DAVID THOMAS AND JORDAN HOULSTON: NORTH WALES BADGER BAITERS AND ANIMAL CRUELTY SCANDAL REVEALED
| Red Rose Database
North Wales badger baiters Animal Abuser
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of North Wales, particularly the areas around Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno, a group of men involved in illegal badger baiting and severe animal cruelty has been brought to justice. The investigation, led by the RSPCA’s special operations unit and documented in a BBC Wales documentary titled ‘The Secret World of Badger Baiting,’ uncovered a horrifying network of animal abuse centered at Cwm Bowydd Farm, located in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd.
David William Lloyd Thomas, born on March 21, 1966, and residing at Cwm Bowydd Farm, was identified as the primary figure behind the illegal activities. The farm, which is also co-owned by Thomas, served as a hub for brutal animal fighting and baiting operations. The undercover investigation revealed scenes of unimaginable cruelty, including the use of artificial badger setts, where animals were kept in captivity using pipes, and the preparation of real badgers for baiting events. The footage showed badgers being chased and injured by dogs, with arrangements made beforehand to ensure the animals would suffer.
Thomas was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a badger by forcing it to fight with dogs, a practice outlawed since 1835. The court also found him guilty of cruelty towards two foxes, which were kept in cages near a barn housing foxhounds, causing them to be terrified and distressed. The farm was found to contain seven skulls, likely belonging to foxes or badgers, and evidence of fake badger setts used to trap and hold animals.
Jordan Alexander Houlston, born on August 4, 1993, of Alexandra Road, Llandudno, was also implicated in these heinous acts. Investigators discovered multiple dogs at his flat and farm, some living in cramped conditions, including in the bathroom. A search uncovered animal medications and literature on hunting with dogs and badger baiting. A total of 31 dogs were seized for veterinary examination, among them a Patterdale terrier with fresh injuries to her nose, jaw damage, and a peeling wound on her chin. Houlston was convicted of cruelty to a badger, causing it to fight with dogs, and of causing unnecessary suffering to four dogs, as well as neglecting the welfare of seven others.
Marc Wynn Morris, also involved in the illegal activities, pleaded guilty to injuring a badger, being present at an animal fight, and causing suffering to a badger. His involvement further highlighted the organized nature of this illegal enterprise.
Sentencing for these individuals was severe but also marked by controversy. David Thomas received a 22-week prison sentence, along with a 12-month supervision order, a disqualification from keeping dogs for eight years, and a fine of £5,000. Jordan Houlston was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, also under supervision for a year, with a fine of £750 and an eight-year ban on keeping dogs. Morris received a 10-week suspended sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, and a four-year ban on keeping dogs. An unnamed 17-year-old, who admitted to being present at an animal fight, was ordered to pay costs and banned from keeping dogs for four years.
Further investigations revealed that David Thomas, also known as Dafydd Thomas or Dei Thomas, had previously been jailed for similar offenses. In March 2022, he was sentenced to 24 weeks for breaching a previous eight-year ban on keeping dogs, and he was handed a ten-year ban from owning any animals. However, just days into his sentence, Thomas successfully appealed, and his sentence was reduced to 13 weeks suspended for a year, with additional community service and costs. The League Against Cruel Sports expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that Thomas’s repeated offenses demonstrate a blatant disregard for animal welfare and calling for harsher penalties.
In November 2022, further charges were brought against Thomas and his son, Carwyn Lloyd Fazakerley, following a detailed investigation into the conditions at Cwm Bowydd Farm. The League Against Cruel Sports documented appalling treatment of animals, including foxhounds being kicked, chained for days, and even dead foxhounds being incinerated. The police and RSPCA seized 34 dogs, including the entire foxhound pack, during a raid in November 2021. Both Thomas and Fazakerley pleaded guilty to multiple animal welfare violations, with Thomas being sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, later reduced on appeal, and Fazakerley receiving a ten-year ban from owning dogs.
Despite the initial harsh sentences, the court’s decision to reduce Thomas’s imprisonment to a suspended sentence has sparked criticism from animal welfare advocates. The League Against Cruel Sports highlighted the ongoing problem of repeat offenders and called for the implementation of the new Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act, which increases maximum custodial sentences for animal cruelty cases. The case underscores the ongoing battle against illegal hunting and animal cruelty in North Wales, with authorities determined to pursue justice for the victims of these heinous acts.
David William Lloyd Thomas, born on March 21, 1966, and residing at Cwm Bowydd Farm, was identified as the primary figure behind the illegal activities. The farm, which is also co-owned by Thomas, served as a hub for brutal animal fighting and baiting operations. The undercover investigation revealed scenes of unimaginable cruelty, including the use of artificial badger setts, where animals were kept in captivity using pipes, and the preparation of real badgers for baiting events. The footage showed badgers being chased and injured by dogs, with arrangements made beforehand to ensure the animals would suffer.
Thomas was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a badger by forcing it to fight with dogs, a practice outlawed since 1835. The court also found him guilty of cruelty towards two foxes, which were kept in cages near a barn housing foxhounds, causing them to be terrified and distressed. The farm was found to contain seven skulls, likely belonging to foxes or badgers, and evidence of fake badger setts used to trap and hold animals.
Jordan Alexander Houlston, born on August 4, 1993, of Alexandra Road, Llandudno, was also implicated in these heinous acts. Investigators discovered multiple dogs at his flat and farm, some living in cramped conditions, including in the bathroom. A search uncovered animal medications and literature on hunting with dogs and badger baiting. A total of 31 dogs were seized for veterinary examination, among them a Patterdale terrier with fresh injuries to her nose, jaw damage, and a peeling wound on her chin. Houlston was convicted of cruelty to a badger, causing it to fight with dogs, and of causing unnecessary suffering to four dogs, as well as neglecting the welfare of seven others.
Marc Wynn Morris, also involved in the illegal activities, pleaded guilty to injuring a badger, being present at an animal fight, and causing suffering to a badger. His involvement further highlighted the organized nature of this illegal enterprise.
Sentencing for these individuals was severe but also marked by controversy. David Thomas received a 22-week prison sentence, along with a 12-month supervision order, a disqualification from keeping dogs for eight years, and a fine of £5,000. Jordan Houlston was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, also under supervision for a year, with a fine of £750 and an eight-year ban on keeping dogs. Morris received a 10-week suspended sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, and a four-year ban on keeping dogs. An unnamed 17-year-old, who admitted to being present at an animal fight, was ordered to pay costs and banned from keeping dogs for four years.
Further investigations revealed that David Thomas, also known as Dafydd Thomas or Dei Thomas, had previously been jailed for similar offenses. In March 2022, he was sentenced to 24 weeks for breaching a previous eight-year ban on keeping dogs, and he was handed a ten-year ban from owning any animals. However, just days into his sentence, Thomas successfully appealed, and his sentence was reduced to 13 weeks suspended for a year, with additional community service and costs. The League Against Cruel Sports expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that Thomas’s repeated offenses demonstrate a blatant disregard for animal welfare and calling for harsher penalties.
In November 2022, further charges were brought against Thomas and his son, Carwyn Lloyd Fazakerley, following a detailed investigation into the conditions at Cwm Bowydd Farm. The League Against Cruel Sports documented appalling treatment of animals, including foxhounds being kicked, chained for days, and even dead foxhounds being incinerated. The police and RSPCA seized 34 dogs, including the entire foxhound pack, during a raid in November 2021. Both Thomas and Fazakerley pleaded guilty to multiple animal welfare violations, with Thomas being sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, later reduced on appeal, and Fazakerley receiving a ten-year ban from owning dogs.
Despite the initial harsh sentences, the court’s decision to reduce Thomas’s imprisonment to a suspended sentence has sparked criticism from animal welfare advocates. The League Against Cruel Sports highlighted the ongoing problem of repeat offenders and called for the implementation of the new Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act, which increases maximum custodial sentences for animal cruelty cases. The case underscores the ongoing battle against illegal hunting and animal cruelty in North Wales, with authorities determined to pursue justice for the victims of these heinous acts.