# Woman strangled pet dogs in bath



## testmg80 (Jul 28, 2008)

A mentally-ill woman strangled two pet dogs in her bath after she heard voices telling her to do it.

Denise Clement, 37, of Portmead in Swansea admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at the city's magistrate court.

District judge Richard Williams was told she had serious mental health problems, but was fit enough to plead.

Sentencing in the case, which was brought by the RSPCA, was adjourned until 3 February for reports.

Prosecuting, John Tarrant said on 21 July the mother of one told a mental health officer at the city's Morriston Hospital she had drowned her two cross-breed dogs Buster and Levi in a bath at her home.

"She indicated that voices told her to do it," he added.

An RSPCA officer visited the house and found the dead logs lying in the bath.

Post mortem examinations revealed they had been strangled rather than drowned.

Mr Tarrant said it was likely she had asphyxiated them while attempting to drown them.

Mark Davies, defending, said he was satisfied Clement was fit to plead to the charges, but said she suffered from serious psychiatric problems including schizophrenia.

He added: "We accept everything the prosecution say."

BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | South West Wales | Woman strangled pet dogs in bath


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## Guest (Jan 7, 2009)

that's horrible! poor things!


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2009)

Poor dogs....that is so sad


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

That's so saddening!

In a way, I kinda feel sorry for the woman too (if the mental issues claim is true). I wonder if she regrets it?

Those poor doggies


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

Thats so sad isnt it, I just hope she gets the help she needs as she has a child.R.I.P Little ones.*


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## Katie&Cody (Dec 4, 2008)

RIP little ones.
You are over the bridge now and are safe.
Run free xxx


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## MonkeyDog (Oct 6, 2008)

Poor dogs and poor woman

Mental illness can be so awful. I'm not going to start a rant on the woeful lack of provision and chronic underfunding in the UK for those suffering from mental illnesses. But *if* she was suffering from mental illness, I can't condemn her.

I save my condemnation for those that exploit dogs for money or abuse them when sufficiently compis mentis to seek help.


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## Public Opinion (Oct 8, 2008)

Take a look at

Time for a review of RSPCA Animal Charity's Bullyboy Tactics ?

Should the mentally ill be prosecuted by the RSPCA when they are cruel to animals ?

This is a very dificult issue - consider this case. A woman with a history of mental illness strangled two dogs in her bath. At Swansea Magistrates Court John Tarrant, for the RSPCA, said that she indicated that voices told her to do so. Denise Clement, 37, of Portmead, had meant to drown both dogs but asphyxiated them by applying pressure to their necks.

She told a mental health nurse what she had done during a visit to hospital last July. The case against her had been delayed for several hours while a community psychiatrist gauged whether she was competent to plead.

She later admitted two charges of causing unnecessary harm to two crossbreed dogs, named Buster and Levi, by killing them in an inappropriate manner, knowing that the act would do so.

The two acts were carried out on July 21 in the bathroom of her home. Mr Tarrant said an RSPCA officer dispatched to the house found the dead dogs in a bath of water. It was later established the dogs had been asphyxiated, rather than drowned, after pressure had been applied to their necks. Mark Davies, defending, said he was satisfied Clement was fit to plead to the charges, but said she suffered from serious psychiatric problems including schizophrenia.

He added: "We accept everything the prosecution say." District judge Richard Williams adjourned the case for four weeks for sentencing reports to be compiled.
Clement was released on conditional bail.

Clearly there has been a failure here by the "community´ but is there a point to this prosecution ?


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2009)

Firstly, I am definately NOT a supporter of the RPSCA - and have little respect for anything they say or do.

BUT, I think only in VERY EXTREME circumstances should there be 'no charges'

How many times do we hear that people have escaped punishment by putting in an insanity claim.

Because lets face it many of the horrific crimes we read of committed on amimals today can only have been commited by someone unbalanced - because lets face it NO sane person would ever dream of doing some of the horrible things that are done.


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## Public Opinion (Oct 8, 2008)

I do agree that the severity of the case determine whether charges are brought or not, the problem here is that the RSPCA have a conflict of interest that is increased the more vunerable the person being prosecuted.

There are numerous cases on the rspcainjustice.blogspot.com where the RSPCA have prosecuted either the elderly, mentally ill (this is a particulary lucrative area) or the disabled.

The issue is that the RSPCA get loads of publicity from a prosecution (whether they win or lose) this publicity send their local, and even national donation rates soaring, they effectively are getting paid for prosecuting people. The more sensational the case, or the more vunerable the defendant, the more media exposure equates to more donations, the RSPCA have a very highly oiled PR & media dept that swing into action, issuing press releases to local and national newspapers based on individual prosecutions.

Prosecutors should all adhere to the CPS full code test, the most important aspect of this is the public interest test, the RSPCA often put their own interpratation on this, they take the public interest in the contect of overall animal welfare, not based upon the merits of the individual case, as I believe its suppossed to be interpreted. 

The bottom line is that the RSPCA are not regulated by anyone, they claim they are just a charity when it suits them, the reality is that they are one of the richest and most powerful organisations in the UK and they think that they can get away with anything (like impersonating Police Officers) and do anything.

Until the powers that be wake up and smell the coffee, the RSPCA will continue to do so.


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## pugsley Adams (Dec 30, 2008)

this is to depressing!


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