A NEWPORT woman who flushed a toilet on her pet monkey and tried to give it cocaine has avoided an immediate prison sentence – but has been banned indefinitely from keeping animals.

Vicki Holland, 38, appeared before magistrates in Newport today (Friday) after admitting three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The court was also told Holland failed to provide a suitable environment for the monkey – a marmoset – and did not feed it a suitable diet.

Marmosets are native to tropical areas of South America, and when kept in this country their owners must meet the animals' "very particular set of needs", Aled Watkins, prosecuting, said.

But he said Holland, of Wordsworth Road, did not meet these needs – she provided no UVB lighting for the monkey, its cage was "devoid of decor needed for environmental enrichment", and she fed it "inappropriate food" including processed ham.

The animal welfare matter came before the courts because police had raided Holland's home, for unrelated matters, in December 2019. They seized items including the defendant's mobile phone, and while investigating the device they found 22 "very disturbing" videos involving the marmoset.

Officers called in the RSPCA, and it was the animal welfare charity which led the prosecution of Holland, who has three young children.

Three of those videos were shown to the court, including one which Mr Watkins said showed the marmoset in a "very distressed state", cowering inside a toilet bowl. Holland could be heard on the video saying "I need the toilet" and "shall I flush it?"

The toilet was then flushed, and Holland called the animal a "f***ing t**t" and told it "don't attack me".

South Wales Argus: Vicki Holland was heard on video offering cocaine to her pet monkey. Picture: RSPCAVicki Holland was heard on video offering cocaine to her pet monkey. Picture: RSPCA

In another video, Holland could be heard saying "Want some coke? Lick my fingers" to the marmoset.

A third video showed Holland's pet dog in close proximity to the monkey. Mr Watkins said there was other evidence of the dog chasing the marmoset, which had "free rein" of the house in a "dangerous environment" around knives and electrical outlets.

Instead of feeding it suitable food, Holland gave the monkey kebabs, burgers and sausages, the court was told.

Mr Watkins said Holland had "shown total disregard to the basic care and needs" of her pet.

"This is deliberate infliction, this isn't neglect," he told magistrates.

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Scott Bowen, defending, said Holland was "deeply embarrassed and deeply ashamed of her behaviour".

"In hindsight, Ms Holland fully accepts she shouldn't have had the animal in the first place," he told the court.

While the defendant "fully accepts there was no excusing her behaviour", she has "worked hard to piece her life back together" since the police raid two years ago.

Mr Bowen said the monkey had experienced "distress" but there was "no long-term damage" to the animal, which was handed over to the RSPCA during the investigation.

The magistrates handed Holland a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

She was also disqualified from owning any animals indefinitely, with a minimum duration of the order of five years. She must also pay £568 in costs.

'Disturbing' videos

Away from the court, RSPCA inspector and exotics officer Sophie Daniels said: “I was immediately and gravely concerned about the welfare of this marmoset when I saw these disturbing videos.

“Videos from the defendant’s phone showed Holland offering the marmoset cocaine, while another showed the clearly terrified marmoset down a toilet bowl.

“Holland was shouting, swearing, laughing and at one point in the clip, the toilet is flushed, showing the petrified animal struggling to cling onto the side of the bowl.

“An independent vet soon confirmed that the marmoset was suffering unnecessarily as a result of the way she had been treated.

“We’d like to thank Gwent Police for their assistance in this case, along with Monkey World (a rescue centre in Dorset) who have provided a forever home for the marmoset. Thankfully, this monkey is now getting the care they deserve after such shocking mistreatment.”