Lincolnshire has been labelled as a dog fighting hotspot after the RSPCA received nearly 250 reports in just four years.
New national figures from the charity revealed that there were almost 8,000 reports across England and Wales from 2015 to 2018.
Dog fighting was outlawed in England almost 200 years ago in 1824, but it’s still described as rife today.
Mike Butcher, a dog fighting expert from the animal charity, said: “While it’s promising to see that these figures are dropping year on year, it’s still staggering that something which has been illegal for almost 200 years and a bloody pastime which most people would consider consigned to history is still so rife.”
Dog fighting reports across the country seem to be falling, but the RSPCA say the 2018 figures are likely to be higher after some counties moved over to a new logging system.
It comes after another member of a dog fighting ring was sentenced for her part in a big case for the RSPCA.
Kimberleigh Steele avoided going to jail. Photo: Connor Creaghan for Lincolnshire Reporter
Knibbs is wanted in connection with a number of animal cruelty offences.
Kimberleigh Steele, 30, previously of Polyanthus Drive in Sleaford, was part of the ring which was headed up by her 55-year-old partner John Knibbs.
While Adam Scott, from Anglesey in Wales was sentenced to pay £3,080 in fines and 100 hours of unpaid community.
A warrant is also out for the arrest of Stephen John Gardener of Willows End in Bloxholm, Lincolnshire who failed to attend court.
Steele travelled from Ireland for a trial at Lincoln Magistrates Court on Monday, April 8.
At the trial, she was sentenced for aiding and abetting Knibbs as well as possession of a banned Pit Bull terrier.
Steele was given a 16 week suspended sentence, ordered to pay £615 in fines and banned from keeping animals for five years.
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It wasn’t disclosed which players would be missing for Lincoln City, but manager Michael Appleton said four players could be out for up to three matches.
The postponing of this fixture will allow for the Imps to recover their squad and get everyone back to fitness.
A rearranged date for the match will be announced in due course, as well as information for fans who bought an iFollow match pass.
Lincoln City are currently three points clear at the top of the League One table, daring to dream of a promotion to the Championship.
Next up for the Imps, weather permitting, will be a home game against relegation battlers Northampton Town, on Saturday, January 23.
Thirty dogs with fur so matted their breeds were unrecognisable, and many covered in faeces, were found in a neglected state in kennels outside a property in the Skegness area.
The RSPCA was alerted to the plight of the dogs last week and the owner agreed to sign the pets over into the care of the animal welfare charity.
The dogs were taken by rescuers for immediate veterinary attention. Several of them were so badly matted that they had to have their fur shaved off.
The matting had caused skin problems for some of the dogs. Many also needed emergency dental work to enable them to eat properly.
One dog had puss leaking from her mouth and the situation reduced the rescue staff to tears.
Thirty dogs were found in a neglected state in kennels outside a property in the Skegness area. | Photo: RSPCA
The dogs were all cross-breeds and included Dachshunds, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Poodles and German Shepherd types.
All the dogs are in need of care and rehabilitation from the RSPCA. When they are ready they will then be rehomed at a later date.
The dogs were in such a bad way their breeds were unrecognisable. | Photo: RSPCA
Ella Carpenter, manager at RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottinghamshire, said: “Clearly the dogs had been neglected for a significant amount of time and required their coats to be completely shaved and urgent dentals to be carried out. They were unrecognisable as to their breeds.
“One dog was in such a state she has pus leaking from her mouth. It was so upsetting to see it reduced rescue staff to tears
“Thankfully, dematting and removing the vast majority of their overgrown fur has already given the dogs a new lease of life.
“They are now able to move freely without experiencing the pain of those heavy matts, glued together with excrement, pulling and tearing at their skin.
“We will continue to regularly bathe them to help improve their skin condition and we will spend the coming weeks rehabilitating them and will give them lots of care and attention so when we are ready to re-home the dogs we can match them with a perfect future owner.”
The father of a woman who went missing in her teens nearly 30 years ago issued a fresh appeal to help try and find his daughter on her 43rd birthday.
Jaime Ann Cheesman was just 16-years-old when she was reported missing in November 1993, but she has never been found despite extensive and numerous reported sighings.
The last confirmed sighting of Jaime was on November 2, 1993, when she was seen by neighbours walking in Comber Place in Grimsby.
Reports were also later investigated that she was going by the name of Naomi and was in a hotel in London. More recently, there was an unconfirmed sighting of Jaime in Alnwick, Northumberland in 2019.
Her mum passed away without ever knowing what happened to her daughter, but her father Eric has made a fresh appeal via Humberside Police for help in tracing Jaime on what would have been her 43rd birthday.
Jaime as a child and a digital image of how she may look today. | Photo: Humberside Police
Eric said: “It’s been a long time but I am still hopeful. I do really miss her – like any dad would. I just want my daughter home.
“I don’t have a clue what happened to Jaime but I will never give up hope that I will see her again. I am confident she will be back home one day.
“I know she had a lot of friends in Grimsby, so I’m hoping that someone who knew them all may be able to help us.”
Jaime aged 14. | Photo: Humberside Police
Humberside Police have been involved in the search for Jaime for the past five years after taking over from Northamptonshire Police.
Since taking over the case, Humberside Police have carried out a forensic examination of the now demolished property at Comber Place.
They have also gone over more than 500 of Jaime’s letters, diaries and notes. From those, police have put together a list of names of those she was closest to (as seen below).
Jaime’s links to Grimsby. | Photo: Humberside Police
Detective Sergeant Sam Cunnington, who is now leading the investigation, said: “Due to the length of time Jaime has been missing, this is a very complex and difficult investigation.
“We have no CCTV, mobile phones or social media to assist us and many witnesses can’t remember accurate times and dates for when they may have seen her.
“However, we will not give up hope of finding her. I hope she is living a safe and prosperous life somewhere.
“Jaime, if you’re reading this, please get in touch with me or your dad to let us know you’re okay. You may not want to come home and that’s fine but we need to know that you’re safe.”
The investigation timeline. | Photo: Humberside Police
He added: “Although she was brought up in Westminster Road, in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Jaime spent a lot of time in Grimsby where her best friend Joanne had family links.
“In the early 90s, Joanne’s parents – Clive and Valerie – secured a council house in Comber Place and the family moved to the area.
“They moved back to Wellingborough in 1993 but in November of that year Jaime returned to Grimsby with Clive and Joanne’s boyfriend Peter to tie up some loose ends.
“She and Peter stayed at Comber Place but we are told she stormed out following an argument over some CDs but when she didn’t come back or return to Wellingborough, she was reported missing.”
Anyone who remembers Jaime, or is one of the people named in the list of friends, should contact police on 101 or via email at [email protected]nn.police.uk.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Missing People by calling or texting 116000.
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