article_snippet: The trial of Deborah Fuller, 55, and Phil Sheldrake, 59, collapsed after RSPCA emerged the animal protection agency  used the wrong warrant to enter the couple's property in Lawford, Essex.
article_snippet: district judge Kenneth Sheraton excluded evidence obtained during a search of premises owned by Deborah Fuller, 55, and Phil Sheldrake, 59, who pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to dogs and failing to take reasonable steps to meet dogs needs.
article_snippet: a search of premises owned by Deborah Fuller, 55, and Phil Sheldrake, 59, who pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to dogs and failing to take reasonable steps to meet their needs led to RSPCA allegations that some 17 of the dogs were emaciated, six of the dogs severely so, and one was suffering from a facial tumour.
article_snippet: The trial was halted when The trial emerged that council officers had only obtained a search warrant to investigate complaints that the couple had caused a 'statutory nuisance' because of the noise of the dogs barking and the smell coming from faeces that had not been cleared up.
article_snippet: Judge Sheraton found there was no warrant issued allowing an inspection of the condition of the dogs.
article_snippet: Judge Sheraton put down to 'inexperience and misunderstanding rather than malicious intent' that Fuller was advised that no warrant issued allowing an inspection of the condition of the dogs permitted inspection of the dogs when no warrant issued allowing an inspection of the condition of the dogs clearly did not.
article_snippet: EPA EPA was to investigate a possible statutory nuisance, there was still scope for dogs found to be in poor condition to be seized and a criminal prosecution brought.
article_snippet: Dismissing the argument Lord Justice Beatson, sitting with Mr Justice Blake, said local council officers and RSPCA had gone on to premises 'intent on carrying out a search for purposes for which local council officers and the RSPCA had not been authorised'.
highlights_snippet: Trial of two dog breeders accused of neglect collapsed over warrant row .
  