| Fraud vet walks free from court
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Issue: 01/06/2018
A vet who helped a gang sell puppy farmed dogs to the public has walked free from court.
Daniel Doherty, 49, who owns two veterinary surgeries, was convicted of the conspiracy to commit fraud last month after he provided false health checks and vaccination cards to the gang so that they could pretend the dogs had been home-bred.
It is estimated that Doherty made at least £75,000 from the scam that involved selling sick and dying puppies to the public from puppy farms in Ireland. There were 4,689 puppies taken to him by the gang and he offered them discounted vaccinations at £16 a time. The gang are thought to have made at least £2.5 million.
Doherty was given a 12 month sentence suspended for a year, ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and fined a £140 surcharge. The judge said that they 'hoped very much' that he would still be able to practice.
The case was brought by the RSPCA and it followed a three year investigation into puppy dealing instigated by the animal charity.
Complaints
'Operation Adder' was set up after they had received complaints from dog owners who had bought puppies that had fallen ill and, in some cases, died.
Inspector Kirsty Withnall, who led the investigation, said, 'This was a complex and sophisticated network of organised fraud and cruelty to dogs.'
The vet's false papers were crucial for the deception to succeed as Ms Withnall pointed out that, 'Prospective buyers were led to believe that the puppy they wished to purchase had been born and raised in a loving family home, the mother dog being a family pet. They were provided with paperwork relating to pedigree parentage, health documentation and vaccination certificates, much of which is falsified and does not or cannot be shown to relate to the puppy in question.'
Judge Mcdowell at Isleworth Crown Court said that Doherty was, 'obviously a good vet', and his defence counsel had presented the judge with more than a 100 letters sent by his friends and supporters.
During the trial he still worked at his My Vet 24-7 surgeries in Uxbridge and Hillingdon. The judge said, 'Obviously you are a very good vet in terms of your work.
'I am not sure if what I say has an impact on your professional body, but I hope very much they may take as lenient a view as they can, rather than destroying your purpose in life altogether.
'For what it is worth I hope they will be as lenient as they can.'
Aware
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons issued a statement after the sentencing, 'We are aware of the recent conviction of a vet at Isleworth Crown Court and are investigating the circumstances.'
Doherty graduated from the Royal Veterinary College with a distinction in 1991.
Imprisoned
There were members of the puppy smuggling gang who were imprisoned. Simon O'Donnell was sentenced to three years, disqualified from keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay £170.
Thomas Stokes was also jailed for three years and disqualified from keeping dogs for life. He will pay £170.
Thomas O'Donnell was handed a two-year jail term, suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity. He was also disqualified from keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay £115.
Margaret McDonagh, Simon O'Donnell's wife, was given an 18-month community order and rehabilitation activity. She was ordered to pay £85 and prohibited from keeping dogs until an application to the court to lift it.
In addition, she was given a 12-month community order and must pay £85.
Edward Stokes will appear back at court on 14 June for sentencing after his case was adjourned.
There has been outrage online to the sentencing with people saying that the sentence was 'ridiculous' and one poster asked, 'what in God's name is this judge thinking of?' Some people are worried that this sentence will not act as an adequate deterrent to other gangs.
When OUR DOGS reported that Doherty was going to face trial opinion was split in the comments section with some people supporting him whilst others accused him of greed and that he was a man who, 'Did not care for animals.'
Comment(s)
Name: David Robinson
Comment: After what they made this is a pitiful amount and as for the vet he should not be allowed to practice and other professional would be struck off.
