BRANDON COULTON, LIAM CRANG, AND DARLINGTON DOG ABUSERS SENTENCED FOR ANIMAL FIGHTING AND CRUELTY

A group of six individuals from Darlington, including Brandon Coulton, Liam Crang, Marcus Hall, Thomas Richardson, Jack Tenwick, and Damen Dodsworth, have been convicted of serious animal cruelty offenses, including involvement in animal fighting, neglecting their dogs in deplorable conditions, and leaving their facial injuries untreated. These convictions stem from a comprehensive police and RSPCA operation known as Operation Merlin, which resulted in dawn raids on multiple residences across the town, involving a total of 69 officers dedicated to tackling wildlife persecution and animal abuse.

Brandon Coulton, born on October 8, 1993, residing at 29 Lanethorpe Crescent, along with Liam Crang, born on March 30, 1994, of 62 Ingleby Moor Crescent, Marcus Hall, born on May 29, 1993, of 36 Auckland Oval, Thomas Richardson, born on August 24, 1994, of 4 Huxley Grove, and Jack Tenwick, born on March 16, 1994, of 49 Brighton Road, all pleaded guilty to being present at an animal fight. Damen Dodsworth, born on November 27, 1993, of 35 West Moor Road, admitted to two counts of failing to ensure proper welfare for animals. Crang and Tenwick each admitted to one count, with Crang also confessing to setting his dog on a hare in October 2012.

Footage obtained by the RSPCA revealed disturbing scenes of hare coursing and dogs kept in filthy, neglectful conditions by these Darlington men. Court proceedings uncovered that in March 2011, the group had allowed their dogs to chase and kill a fox, subsequently posing for a photograph with the carcass, highlighting their blatant cruelty towards wildlife.

During police raids, officers discovered that the lurchers owned by Crang, Dodsworth, and Tenwick were living in appalling conditions, with visible fresh cuts and old scars indicating ongoing abuse and neglect. The court heard that the teenagers involved lacked understanding of the animals’ needs, which contributed to their poor treatment of the dogs.

In sentencing, handed down in September 2013, the court imposed a 12-month community order requiring 140 hours of unpaid work, along with fines totaling £160 for court costs and charges. Additionally, Crang, Dodsworth, and Tenwick received bans from keeping dogs for ten years, reflecting the severity of their offenses. The remaining three individuals, Coulton, Hall, and Richardson, were given a five-year ban on dog ownership. Crang was further fined £200 for a hunting offense, underscoring the multiple violations committed by these individuals during their involvement in animal cruelty activities.