CONVICTED (2019) | Ashley Longhurst born 4 January 1996, of Roman Way, Hinstock, near Market Drayton TF9 2SL and Jessica May Smith, born 1 October 1995, of Greenacres Way, Newport TF10 – banned from keeping animals after their pet cat suffered unexplained injuries on three occasions and was eventually put to sleep. Jess Smith and Ashley Longhurst Ashley Longhurst and girlfriend Jess Smith both admitted causing unnecessary suffering to one-year-old cat Belle. Belle suffered unexplained injuries on three occasions in under a year and the pair were told by magistrates that they could have faced jail. Victim Belle suffered a series of unexplained injuries while in the care of Shropshire couple Ashley Longhurst and Jess Smith However, the court heard that there was not enough evidence to say that the injuries were “non-accidental” after experts were unable to agree on the possible causes At her last trip to Tern Vets in Newport on September 4, ,2018, Belle had large swelling on the back of her head, two bruise-like marks on her ear and a swollen nose. Metalwork installed to treat a previous leg injury had also been displaced. She was taken into RSPCA care and initially improved, but her health deteriorated and she was euthanised in October 2018. Smith had previously taken Belle to the vet with a fractured hip in April 2018, and again that July with a broken leg. The couple blamed Belle’s hip injury after she fell off a lizard tank, and her head injuries on getting caught in a cage. However, for the broken leg they had no explanation. After the third trip in September, police opened an investigation. Judge Kevin Grego said: “Between April and September last year this cat suffered, at separate times, three serious injuries. It does look suspiciously like these were non-accidental injuries but we haven’t heard evidence of that and that is not what they are in court for.” He said that if prosecutors had been able to prove either or both of the pair were responsible for the “more serious matters” of deliberately causing the cat’s injuries, they would have faced prison. Representing Longhurst, Jemma Gordon said that he had been unemployed for more than a year in part due to depression and anxiety, and that he “essentially lives off his mother”. For Smith, Alex Barber said his client had been “traumatised” by her experience with Belle and did not want to keep animals again. Sentencing: Longhurst – 150 hours of unpaid work; £900 towards the RSPCA’s costs. Banned from owning or looking after animals for 10 years (expires May 2029). Smith – £300 in costs. Five-year ban on owning or looking after animals (expired May 2024). Shropshire Star ShropshireLive