CLIVE ELLIOTT, SWINDON GREYHOUND BREEDER AND TRAINER, SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY

Clive Donald Elliott, born on November 19, 1979, and residing at 35 Limes Avenue, Swindon SN2 1QQ, was convicted in 2020 of multiple counts of cruelty toward dogs in his care.

Elliott, who is a greyhound breeder and trainer, was found to have been bingeing on alcohol and drugs while neglecting his animals, which had been left to starve in kennels at his family home. When police and an RSPCA officer visited the property, they discovered a distressing scene: one dog was found stuffed inside a freezer, two others were dead on the floor, and several animals had been severely starved.

The dogs, which Elliott inherited from his late father, were left unfed for approximately four days. A veterinarian who examined the animals after their rescue indicated that the neglect likely spanned weeks or even months. RSPCA prosecutor Matthew Knight explained, "Officers found eight dogs. Three were dead, including one that had been placed into a bin liner and hidden inside a chest freezer. There was no dog food whatsoever at the property. The five remaining dogs were in poor condition, with overgrown nails, abscesses, and signs of scurvy."

One dog was found with a severe mouth ulcer, a condition Elliott later admitted he was aware of. Although the dog initially ate, it died about a week later as its health worsened. Autopsies revealed that the bone marrow of one of the deceased dogs was a thick, glue-like liquid, evidence of prolonged malnutrition, suggesting weeks or months of neglect.

To illustrate the extent of the animals' poor nourishment, Mr. Knight noted that one greyhound gained a third of its weight within just one month after being removed from Elliott’s care, attributing this rapid weight gain to the arrival of proper nutrition.

In interviews, Elliott told authorities that his situation worsened after a personal relationship breakdown, leading him to turn to alcohol and drugs. He said he didn’t seek help because he was "too proud." Regarding his mother, who suffers from dementia, he claimed, "If there had been any dog food, she would have fed them," adding, "There wasn’t any food for my mum; that’s how low I was."

Records indicate the dogs, which Elliott was accused of neglecting, were still racing as recently as January 2019. Racing cards show that Gemstone Bobbie, who had increased its weight by a third after rescue, was raced twice at Swindon that month, with Elliott listed as the trainer.

Elliott’s lawyer, Terry McCarthy of Jeary & Lewis Solicitors, explained that Elliott inherited the dogs following his father’s death in 2014. He had previously owned a printing business and cared for the dogs on the side. However, after changing jobs and working night shifts, along with his relationship breakdown, he found himself unable to cope.

McCarthy stated, "Things went wrong, and Mr. Elliott was affected by the breakdown. It appears some dogs were removed from him by someone his ex-partner met, and the emotional and financial strains worsened his situation. There’s also mention of a back problem for which he had been prescribed medication."

He added that Elliott had been misusing prescription drugs and believed his client was suffering from severe depression at the time, although there was no medical evidence to confirm this. "It’s my feeling that Mr. Elliott was suffering at the time from severe depression. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t seek medical help. Basically, as a result of that depression, he wasn’t coping with anything," McCarthy explained.

He further noted, "You’ve read in the report that he couldn’t properly care for his mother or the dogs. Some of the dogs in question were owned by another person, who also failed to provide food. The defendant had no money."

Chairman of the bench Jane Durrant commented that Elliott had shown no remorse. She described the images of the animals’ suffering as “extremely distressing” and emphasized, “The level of suffering endured by these dogs is truly appalling. The distress caused was just quite unbelievable.”

Elliott did not react visibly when the sentence was announced. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, ordered to pay costs and charges totaling £872, and was banned from owning dogs for life.

This case was reported by the Swindon Advertiser.