An alleged drug smuggler may have left dogs neglected and abandoned in Bermuda while he awaits trial in the UK.

Malachi Eugene Wilson Eversley has a history of mistreating animals, according to the Island?s Director of Environmental Protection, Dr. Thomas Sleeter.

Dr. Sleeter told this week that his dog wardens were actively looking for animals which Eversley could have left uncared for in Bermuda.

Eversley, 24, appeared in court in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, yesterday charged with attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country from St. Lucia.

He and his co-accused Genghis Khublai Khan Thorpe, 25, were stopped and searched by Customs officers at London Gatwick Airport on Wednesday, January 25. The pair, from Pembroke, will appear before Haywards Heath Magistrates? Court again on Wednesday, March 1.

Dr. Sleeter said: ?We are concerned about the care and wellbeing of his dogs and the Animal Wardens are endeavouring to locate his animals to make sure they are being taken care of in a safe and humane way.

?I think he had a history of neglect. I have asked the wardens to look into where his dogs are. They told me that they were already on the case.?

Concerns about Eversley?s pets ? the number of which could not be confirmed yesterday ? have also been raised by vet Dr. Maureen Ware-Cieters, who runs Hannover Veterinary Hospital in Pembroke.

She said she has had dealings with Eversley and his animals for many years and revealed records showing the poor condition of his dogs when brought into the hospital.

In April 2004, Eversley appeared in court and denied causing unnecessary suffering, pain or injury to a brindle male pit bull by failing to provide medical care.

But the case was thrown out and Eversley found not guilty after Dr. Ware-Cieters did not attend his trial to give evidence. She says she was not informed of the court date ? a claim denied by Dr. Sleeter.

The dog in question, named Bruno by staff at Hannover, was brought into the North Street hospital by dog wardens on December 3, 2003.

Veterinary records seen by show he was ?underweight, depressed, nervous and clearly frightened of being handled by humans?.

He had hookworm, a raised temperature, puncture wounds to his face and scars on his shoulder and neck. He was returned to Eversley when the case was dismissed.

Dr. Ware-Cieters said: ?The Bruno case was horrendous. He had been bitten in the face. I wonder where the poor creature is now. He was so good-natured and has already suffered enough.?

Former dog warden Fabian Minors said he seized Bruno following a Police raid on a house in Pembroke. He knew the animal already because he had previously microchipped it at Government House when it had strayed.

The microchip had been removed by December 3.

?The dog?s face had swelled right up,? he said. ?It wasn?t the worst case of neglect, but I would say it was a very bad case of neglect. That dog is Lord knows where now. I would be surprised if he was alive.?

Other pit bulls belonging to Eversley appear on Hannover records, including a pup called Sage, brought in with a broken shin bone in 2000, and a three-month-old dog called Tiger, brought in the same year with fleas.

Another pit bull, Angel, believed to about six weeks old, was brought in by Eversley without a licence in 2000. It had jaundice and had lost part of its tongue due to neglect.

Dr. Ware-Cieters claims Eversley eventually got a licence but she bought the animal from him in order to have it re-homed.

?He (Eversley) has from a very young age been involved with numerous cases of serious puppy neglect and abuse,? she said. ?He has been banned from our property since 2000.?