Bradford man sentenced for illegally breeding and selling dogs
Bradford Crown Court heard the 52 year old had made a “significant amount of money” by breeding and selling puppies without a licence
A MAN who bred and sold Labrador puppies without a licence was told by a judge that he had “stuck two fingers up to the law.”
Steven Robson, 52, made a “significant amount of money” by breeding and selling puppies from an address at Southway in Eldwick over the course of several years – a court heard.
Some of the puppies sold for as much as £2,000.
But he had no licence, and despite repeated urging from dog wardens at Bradford Council, he repeatedly failed to apply for such a licence.
On Monday morning he appeared at Bradford Crown Court, pleading guilty to breeding dogs without a licence, and was sentenced to an 18-month probation order and curfew for six months.
Recorder Judy Dawson told Robson he had only just avoided prison, and criticised him for thinking “he was above the law.”
The court was told that Bradford Council had been tipped off that Labrador puppies were being bred without a licence at the property on Southway.
A dog warden visited the property in May 2021. Robson was not home and a note was left for him to ring the warden back.
When he rang back he confirmed he and his wife were breeding dogs, but “were not aware they required a licence.” He was told to stop breeding dogs immediately, and the paperwork needed to apply for a licence was sent to him.
The Council later received further complaints that the illegal breeding was taking place, and officers found evidence from online sources such as the Kennel Club and Facebook pages that litters of puppies being sold were linked to Robson and the Southway address.
Different litters bred by Robson were advertised in October 2021, May 2022 and October 2022.
In January 2023 the Council sent Robson further correspondence urging him to apply for a licence if he wished to continue breeding and selling dogs.
He later replied to say he was applying for a licence – but no application was ever submitted.
The Council got in touch to arrange an interview with Robson, but he refused to be interviewed in person. He told the Council to send him the questions by email and he would answer them. The questions were sent, but no response was received.
21 female dogs were registered to his property – the court heard.
Abdul Latif Shakoor, defending, said: “He has not experienced the criminal justice system before. He accepts he has been doing something he shouldn’t. This is a harsh reality check for him.
“He is not being prosecuted for the standard of care of the dogs involved, there is no prosecution for cruelty.”
Recorder Dawson said: “He knew very well he should have had a licence, but two years after he was told so, he carried on and thought if he ignored it it would go away.”
Mr Shakoor said any ban in dealing in animals would be a big punishment for his client, but Recorder Dawson interjected: “Given he doesn’t have a licence anyway it is not a massive punishment – it just puts him in the same position as almost every other person in the country.”
Mr Shakoor said: “The main issue of the matter is if he had applied for a licence then we wouldn’t be here. There is no evidence that he would have been ineligible for a licence.”
Recorder Dawson replied: “We’ll never know that will we?”
Sentencing Robson, Recorder Dawson said: “As far as I can see your response was to stick two fingers up to the Council, to the dog warden and to the law.
“I have seen evidence that you were running a significant commercial operation, and it is also clear you were making significant profit from it.
“You were selling them for a significant amount of money – £2,000 for one Labrador puppy in one case. This is a significant aggravating factor.”
“As far as I can see you either couldn’t be bothered or you thought you were above the law. You are not.”
He was given an 18-month probation order, during which he will be supervised by the probation service.
Recorder Dawson said: “There is work they need to do with you to help you understand you’re not above the law.”
He will be electrically monitored with a tag that will require him to stay at home between 8pm and 8am for the next six months.
And he was given a lifelong disqualification from breeding animals with recorder Dawson saying: “I’m doing this because of your persistent refusal to cooperate with the Council, even when they were trying to assist you.”
She ended her sentencing saying: “You could have been sent to custody today. You don’t seem to think this is a serious matter – it is.”
The court heard he will be moving to an address on Nab Wood Grove, where he will carry out his curfew.
A proceeds of crime hearing against Robson will be held at a later date, and establish how much money he made from his criminality.