Published: Friday, 13th February 2026
A pet trader from Rugeley who made hundreds of thousands of pounds illegally selling endangered animals from his home has been jailed for 32 months.
Robert Gillan was also banned from dealing in animals for ten years after he admitted a string of offences relating to the keeping and trading of animals following an investigation by Cannock Chase District Council.
Animals were found dead when Environmental Health Officers from the District Council, Staffordshire Police, and a specialist veterinary surgeon raided Gillan’s property. They discovered 162 animals inside the house - exotic birds, guinea pigs, mice, sugar gliders, and tortoises were among the species found. Officers found 27 animals to be ‘suffering or likely to suffer.’
Sentencing him Judge Avik Mukherjee said the crimes had been “fraudulent from the outset” and it was the “cynical exploitation of animals”.
Gillan,40, of Upper Cross Road, Rugeley appeared at Stafford Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (13 February) having pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent business carried on by a sole trader, failing to ensure the welfare of animals, and offering endangered species for sale without valid certificates.
The court was told he had been trading as Staffordshire Pets from his Rugeley address since 2016 and it was estimated he made more than £300,000 through the illegal sale of animals - including endangered species such as African Grey parrots, Hermanns tortoises and Macaws.
Mark Jackson, prosecuting for the council, said: “This was an illegal pet breeding and selling operation where the care and welfare of the animals offered for sale was, in many cases, woefully deficient.”
“There is evidence that the defendant sold animals that were in poor health, and that animals died in his care.”
A catalogue of poor living conditions for the animals was outlined to the court such as
• No water, heating or proper food
• Soiled plumage
• Large amounts of faeces
• Rat activity in aviaries
And several animals had infections with no signs of having received veterinary care according to a vet specialising in zoo and wildlife medicine.
Mr Jackson added: “The vet found that lots of the animals experiencing the psychological stress of being closely confined in an environment that prevented the majority of normal behaviours. Many showed the physical detriments of a lack of food and water. There was also the significant potential for traumatic or electrical injury due to the unsafe conditions. The conditions constituted unnecessary suffering. The conditions were wholly preventable.”
All surviving animals were rehomed after being examined by a vet and are now said to be doing well.
In an interview, Gillan said he “did not have a clue” about the Animal Welfare Act but denied the conditions failed to meet the needs of the animals.
In mitigation, Rashad Mohammed, said the defendant had a ‘genuine love’ for animals. “He deeply regrets his actions and has learnt his lesson. This will come as a shock to him and to his family.
Sentencing him, Judge Mukherjee said Gillan had showed a clear disregard to rules and regulations and there had been a large number of victims of both animals and customers - with significant harm to animals.
“You have never held a licence. It was fraudulent from the outset….this was the cynical exploitation of animals.”
After the case, Councillor John Preece, Portfolio Leader for Environment and Climate Change said: “I would like to thank the officers for all their hard work in bringing this case to trial. This sentence shows the enormity of the case and sends an important message that the illegal sale and poor treatment of animals will not be tolerated in Cannock Chase. Animal welfare is taken extremely seriously, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate concerns, protect animals from harm and take enforcement action.”