THE winner of Crufts “Best in Show” title was convicted of animal cruelty for keeping a cocker spaniel in “shocking” conditions.
Lee Cox, who scooped the coveted world title for his Clumber spaniel Bruin, was prosecuted by the RSPCA over 20 years ago after complaints of the “disgusting” state of his kennels.
Magistrates found in 2001 that Cox and business partner Roger Stone kept a 10-year-old cocker spaniel called Adam with a chronically-infected ear that resulted in the pooch having its inner ear surgically removed.
They were not banned from keeping dogs.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Cox since this run in with the RSPCA, but dog-lovers have spoken out.
On Monday, one blasted the decision to anoint a convicted dog abuser with Crufts’ most prestigious title.
One Labrador owner told The Sun: “It beggars belief Crufts could let this happen. It makes a mockery of the show, which is regarded as the pinnacle for all lovers of dogs UK-wide.”
Another doggie owner hit out: “Lee has a conviction for animal cruelty and is now ‘Best in Show’ winner at Crufts. The world has officially gone mad.”
In 2001, Roger Stone and Lee Cox – then 29 – who claimed to have produced 48 UK champions and more than 250 winners worldwide, were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a retired stud dog.
They were each given a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay a total of £5,000 costs towards the RSPCA prosecution.
Magistrates at Cheddar in Somerset were told that an RSPCA officer found the dog at the pair’s show kennel, where they specialised in breeding pedigree poodles.
The spaniel had a chronically infected ear that was bleeding, ulcerated and oozing pus, and had bald itchy skin from a lice infestation.
Cox, who became a judge at the age of 13, and Stone, who had judged at Crufts, were also co-ordinators for South West Poodle Rescue.
Magistrates were told that when Jo Daniel, the inspector, arrived at their Kaston Kennels at Mark, Somerset, there was a strong smell of dog waste, drains were overflowing, lots of dogs appeared bald and scabby, and some were filthy.
Cox agreed that he did not take the spaniel to the vet and had treated the dog’s ear condition with medication prescribed for another animal.
Stone claimed that he had not seen the spaniel for five months because “his poor health had kept him indoors”.
Both men were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the spaniel. They had denied the charge.
After the case Stone said: “We have nothing to say about the verdict, but we will continue keeping dogs.”
Inspector Daniel said afterwards: “To find a dog in Adam’s condition in a normal house would have been bad enough, but to find one in the care of two internationally renowned dog breeders was shocking.
“The RSPCA prosecutes without fear or favour. Animal cruelty will not be tolerated, whoever commits it.”
Sunday’s top dog at Crufts fended off competition from nearly 19,000 competitors, as dog lovers from all over the world descended on Birmingham‘s National Exhibition Centre.
Handled by owner Cox, the four-year-old Clumber spaniel was victorious in the gundog group earlier in the show.
He said: “I can’t believe it,” after being handed his rosette. “It’s just wonderful for this breed. He’s the dog of a lifetime. He’s really, really special.”
Cox and Bruin received the Kendall Memorial Trophy and a £200 cash prize after the spaniel was crowned as this year’s champion.
Kaston Kennels, in Mark, Somerset, was part of the “world famous” Vanitonia show kennels.
Their website boasts of Cox: “Lee became part of the kennel in 1992, having grown up in a family deeply involved with dogs and stepping into the ring for the first time at just four years old.
“By the age of ten, he had already bred his first Crufts Best of Breed winner, and at 13 he began his judging career, eventually qualifying as a championship show judge at 24.
“Both of his parents are championship show judges as well, and his father also served as a member of the UK Kennel Club. Lee is an International Championship Show Judge.”
On Monday, the RSPCA told The Sun it could not talk about a spent conviction.
A Royal Kennel Club spokesperson confirmed they were aware of the conviction and described it as an “isolated incident”.
“Mr Cox has had an unblemished record in the 25 years since this incident, making a significant positive contribution to the world of dogs.”
They said convictions involving animal welfare are always reviewed by the Royal Kennel Club and due reflection is given to the way the courts treat such convictions.
“In this case an appropriate sanction was imposed by the disciplinary committee reflecting the court decision and did not warrant a disqualification,” they said.
The Sun contacted Mr Cox for comment.
