Nottinghamshire farmer jailed after hundreds of animals neglected
A Nottinghamshire farmer has been jailed and banned for life after over 450 animals were neglected.
Last updated 22nd Sep 2025
A Nottinghamshire farmer has been jailed and given a lifetime animal ban after hundreds of animals were neglected, with several having to be put down.
More than 450 animals - including dogs, cats, horses, and exotic animals - were rescued from Croftfield Farm on Dawgates Lane, Skegby, during a multi-agency operation.
Police and a number of animal charities worked together as part of the raid on the farm, which happened on 1 November 2023.
After a prosecution by the RSPCA - one of the largest animal cases the charity has dealt with - the owner of the farm, Lee Hayes, was handed a 12-month prison sentence and a life-time animal ban by District Judge Grace Leong, who said the evidence presented of the defendant’s “deliberate and sustained” neglect of hundreds of animals was “harrowing”.
The large-scale rescue, codenamed Operation Teal, saw the seizure of 455 animals of 19 different species, including around 70 horses and donkeys, over 50 dogs and puppies, and over 170 guinea pigs. Ferrets, rabbits, and small rodents were also rescued along with cats, poultry, exotics, birds, reptiles, and one llama.
"She'd been attacked by a dog and just left to suffer"
RSPCA Inspector Baker, who led the operation, said: “The conditions we found all these animals living in were absolutely appalling. The smell of manure hit as soon as you walked through the gate and the sheer volume of animals in dire circumstances was quite overwhelming.
"There was a very lame cow tied up in one of the barns that was the most broken animal I had ever seen. There was also a lamb whose leg was swinging and the smell of infection from her was the worst thing ever - she’d been attacked by a dog and just left to suffer.
“There were few signs any kind of animal husbandry had taken place. Many of the dogs for example were suffering from easily treatable conditions and the lack of veterinary care demonstrated the total disregard the defendant took to the animals’ welfare.
“Keeping large numbers of animals like this at one location is never a good idea as the resources required to give them a good life are unlikely to be found. We are grateful for the tip-off that highlighted how badly conditions had deteriorated, which meant alongside Nottinghamshire Police we were able to organise a large rescue with the assistance of our charity partners.
“Over two days we split up into teams to deal with different species and all the animals were systematically health checked and then taken to safe accommodation, where many were treated for their ailments and have since made a good recovery.
“Many of these animals have already been rehomed to enjoy better lives, both by the RSPCA and with the help of our charity partners.”
"Out of hand"
The case came to light after the founder of missing dogs’ charity Beauties’ Legacy, Lisa Dean, visited the farm in 2023 to investigate claims about a stolen dog and Nottinghamshire Police raised concerns about the conditions. PC Jack Grace was overcome by a foul smell as he entered a barn “housing many dogs who were whining and some who were eating their own faeces”. He reported Hayes to the RSPCA.
Hayes had claimed circumstances at the farm had “all got a little out of hand”, but the district judge said the defendant ignored advice to make welfare improvements, including that from staff of the Donkey Sanctuary who had visited the farm in 2016, and the RSPCA.
The district judge told Hayes: “When the RSPCA and police came they found no improvements. All the animals were still living in abhorrent conditions and severely neglected, which included unsanitary, overcrowded accommodation; dogs living in faeces and urine; goats with overgrown hooves, equines with thrush; and cats with fleas and flu.
“A lot of this could easily have been prevented, but you wantonly neglected hundreds of animals of a wide range of species. You lack insight in the care of animals and you present a high risk of offending again as far as the welfare of animals is concerned.”
In mitigation for Hayes, John Wilford, said poor weather had worsened conditions
“Over a period of time he became overwhelmed by the situation. All the animals he acquired came from people that knew he would take them on. He did not have the ability to say ‘no’ and he should have accepted help as he did realise a number of animals the RSPCA rescued needed treatment,” said the solicitor.
Hayes, 52, of Croftfield Farm, Dawgates Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, pleaded guilty to 25 offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and was sentenced at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 18 September.
The defendant’s girlfriend, Tammy Heath, 33, of Moorland Close, Skegby, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences relating to failing to meet the needs of two dogs and, at the same hearing, she received a 13-week prison sentence, which was suspended for 12 months. She was banned from keeping canines for five years and will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
For Heath, the defence solicitor said: “She accepts where she kept her dogs was inappropriate, but she couldn’t use her father’s house as there was an ‘aggressive’ dog there.”
The district judge granted the RSPCA’s application for costs in the sum of £664,650 against Hayes and said the charity will need to seek recompense at the High Court. She made a collection order for the recovery of £2,000 costs against Heath. Hayes will also have to pay a victim surcharge of £187 and Heath a surcharge of £154. A deprivation order on the remaining animals at the farm - understood to be around 200 - was made and that requires Hayes to set out what animals he still has under his control and gives him six weeks to rehome them.
RSPCA officers were helped by over 100 staff from seven other charities; The Donkey Sanctuary, Redwings, World Horse Welfare, Bransby Horses, British Horse Society, Dogs Trust and Beauties’ Legacy.