REBECCA WALL FROM ASHINGTON AND BEDLINGTON SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE

Rebecca Chantel Wall, also known as Rebecca Taylor, was born on June 30, 1994, and has a troubling history linked to her previous residences in Ashington and Choppington. As of May 2020, she was residing at Cornwell Crescent, Bedlington NE22 5AP. Her recent criminal actions involved abandoning two young animals—an adorable 10-week-old kitten named Titus and a 12-week-old black retriever puppy called Athena—leaving them to perish from starvation and dehydration.

Wall’s decision to flee her property in Ashington, Northumberland, in 2017 was driven by mounting rent arrears. However, her departure was marked by a tragic neglect of her pets, which she left behind in a state of extreme suffering. The abandoned animals were discovered by Northumberland County Council’s animal welfare team on July 27, 2017, after a housing officer entered the deserted property and found the heartbreaking scene. The puppy Athena was discovered confined in a bedroom with the door shut, while the kitten Titus was found dead in the living room, also behind a closed door. Both animals showed no signs of food or water, and their bodies revealed the devastating effects of starvation.

Inspectors found evidence of the animals’ desperate attempts to find sustenance, including chewed pet food packaging, indicating they had been trying to eat anything they could find in their final hours. Photographs taken during the investigation depicted packets of pet food torn open by the starving kitten, underscoring the severity of their suffering. A post-mortem examination confirmed that both animals had succumbed to starvation and dehydration. Notably, pieces of plastic from pet food wrappers were found inside Titus’s stomach, further illustrating the neglect.

Both animals were microchipped to Wall, who was at that time prohibited from owning pets due to a previous animal cruelty conviction from 2013. Authorities attempted to interview her regarding the incident, but she failed to attend scheduled appointments. She also did not appear at her initial court hearing, where she faced multiple charges including causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, failing to ensure the animals’ welfare, and keeping animals while disqualified. A warrant was issued for her arrest, and upon her subsequent court appearance, Wall pleaded guilty to all charges.

One of the animal welfare officers involved in the case described it as the most severe they had encountered, emphasizing the cruelty involved. The officer stated, “This is the worst case I have been involved with. The animals had clearly been left to die of starvation and dehydration. It was a mindless act of animal cruelty.”

Wall was sentenced to a 14-week custodial sentence for each of the five charges, with the sentences running concurrently. The sentences were suspended for 12 months, and she was ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities with the probation service. Additionally, she was ordered to pay costs and charges totaling £2,222. She was also disqualified from owning or keeping animals for a period of 10 years.

As of May 2020, reports indicate that Wall is living at her new address in Cornwell Crescent, Bedlington NE22 5AP. However, there are ongoing concerns that she may have breached her ban on keeping animals again, raising further questions about her conduct and the ongoing risks she poses to animal welfare.