Oldbury mother and son jailed for starving dog

A mother and son who allowed their dog to get so thin he was on the brink of death have both been jailed. Marcia Webb and Dylan Coffin failed to feed Tyson, a beagle-type crossbreed, to such an extent he lost almost half his body weight.

The poor diet also led to him contracting anaemia. The pair were sentenced at Sandwell Magistrates Court in Warley yesterday.

The court heard that the RSPCA had visited the home in Crusader Close, Oldbury, on November 14 last year after an anonymous tip-off about a collapsed dog.

Mr Nick Sutton, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA charity, said: "The dog's skeletal structure could be seen from a distance as well as felt.

"Blood tests showed it was markedly anaemic and it had to be taken straight to a vet and put on a drip.

"Tests showed a chronic lack of nutrition and terrible care over a prolonged period of time.

"The vet said if it had continued, it could have led to coma and death. He said it was one of the worst starvation cases he had witnessed."

Mrs Bally Paul, defending, said Webb had mental health problems and Coffin had ADHD.

The court was told Coffin adopted the dog nine weeks before inspectors came to the house in an attempt to do 'the right thing' for a man who could not take care of it.

Tyson has now been rehomed and has recovered.

Webb, aged 39, and Coffin,18, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal between September 14, 2011 and November 14, 2011.

Coffin was jailed for 14 weeks and fined £175, while Webb was jailed for eight weeks. Both were disqualified from keeping animals for life and cannot appeal the ban for 10 years.

At a previous hearing, magistrates were told when RSPCA inspectors arrived, Webb answered the door and immediately confessed "yes, the dog is neglected" but then tried to shift the blame on to her son. Mrs Paul, defending added Tyson had opened their eyes and they would not be taking in any more animals.

By Alex Homer