which you can appeal."
James and Hamish Noon will appear at Newton Abbot magistrates court to answer the animal cruelty charges on February 1.
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