By Isabelle Bates

Copyright birminghammail

Bodycam footage captured the moment council officers entered a ‘rancid’ puppy farm in the West Midlands. Around 60 dogs were rescued from the address in Hednesford, Cannock , with conditions described as ‘horrific’. Ian, 76, and Susan Wilson, 71, who ran the operation from their two-bedroom house, have escaped jail this week after pleading guilty to running an illegal puppy farm while Ian also pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering. READ MORE: Hundreds join vigil condemning racism and attacks on women after alleged park rape A court heard they raked in £105,000 from illegally breeding mainly chihuahuas and German shepherds and selling them online between 2017 and 2019 – claiming they were family pets. Environmental health officers said the “horrifying” operation was “motivated by greed” and “the worst case of animal neglect” they had ever encountered. Grim footage shows the shocking conditions the dogs were being kept in – with every room covered in faeces and urine when the puppy farm was discovered. This included the couple’s bedroom where they slept in the same room as the puppy producing dogs. But they were spared jail after being given suspended sentences at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, September 22. Sentencing, Judge Andrew Smith KC told them both of them would have been sent to prison but for their ailing health. He said: “Both of your sentences pass the custody threshold. “You were prompted by the local authority to get a licence, which you did not apply for. “You consistently bred and sold puppies, between March 2017 and October 2019 you placed 135 adverts for puppies. “To disguise the size of the operation you used different emails and names. “You bought hormone drugs to increase the female productivity. You bought dogs and pretended they were family pets. “When your home was searched there were 60 dogs, the conditions were wholly inappropriate, in sodden faeces and urine. “There was no evidence of veterinary services over the time you bred puppies. You Susan lied about a puppy being vaccinated. “This was a profitable enterprise. You have shown no remorse.” Mr Wilson was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation days. Mrs Wilson was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and also ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation days. Both were made subject of a criminal behaviour order for three years. Prosecutor Mark Jackson described to the court what officers from Cannock Chase District Council found when they entered the house. He said: “The dogs were kept in rancid and absolutely filthy conditions. “There were bitches with their puppies all over the house. “They made a huge amount of money selling the puppies online, claiming they were family pets. “They purchased non-prescription hormone treatment in order to increase the reproductive productivity of their breeding bitches. “That of course was not an expense incurred for the benefit of the dogs and puppies, it was an investment for the sole purpose of lining the pockets of these defendants. “Such was the scale of the defendants illegal breeding operation; they even had a pet incubator. “The majority of the female adult Chihuahua dogs examined presented with enlarged mammary glands which suggested repetitive breeding.” Mohammed Khan, defending Mr Wilson, said: “He is 76-years-of-age, had hip replacement on right hand side and is awaiting on left hand side, the ulcers on his legs have turned into sepsis and he has heart disease as well as COPD. “Both defendants look after each other. He is of previous good character and has been a true animal lover throughout his life. “He had not understood the gravity of his offending but he does now and wishes things had been different.” Mr Khan also told the court the pair were reliant on benefits and still owed £84,000 on their home and would be unable to pay costs or a fine. Neil Gherety, defending Mrs Wilson, said: “She is 71-years-old and has no previous convictions. “She is in declining health, with hyper-tension, had strokes and has type two diabetes. “This case has created publicity which has seen a massive backlash against the couple on social media.” Outside court the couple denied pumping the dogs with drugs. Mrs Wilson said: “We did not give any dogs drugs. This was made up by Cannock Chase District Council. “They read one text message and that was it. “What was said in court was totally wrong. What they said about our house was also disgusting and wrong. “And we never made £105,000, we spent over £90,000 on vet’s bills and other costs, so we could not have made that amount of money.” Mr Wilson added: “The incubator was for dogs we rescued. We have saved so many dogs over the years. “And because of what was said in court we have had strokes because of the stress.” Councillor John Preece, portfolio leader for environment and climate change, said afterwards: “This was the worst case of animal neglect our environmental health officers have encountered. “Motivated purely by greed, Ian Wilson and Sue Wilson went to great lengths to mask their offending and to deceive the people they sold the dogs to. “The only good story to come from this is that every dog was successfully rehomed and, six years on, are in loving homes. “We really have cracked down on this activity in Cannock Chase district but no doubt there are more unlicensed breeders and sellers out there. “To anyone involved in this despicable activity – it’s only a matter of time until our environmental health officers are putting your door through next.”