STOKE-ON-TRENT AND CARLISLE OFFENDERS ALEX JOHNSON, RYAN WOODWARD AND MICKEY NOLAN CONVICTED OVER PAINFUL EAR CROPPING INCIDENTS

In 2022, three individuals—Alexander D Johnson, Ryan Woodward, and Mickey T Nolan—were convicted of performing painful ear cropping procedures that left puppies in a semi-comatose state. Johnson, of Elmsmere Road, Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8EF, was born on 26 January 1990; Woodward, of Forest Court, Union Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5AD, was born on 24 December 1997; and Nolan, an MMA fighter residing on Victoria Road, Carlisle CA1 2SJ, was born on 22 January 1991. All three profited from the suffering of the animals.

The puppies, aged approximately 8 to 10 weeks at the time, endured considerable pain and required surgery after they were rescued from a property in Stoke-on-Trent. The attacker, well-known for previous animal abuse and alleged dog fighting, Alex Johnson, admitted to performing a prohibited procedure. Johnson had previously been banned from keeping dogs for five years following a 2019 conviction. In this case, he received a 24-week prison sentence, and despite the existing ban, it was extended to a lifetime ban.

Ryan Woodward was sentenced to 19 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to aiding, abetting, counseling, or procuring Johnson to carry out the ear cropping.

Mickey Nolan, an MMA fighter operating under the name Carlisle Bullies, was sentenced to 14 weeks after admitting to permitting the procedure or failing to prevent it.

Both Woodward and Nolan received disqualifications from keeping dogs for 15 years.

The prosecution was the result of months of investigation by the RSPCA, assisted significantly by intelligence gathered from their Animal Protection Services team, who examined Johnson's suspicious activities.

In November 2020, police seized six puppies, including the injured ones, along with numerous pieces of evidence from an address in Hanley. A statement by RSPCA inspector Jenny Bethel detailed the findings: “The bag contained syringes, needles, surgical scissors and blades, three empty bottles of Sedivet for horses, one empty bottle of ketamine, vaccination bottles, pliers, and a blood-stained staple gun.” The rucksack contained surgical masks, latex gloves, syringes, needles, surgical tape, and an empty rabies vaccination bottle.

All six puppies were examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and microchipped. Those that had undergone the ear cropping had surgery at the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital in Salford. An independent veterinary report confirmed that the cropping caused unnecessary suffering, despite the puppies being anesthetized, with pain persisting afterward. The puppies were later signed over to the RSPCA and have been adopted into loving homes.

Following sentencing, Ms Bethel commented, “All six puppies have grown into beautiful dogs, are a credit to their foster carers, and have found wonderful forever homes.” PC Rebecca Tyler of Staffordshire Police added, “This is something my colleagues and I will remember for the rest of our careers. We are glad the puppies were recovered and are now in caring homes.”