Man admits breeding banned dogs

The dogs were stacked in cages throughout the property

More than 20 illegal prize pitbull terriers were found squeezed inside a tiny maisonette, a court has heard.

They were kept in cages stacked throughout the west London property, which was raided by police in November last year, Acton Magistrates heard.

Ricardo Byfield, 27, admitted 19 counts of owning a banned dog and one count of breeding pitbull terriers.

Lisa Harvey, 34, pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing a banned dog and one charge of breeding pitbulls.

Grand champion

Officers found 26 dogs, including 21 pitbull terriers, in cages in almost every room in the Northolt house and in outdoor pens.

A litter of newly-born pitbull was found in the kitchen of the one-bedroom maisonette.

Sgt Ian McParland told the court: "These were pitbull royalty, some of them came from Ed Reid's lines, who is credited with bringing in the first Pitbulls to the UK.

"Some of the dogs were from Irish Jerry's and Farmer's Boys stock, which are both very well known fighting lines."

Despite the overcrowding, he said the dogs were kept in clean conditions and many were in excellent health.

Fighting scars

He said a makeshift treadmill was also found, which had probably been used to exercise the dogs and build up their shoulder muscles.

Some of the dogs were of such pedigree they could have fetched thousands of pounds on the fighting dogs market, the court heard.

Several of the dogs were marked on their papers as Champion or Grand Champion, meaning they had won several organised dog fights.

Many had fighting scars on their head and legs.

They are being held in police custody at a cost of £250 a day and have so far cost the police £85,000 to house and feed them.

In custody one of the bitches ate her litter of six pups.