James Andrew Marchant, 42, and Clair Yvonne Malik, 42, of Privet Drive, Bristol, have been banned from keeping animals after pleading guilty to animal cruelty offences following an RSPCA investigation. On September 5, 2025, a neighbour filmed Marchant throwing a malnourished terrier named Boomer over a six-foot wooden garden gate onto a paved surface. The neighbour reported the incident to police, who detained Marchant.
Details of the Cruelty
The court heard that Marchant had wrestled Boomer to the ground before hurling him over the gate. A vet who examined the footage stated that Boomer would have experienced pain and distress from being restrained improperly, terror and anguish while falling, and immediate agony upon landing. The vet added: "The callous manner in which he threw Boomer over the fence, compounded by the failure to have him then checked by a vet, illustrates that he failed in his duty to protect him from pain, suffering, injury and disease."
Boomer's Condition and Recovery
Upon examination, Boomer was underweight and undernourished, with a body conditioning score of just two out of nine. Under RSPCA care, he gained weight through proper feeding. He weighed 2kg (4.4lb) upon arrival but reached 3.5kg (7.7lb) when rehomed a month later—a 75% increase.
Sentencing
Marchant admitted two animal welfare charges: one for throwing Boomer over the fence and another for failing to provide adequate nutrition. He received a ten-year ban from keeping animals, with no challenge allowed for seven years, and was ordered to pay £400 costs and an £80 victim surcharge. Malik confessed to one charge of failing to meet Boomer's needs regarding his weight. She was prohibited from keeping dogs for five years, with no appeal for three years, fined £120, and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £40 victim surcharge. The pair were sentenced at Bristol Magistrates' Court on June 24.
RSPCA Response
RSPCA Inspector Kim Walters said after sentencing: "Animals feel pain and suffering just like we do and always deserve to be shown kindness and compassion. We're so grateful to everyone who speaks up for animals and grateful to the neighbour for reporting what they'd witnessed. We will always look into reports of animals suffering and we depend on the public to be our eyes and ears and report any concerns to us."
