CONVICTED (2013) | Sam Hessin, born 15/11/1973, and daughter Hazel Hessin, born 08/12/1994, both of Cadle Street, Leicester LE9 9PA, plus son Damon Hessin (aka Damon Taylor), born 02/07/1991, now of Belvoir Street, Melton Mowbray LE13 1QA – left eight puppies to starve to death in a room in their home The vile Hessin family from Leicestershire, who locked puppies in a room and left them to starve to death This wicked bunch of reprobates are the Hessin family previously all of Melton Mowbray. Together they are responsible for the death by starvation of eight Staffordshire bull terrier puppies. The trio barricaded the helpless dogs inside the kitchen of their family home at Wren Close, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and over the next few weeks ignored their desperate howls. Some of the dogs survived longer by eating the others. Neighbours heard the puppies’ cries but did precisely nothing until it was too late. Hazel Hessin with mother Sam Hessin On 1 May 2013 RSPCA officers raided the Hessins’ home after a tip-off from the family’s landlady. Investigators were shocked to find the rotting remains of the dogs, including two puppies’ SKULLS, in the kitchen. Prosecutors told magistrates: ‘When the inspector walked into the kitchen the smell was rancid and putrid, to her horror she saw the puppies were in advanced stages of decomposition, on a urine stained bed. ‘Dog faeces was several inches thick and everything in the kitchen was in a total state of disarray. ‘The vet estimated the puppies would have been about six months old when they died. The sight and smell of them was shocking and deeply distressing.’ Damon Hessin is now known as Damon Taylor Despite the horrific outcome of their actions, the sentence passed on the vile family by Leicester Magistrates’ Court in December 2013 was typically lenient. Damon and Hazel Hessin were both banned from keeping animals for life and given suspended sentences Their mother was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and told to pay an £80 victim surcharge. She was also banned from keeping animals for life. SWNS RSPCA