It is now confirmed an email sent by the vale of Glamorgan council, to the CCRC, received by them on the 7th August 2025 was a complete fraud. Maliciously and completely invented.
The internal council system screen shot states: ‘Inspection of premises by Mark Evans (council contracted vet of valley vets ltd) dated 12 August 2008.’
This entire system entry was deliberately made up by an employee of the vale of Glamorgan council, as yet unidentified. It was made up because the council realised, they had a statutory duty under section 10(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, to have a vet conduct this ‘re inspection’ BEFORE they could lawfully instigate any criminal proceedings against me.
The matter is currently awaiting paper consideration, of my application for a Judicial Review, sitting in the High Court in Cardiff.
It is interesting to note, the vale of Glamorgan council, were given the statutory time period to file a defence, but chose not to file any defence at the court. Let’s see what the Judge think of that.
Failure of vale solicitorsIn their representation of me, in the animal welfare case, pursued by vale of Glamorgan council in 2009, vale solicitors of Llantwit Major, vale of Glamorgan were employed to defend me.
It has since transpired, in summer of 2025 the relevance of section 10(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, has become known to me. Put simply, as the vale council had issued me with an Improvement Notice, when they executed a search warrant at my Llantwit Major home on 4th July 2008, they had a Legal ‘statutory’ duty to conduct a re inspection, of the 92 animals at my home. But they failed to conduct this re inspection on any date.
Had vale solicitors (Michael Morgan) realised this point of Law, then the whole case could never have proceeded.
Mr Morgan was recently written to (about three months ago). This significant development was explained to him. He has refused to acknowledge or respond.
WATCH THIS SPACE.Procedural Concealment by the CCRC
The Criminal Cases Review Commission CCRC since 2010, have allegedly reviewed my case six times. On every single occasion, they have totally failed, to recognise at the very starting point of the case prosecuted, that the prosecutor, the vale of Glamorgan council, did not follow a ‘statutory requirement’ before prosecuting.
It was summer 2025 that I discovered, the significance of section 10(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Significantly that having issued me with an Improvement Notice, the council failed to return to conduct a re inspection of my property. They had left me with 92 live animals, issued the Improvement Notice, informed me in writing, they would be returning, yet completely failed to return
The fact is that instead of returning, to conduct their re inspection, as they stated they would do so, they knew they were facing a significant claim for damages at that time, so to avoid that they simply went ahead and case built, and issued summonses against me.
This is all I will say about this matter at the present time. I have had issued at the Administration Court, High Court, Cardiff, on 27 August 2026, an application, Case Reference Number: AC-2026-CDF-000180 seeking a Judicial Review, against the CCRC, with the vale of Glamorgan council, listed as an ‘Interested Party.’ BOTH the CCRC and the VOGC have a lot of serious explaining to do before the Judge.
Seventeen years of damage (to date) is going to prove to be extremely costly for the vale of Glamorgan council. That is besides any criminal action that may develop against them, if the police bother to investigate. Statement of Witness
Vale of Glamorgan Council, Perverting the Court of Justice. Civic Building, Holton Road, Barry, vale of Glamorgan
In June 2026 I made a complaint, by telephone to South wales police, requesting them to investigate the vale of glamorgan council VOGC, for ‘Malfeasance in Public office.’ I subsequently discovered when I hadn’t heard anything, that the call handler had filed my complaint as a G5. This means ‘no further action required.’ They hadn’t even asked for my evidence. A complaint about this was raised, the call handler was reprimanded, and I was given an apology. Still awaiting this letter of apology from the police.
It was not surprising when the police informed me in an email, ‘south wales police are currently dealing with a significant number of complaints.’
Disappointed, although not surprised, I then forwarded a 70 page file, supporting evidence, to the Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan. He received this on 12 June 2026. On 5th August 2006 at my request, I met with a Police constable in Barry to discuss my complaint. The meeting lasted for over an hour. Despite a bundle of supporting evidence, I provided to the Chief Constable, the PC responded with an email on 7 August 2026 stating: ‘no further action will be taken regarding the matter you have reported.’
Then this whole conviction, took an amazing turn. On the 13 August 2026, I was sent an email from Lawyers working, at the Criminal Cases Review Commission CCRC. As a result of a significant disclosure, they made to me, ‘a screen shot’ a further complaint, incident number: 444/280826 was filed with south wales police. This complaint contains ‘explicit’ documentary evidence, the Animal Welfare case, prosecuted against me, in 2009 by the vale of glamorgan council, was completely ‘unlawful.’
With absolutely no confidence that south wales police would actually investigate this most serious matter, I specifically requested that the investigation, be carried out by Detectives from outside south wales police.
A second ‘screen shot’ received from the CCRC, dated 14th August 2026, also confirms a ‘deliberate malicious fraud.’ It was the ‘header’ to the email, sent by the vale of glamorgan council, to the CCRC Criminal Cases Review Commission, received by them on 7th August 2025.
It is my belief, the in house Principal Lawyer Mr Richard Price, was the individual, most likely who sent this email to the CCRC. He was the Lawyer, who in January 2009, (then acting on behalf of Operational Manager), issued me with the original summonses in this animal welfare case.
The pending High Court Judicial Review, will I hope ‘dig deeper’ in to the serious criminality, the vale of Glamorgan council, have been up to in this matter, including their attempts to block my criminal appeal at Cardiff crown court.
Read my post concerning the pending Judicial Review.
I congratulate you on your recent, appointment, as interim chairwoman of the CCRC.
I am not sure what your directive is, but my own personal experience of dealing with the CCRC, over many years, may afford you some opportunity of understanding, why I believe the CCRC has failed many, in its very purpose of existence. As you and the general public are fully aware, through high profile media coverage, the CCRC continue to endure public criticisms, when cases are successful at the court of appeal, despite previously being turned down by the CCRC as ‘without merit,’ usually years earlier.
In my experience, there are specific, common problems, which significantly cause, the failure of CCRC cases, to expedite and correctly be reviewed, with diligence. Where the appellant is convinced the CCRC decision is wrong, especially if they have researched the law themselves, this will inevitably cause, them to re apply to the CCRC. Clogging up the system of reviews even further.
All the CCRC then do, is to put an order in place, which states you will not look at any further applications, unless submitted by a solicitor. They would of course be expected to have considered if there is any ‘merit’ in the application. But without a solicitor, the appellant may still be determined that years later they are still pursuing their right of appeal in one way or another.
Three specific problems associated with CCRC case reviews.
1. Targets and Time limits set on determining and completing cases.
2. Insufficient legally qualified professionals, who can accurately and without pressure, consider cases diligently.
3. An inability of appellants to afford, or obtain legal advice (legal aid) before applying to the CCRC for a case review. This basic inability of a convicted person, to obtain legal opinion on any case of ‘merit’ is frustrating for the applicant.
The Court of Appeal has previously ruled, that any material, which can assist the defence case, and which lessens the prosecution case, must be disclosed. In my case, the CCRC decided that the Court of Appeal ruling didn’t apply. That decision by the CCRC is extraordinary. To me that application (not this current re application) was obviously never considered properly.
I understand Criminal defence law states, very clearly, where not guilty pleas are anticipated or have been entered in a court of Law, secondary disclosure must be made by the prosecution.
I hope you may find some of this helpful.
The Law is clear, secondary disclosure of material.
So Karen Kneller, who has been the CEO of the CCRC for the past twelve years, has also resigned. In January this year Helen Pitcher also resigned from her senior role in the CCRC.
Three days ago, my Member of Parliament, after chasing Karen Kneller THREE times, finally had a response from her, concerning my case. A case which the CCRC are suppose to be reconsidering, under what they have stated ‘a substantive review.’
The CCRC keep repeating they have todate, looked at my case five time. For them to have stated, I have no grounds to seek referral of my conviction to the court of appeal, on the basis that the vale of glamorgan council, failed to disclose to my solicitor, secondary material, demonstrated the decision of the CCRC, was not in line with a previous ruling made by the Court of Appeal. It would appear therefore their decision making is not inline with that of the Judiciary.
February 2025. I am very pleased to confirm, this case, which was illegally prosecuted and totally without merit, is currently under legal review.
Some individuals, with their own agenda, do not wish to consider the actual facts and background to the case, as reported at the time by mainstream media.
The case was commenced unlawfully against me, after I had made three formal complaints, against Amanda Ewington Gape a licensing officer who worked for the vale of glamorgan council.
Deceiving Magistrates before the vale of glamorgan Magistrate’s court, on the 2nd July 2008, she obtained a warrant to enter my home. If I am wrong let the vale of glamorgan council sue me. They will not sue me, because they know I can prove this to be expressly true. What then followed was unprecedented.
Facing erroneous summonses issued by the council, on the 23rd March 2009, I entered pleas of not guilty, to every summons issued against me. Subsequently in the course of recovering from a mental break down, (caused by the actions of this licensing officer) and on extremely poor legal advice from a solicitor, I was strongly advised, to amend some pleas, to guilty. I have made the more detailed facts about this case, available on this website, for some years.
The current review of this case, (happening as I post this update), will later in 2025, lead to a substantial claim, against those who sought to damage my impeccable reputation for animal welfare. Those on social media, who continue to act in ignorance of the true facts, may also find themselves facing, the same legal action for damages.
In the United Kingdom, an individual or company, can only commercially trade in animals, if they are inspected, and pass the toughest of laws, and regulations concerning animal welfare. I have always passed all such regulations for the past forty three years,
Please add this website to your favourites, so you can follow the actual facts and update, in this unique case, as this legal review progresses.
A collective gathering outside the head offices of the CCRC
It was announced on Tuesday 14th January 2025, that Helen Pitcher has resigned. I feel this well over due decision, is the way forward for all victims who continue to be the subject of a ‘miscarriage of justice.’
Collectively we have to continue to apply pressure, to ensure some of the people employed at the CCRC Head Office either resign or are removed. This all started when I stood with a number of victims, or their representatives, and drew attention to the current ‘unfit for purpose state’ of the CCRC, outside their Birmingham Head Office on 10th May 2024.
However improvements towards achieving the very purpose of existence of the CCRC, can only happen if other things are sorted at the CCRC. This includes sufficient funding from central Government, to ensure enough, ‘qualified legal personnel’ are taken on, to deal with a massive backlog of cases, which at the very least should be treated with professionalism, courtesy and consideration of all their case facts.
Helen Pitcher can now concentrate, full time on promoting her Montenegro property portfolio, instead of working part time for the CCRC, dishing out part time results for victims.
Valley Vets Mark Evans Guilty under Animal Welfare Act 2006?
Mark Evans (the vet employed by the vale of glamorgan council) attended my home, a with Animal Licensing officer Amanda Ewington Gape.
Before they arrived our tortoises were kept on suitable substrate (what they walk on) and given a very good environment. This is evident in these two photographs.
Section 9of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Duty of person responsible for animal to ensure welfare
states:
A person commits an offence if he does not take such steps as are reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which he is responsible are met to the extent required by good practice.
For the purpose of this Act, an animal’s needs shall be taken to include-
its needs for a suitable environment
Its need for a suitable diet
It’s need to be able to exhibit normal behavioural patterns
Any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
It’s need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
The photograph below, shows the appalling way, in which Mark Evans treated these tortoises. He was supposed to be IMPROVING the environment not make them suffer. As you can see, not even a single sheet of newspaper or any form of substrate, did he provide them with, to avoid them slipping and becoming stressed on the bare plastic trays.
Mark Evans Valley vets Cardiff Guilty under Animal Welfare Act 2006?
There are other photographs, which confirm how Mark Evans also left these tortoises, without any shade, protection, or water, from the mid day July sunshine. I made him provide them with shade.
This whole episode, was even more cruel, because the Animal Licensing officer Amanda Ewington Gape, just stood there and allowed this to happen.
Two days after this dreadful situation took place, I instructed my solicitor to write to the vale of glamorgan council, and raise my deep concerns at the manner in which, these two council employees, conducted themselves. So called professionals. When you understand this was done by a vet, and a vet who says he specialises in reptiles, the whole situation must be considered appalling, cruel and a dereliction of his professional duty.
I also raised complaint with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, about the lack of care shown by Mark Evans, for these tortoises. That complaint of course fell on deaf ears, as they primarily exist to protect their own members.
Isubsequently tried issuing a private prosecution against Mark Evans and Amanda Ewington Gape in Cardiff Magistrates Court. My application was refused, but not because of any lack of ‘Merit’ but simply the Magistrate ruled, I was ‘out of time.’
It would appear to me, Mark Evans and Animal Licensing officer Amanda Ewington Gape, were both, by evidence of the above single photograph, guilty under all sections of Section 9, of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
It appears (if you believe everything you see in the news) Helen Pitcher the head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, based in Birmingham, England, only works part time for the CCRC. I suppose therefore it is hardly surprising, we only get part time Justice in the United Kingdom.
It seems Helen Pitcher, spends a lot of time promoting her property empire in Montenegro.
Helen Pitcher of the CCRC property empire building in Montenegro.
