Wellingborough man appears in court to admit repeated animal welfare offences

A Wellingborough man has appeared in court to admit a further breach of a court order banning him from owning or keeping any animals.

In February this year, 61-year-old Kim Stark admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, after Northamptonshire Police officers found more than 160 rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs and birds living in unsuitable conditions in a property in Rushden.

He was also charged with the breach of a disqualification order banning him from owning or keeping animals, imposed in February 2000 following a previous conviction.

Stark entered guilty pleas to both offences at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on February 28.

On Tuesday, May 2, officers from the force’s rural crime team arrested Stark for again breaching the disqualification order, after they discovered he had been responsible for several horses, a donkey, and numerous rabbits and guinea pigs in a field in Hannington.

Stark, of Brooke Mews, Wellingborough was charged with the new breach, as well as one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse, and appeared before magistrates the same day, entering further guilty pleas.

He was released on conditional bail, with the imposed conditions preventing him from having any contact, control or interaction with any animal, from entering any land with animals, and not to attend either deliberately or driving through the village of Hannington.

Stark will next appear at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on all matters on May 19.

Anyone with information concerning the welfare of animals should call the rural crime team via 101 or email officers on [email protected]