Man given suspended sentence and ten year ban after abusing and intimidating his pets - RSPCA
Man given suspended sentence and ten year ban after abusing and intimidating his pets
16.09.24
A man from Southport has been given a 22-week suspended prison sentence after he abused and intimidated his pet dogs on multiple occasions over five months.
On at least 20 of the clips, they could be heard making screaming or screeching noises after banging, thudding or slap-like sounds - accompanied by a male voice - had come from the house at Rainworth Drive.
At a sentencing hearing at South Sefton Magistrates Court on Thursday 29 August, Robert Jones (DoB 11/01/93), was handed a ten-year ban on keeping dogs after he was prosecuted by the RSPCA for intimidating and physically abusing them. His 22-week prison sentence was suspended for 12 months.
The court heard how the recordings, which were taken between January and July last year, were passed to the animal welfare charity by someone who was concerned about the dogs' welfare. RSPCA Inspector Vicki Brooks then started an investigation.
In her written statement to the court Inspector Brooks said: "I listened to the recordings and heard repeated incidents of a male shouting and swearing, banging and dog(s) crying out in a manner that indicated that they were in fear, distress and potential pain. I was not hearing the 'normal' sounds of dogs crying and whimpering. These were more serious and concerning.
"I have dealt with cases like this previously and the sound of a dog whimpering or crying because it has been left alone, or wants to go inside, or wants attention, for example, is distinctively different to the crying a dog makes when it is in pain, fear and distress."
The Inspector sent the recordings to a vet who said that in his opinion there were serious concerns for the ongoing welfare of the dogs at the address.
In August 2023 Inspector Brooks, accompanied by police officers, visited Jones at his home. In a closed, paved area in the back garden were three-year-old Doris and ten-year-old Ozzie. Both of them were in normal bodily condition but there was no bedding in their shelter and several piles of faeces were visible.
The vet was contacted again and given descriptions of both dogs. He provided an Animal Welfare Act Section 18 Certificate to say they were suffering or likely to suffer if their circumstances didn't change and they were taken immediately into police possession before being placed in RSPCA care.
Doris and Ozzie were transported to the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where they were given a health check and vaccinations before being transferred to a private boarding facility where they have been looked after on behalf of the charity.
Further enquiries by the RSPCA as part of the investigation revealed that another witness had allegedly seen Jones physically assaulting the dogs by kicking them. This person said Jones would angrily shout and curse at Doris and Ozzie - who were said to be left outside day and night - and loud thuds could be heard coming from his house, followed by the sounds of whimpering.
In his written evidence to the court, the vet who saw the footage, said: "The 31 recordings do not provide direct evidence of the dogs being physically assaulted, although noises such as bangs, thuds and slaps associated with a dog vocalising distressfully are highly likely to be associated with physical abuse.
"The recordings indicate that the male person shouted and swore at the dogs causing Doris and Ozzie to vocalise in a distressful manner, indicating they were in fear at those times.
"Fear is a suffering emotion and therefore Jones' actions by shouting at the dogs in an aggressive manner caused them to suffer.
"Suffering would have been experienced by these animals via a mechanism of fear for a period of at least several seconds to minutes on each occasion."
Jones told the RSPCA he considered himself to be knowledgeable and experienced with dogs having kept, bred, trained and sold them for 12 years. He said he trained his dogs verbally, and with leash work, and that they were not scared of him and he had never beaten them. He said the video recordings were 'just the noise the dogs make'.
There were no further details of how the dogs were seen being kicked and therefore it wasn't possible to determine whether they had suffered pain, the court was told. The defendant's actions, however, would still have caused Doris and Ozzie to suffer through fear and distress, according to the vet.
In addition to the ten-year ban on keeping dogs, which cannot be appealed for five years, Jones was also ordered to complete 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days.
Sentencing him, District Judge Bruce Hatton said he had displayed 'despicable behaviour over a lengthy period' and that any 'right-minded person' listening to the audio of the dogs would find his actions 'appalling'. He said the offence had passed the custody threshold and had it not been for Jones' caring responsibilities then the term of imprisonment would have been immediate.
Speaking after the case Inspector Brooks said: "Jones' actions towards Doris and Ozzie were consistently violent and intimidating and the dogs in his care experienced pain, fear and distress regularly over a long time.
"As the investigating officer it was extremely traumatic and upsetting to have to listen to the recordings and to have constantly had to witness these dogs in such fear and distress must have been awful for anyone in the vicinity. Jones' actions were those of an aggressive and cruel bully and were wholly unacceptable.
"I am very grateful to the witnesses for their bravery in coming forward, and their patience and commitment whilst we conducted this investigation as we could not have secured this conviction without them."
Doris and Ozzie were signed over into RSPCA care by Jones at an earlier hearing. They are still being cared for at private kennels, are both doing well and will be rehomed by the charity.
