RONALD AND LEE GUY FROM BIRKENHEAD SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC ANIMAL CRUELTY IN MERSEYSIDE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community in Birkenhead, two individuals, Ronald Guy and his son Lee Guy, have been convicted of multiple heinous acts of animal cruelty. The offences, which spanned over a period from November 1, 2011, to June 6, 2013, involved the brutal treatment and killing of various animals, including chickens, rats, pigeons, and a fox, in front of witnesses at different locations within Birkenhead.

Ronald Guy, born around 1950 and residing at 52 Harrowby Road, Birkenhead, along with his son Lee Guy, born in 1971 and previously living at 58 Harrowby Road, were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. The charges included the inhumane slaughter of chickens, the causing of wild rats to be attacked by dogs, and the barbaric killing of a fox. These acts were documented on DVDs and video recordings recovered during a police and RSPCA joint operation, which involved a search at a nearby allotment.

The footage revealed scenes of extreme cruelty, including dogs tearing apart animals and the deliberate feeding of feral pigeons to ferrets. Lee Guy admitted to participating in the inhumane slaughter of chickens, as well as orchestrating the attack on 12 wild rats by dogs across various locations in Birkenhead. He also confessed to placing a fox in a cage and setting dogs upon it until the animal was killed in a gruesome fight. The videos captured these acts taking place in front of crowds at two different addresses on Harrowby Road and at a Birkenhead allotment.

Prosecutor Chris Murphy, representing the RSPCA, described the severity of the crimes, emphasizing that the charges included the slaughter of chickens, the attack on rats, and the most serious offence—causing a fox to be torn apart by dogs. Murphy explained, “The charges involve the slaughter of chicken, they involve the causing of wild rats to be attacked by dogs. There are three offences relating to the rats and there’s also an offence which the RSPCA says is perhaps the most serious, of causing the animal fight to take place between a fox and three dogs. The fox was in a caged box and the three dogs were put in that box and set upon it, tearing it apart and killing it.”

During the court proceedings, Ronald and Lee Guy expressed remorse for their actions. Defense lawyer John Ballam stated that both men were deeply “ashamed” of what they had done. He highlighted that a potential ban on owning animals would be a significant punishment, especially for Ronald, who has a history of involvement in dog shows and has previously enjoyed success in that field.

District Judge Michael Abelson condemned their behaviour, describing it as “shocking” and “absolutely inhumane.” He remarked, “Most people would not be able to comprehend how you could treat animals with such cruelty.”

As part of the sentencing, the four dogs seized from the defendants—one of which recently gave birth to six puppies—were rehomed. Evidence of facial scars on the dogs suggested they had been involved in fights with other animals.

Following the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes commented on the case, stating, “The maximum sentence would be inadequate with regards to the suffering the animals have gone through. This sort of offence is barbaric – it is abhorrent cruelty that belongs in the history books. There has been a rise in this sort of behaviour in Wirral and the Northwest, and if people are going to take the decision to get involved in that sort of cruelty, then they can expect to spend time in prison.”

Ronald Guy was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody, while his son Lee received a 22-week custodial sentence. Both men were ordered to pay £300 in costs and were banned from keeping animals for life, marking a significant step in addressing this case of extreme animal cruelty in Birkenhead.