A MAN has been jailed for 22 weeks two years after being found guilty of a series of animal welfare offences.

Patrick Ward, of Windermere Court, Leigh, and two co-defendants were found guilty in their absence at court in August 2016 after a string of animal welfare offences relating to the sale of puppies in Greater Manchester.

The 40-year-old was sentenced at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after being arrested by police.

There are still outstanding warrants for the arrests of Patrick's brother Martin Ward and Martin's wife, Julie Michelle Ward.

RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd, who led the investigation into the puppy sellers, said: “We launched an investigation into Mr Ward, his brother and his sister-in-law after receiving a number of complaints from members of the public who had purchased puppies that had soon fallen ill after arriving home.

“We believe the trio were importing puppies and then selling them on from two addresses in Leigh.

“When we joined police to execute two warrants at the properties in February 2016 we found a number of dogs and other evidence.

“At one address - in Windermere Road - we found a number of phones labelled with different dog breeds.

"At the other - in Douglas Road - we found three dogs, one with an untreated broken pelvis, and the body of a dead Jack Russell terrier left in a kennel.”

The RSPCA launched the investigation after eight people complained after buying puppies from the trio.

All of them had fallen ill, suffering from a series of problems including parvovirus, worm infestations and neurological conditions.

Four of the animals had died or had to be put to sleep.

Ward has also been disqualified from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay a £150 victim surcharge.