Newmarket, Suffolk: Dustin Yandell

CONVICTED (2006) | US Airforce serviceman Dustin Matthew Yandell, born 13 October 1984, at the time of offence of Mill Reef Close, Newmarket, Suffolk, and as at November 2019 of Edison in Georgia, USA – ripped his golden retriever’s throat apart with a military knife

Dog killer Dustin Yandell now of Edison in Georgia was discharged from the American Airforce after slashing his golden retriever's throat with a military knife.
Dog killer Dustin Yandell was discharged from the American Airforce after slashing his golden retriever’s throat with a military knife.

Yandell, from RAF Lakenheath, put his golden retriever, Goldie, in the bathtub before slitting her throat from one side to the other, causing the animal to suffer “severe pain and distress” in the moments leading up to her death.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Mark Thompson said it was one of the worst cases of animal abuse he had ever seen.

“This was a very, very serious act of premeditated, wanton cruelty,” he said.

“Mr Yandell knew what he was going to do. He took the dog upstairs on a lead, put it into the bath, sat with it for a moment and then slashed its throat.

“The animal’s suffering would have been untold in the few minutes while it was dying.”

Dog killer Dustin Yandell now of Edison in Georgia was discharged from the American Airforce after slashing his golden retriever's throat with a military knife.

Yandell, who served in the Iraq war as a combat medic, initially denied the offence, but later admitted killing the animal at his home in Mill Reef Close, Newmarket, in March 2005.

He said in a police interview: “I do not know what was going through my mind at the time. I put the knife in the dog’s throat, and it went from right to left.

“The next thing I remember was cleaning the bath and putting the dog in the trash bin.”

The bin containing the golden retriever was found by a Forest Heath District Council refuse collector, who was left “extremely upset and distressed” by the gruesome discovery.

Dog killer Dustin Yandell now of Edison in Georgia was discharged from the American Airforce after slashing his golden retriever's throat with a military knife.

Yandell admitted the killing could possibly have been carried out to get back at his wife, who had called him from America to say she would not be returning home and that he would not see their son again.

Defence solicitor, Jeremy Kendall, told the court Yandell had suffered a number of traumas, including the stillbirth of his second child in April last year.

“This was a one-off offence,” he said. “He is still a very young man who has out-of-the-blue committed this savage act.”

Mr Kendall said Yandell would undoubtedly be discharged from the USAF as a result of his conviction.

Chairman of the bench, Colin Reeve, said: “We are dealing with one very serious matter of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

“We consider this matter is so serious that no other sentencing is appropriate.”

Sentencing: 18 weeks in prison. Banned from keeping animals for life.

BBC News


Update 2007

In January 2007 Yandell was discharged from the US Airforce. Originally from Clinton, Maryland, USA, he is currently living in Edison in Georgia and, according to his Facebook profile, is employed as a technician with Southern Plastics. He appears to have at least one dog.

Druids Heath, Birmingham: Christopher Lees

CONVICTED (2006) | Christopher Lees, born 21/01/1986, last known address Wilsford Close, Druids Heath, Birmingham B14 5PS – one of a group of four teenagers who filmed themselves repeatedly hurling a cat from a balcony

Cat killer Chris Lees pictured outside court in 2015
Chris Lees pictured in 2015

The individual shown is Christopher Lees, one of a group of four teenagers who filmed themselves repeatedly hurling a female cat named Kharlo 60ft from a balcony. Only Lees can ever be identified for legal reasons.

Kharlo limped off but was found by her owner, student Simone Warmington, and taken to the vet. She had suffered brain damage and multiple fractures and had to be put to sleep.

Cat killer Chris Lees - social media image from 2019
2019 social media photo of Chris Lees

The mobile phone footage was shared with numerous parties before it was reported to police and the RSPCA. Lees is heard giving a running commentary as the callous group carry out their sadistic act of cruelty towards the defenceless ginger and white cat.

The prosecutor for the RSPCA said of the case: “The most disturbing feature is not only the sustained cruelty, but also that that was seen as entertainment – it was being done for no other reason than entertainment. These people were enjoying it and sending it around on phones.”

Miss Warmington described her heartbreak at losing her pet in such cruel circumstances: ” “I was absolutely devastated, I cried, I was distraught really. I couldn’t get my head around it. She would have been so scared, I will never forget it.

In July 2006 Lees pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was sentenced to four months in prison. He was also banned from keeping animals for five years.

In August 2006 an unnamed 16-year-old girl was detained for four months and banned from keeping animal for ten years.

A 14-year-old girl was given a 12-month referral order for aiding and abetting the cruelty.

A fourth, 17-year-old youth was due to be sentenced in September 2006 but we’ve been unable to find details.

BBC News 14/07/2006
BBC News 01/08/2006


Update 2015

In May 2015 Lees was given a suspended prison sentence after harassing his ex-girlfriend in a revenge porn case.

Kingston upon Hull: Shaun Furgusson

#MostEvil | Shaun Andrew Furgusson, born 26/04/1981, as of December 2020 living in Spring Bank, Hull HU3 – stole a dog and tortured her over three days. Mongrel Chrissie died from her horrific injuries. Went on to steal another dog who was never found.

Shaun Furgusson and his victim, Chrissie
Shaun Furgusson and his victim, Chrissie, as found

Shaun Furgusson launched a motiveless attack on mongrel Chrissie, causing her to suffer brain damage, a punctured lung, five broken ribs and broken teeth. Part of her ear was cut off. Tragically she died shortly after being found by her owner.

During a horrific three-day ordeal Furgusson threw Chrissie at a television then kicked her, smashing five of her ribs. He went on to break one of her legs and bound it with wire. He then cut off one of her ears and attacked her with a hammer, smashing her teeth and shattering her skull.

Furgusson’s kitchen was said to resemble a slaughterhouse with blood everywhere.

2018 photo of Hull dog killer Shaun Furgusson
2018 photo of Hull dog killer Shaun Furgusson

Furgusson denied having seen the dog when asked by her owner, but later called her to say he had found Chrissie in the garden of a derelict house nearby. Poignantly, the dog was still breathing when her devastated owner discovered her next to a blood-stained flag but it was too late to save her and Chrissie died in her arms.

During his trial Furgusson, who at this point had a prior conviction for robbery, absconded from court but was re-captured. An additional two months was added to his four-month jail sentence for the animal cruelty offence.

Shaun Furgusson

In November 2007 Furgusson, one of four brothers, started what was described as a “wild west brawl” at a family wedding to which he wasn’t invited. His mother, Teresa ‘Dolly’ Furgusson – an education worker with East Riding – thought her son should be forgiven for torturing a dog to death, but other family members didn’t see it quite the same way. The brawl resulted in Furgusson and his mother being arrested and the bridesmaid and bride’s brother ending up in hospital.

In June 2010 a family with young children pleaded with Furgusson when the 14-year-old dog they’d had as a puppy disappeared after he burgled their home. The dog, named Bruno, was never found.

For the burglary offence Furgusson was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment at Hull Crown Court.

2021 police mugshot of Furgusson.
2021 police mugshot of Furgusson.

In December 2011 sad case Furgusson attacked his ex-partner from whom he had a restraining order. He turned up at the woman’s address armed with a knife and meat cleaver. He held the meat cleaver to his neck and threatened to harm himself. Fortunately he was stopped from doing the world a favour. For this offence he received an 18-month community order.

As at 2017, father-of-one Furgusson was living at a bail hostel in Hull but later moved into a property in Hutt Street, Hull, where neighbours report seeing him in a constant state of drunkenness and singing to himself.

Sentence for killing Chrissie: just four months in prison.

Newslinks:
BBC News


Additional information

Alternative FB: https://www.facebook.com/shaun.furgusson.77.

Furgusson’s family home was in St John’s Grove, Hull HU9, and his parents, Steve and Teresa Furgusson, lived there until quite recently. They are now believed to be in Canister Close HU9 3BU.

Furgusson has three brothers – Steven, Stuart and Seb – and a sister named Natasha. He has a teenage daughter.

While believed estranged from his family for several years (although his mother has always reportedly stood by him) recent social media photographs indicate that Furgusson has been welcomed back into the family fold.


Updates

December 2021: the Hull Daily Mail reported that Furgusson (incorrectly referred to as ‘Fergusson’ in the article) was jailed for three-and-a-half years after allowing a Liverpool county lines drug-dealing gang to use his home as a base for supplying heroin and crack cocaine.

The court heard that Furgusson, who started injecting amphetamine at the age of just 14, was spending £100 a day on drugs.

Furgusson, now with 58 previous convictions to his name, admitted being concerned in supplying heroin and crack cocaine and permitting his premises to be used for supplying crack cocaine.

He said that a group of Liverpool men moved into his home and told him that they would “feed him” drugs. He did not gain anything financially.

Colwyn Bay, North Wales: James Nicholson

CONVICTED (2006) | James David Nicholson, born 22/04/1984, at the time of conviction of Station Road, Colwyn Bay, but as at March 2020 living at 67 Pocket Nook Street, St Helens WA9 1NQ – repeatedly beat his dog and hung him from a lamp-post

Dog abuser James David Nicholson

Nicholson, who works as a part-time DJ under the name N-Tyce, was caught on camera hanging Jack Russell terrier Sweep from a lamp-post as he waited for a takeaway.

Magistrates watched CCTV footage showing Sweep cowering as his owner repeatedly beat him. Nicholson then hung the terrified dog from a lamp-post, before flinging him across a pavement.

Nicholson, who sobbed as he watched the footage in court, was told the attack had caused Sweep “physiological trauma”.

He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Chris Dawson, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: “He left the dog hanging off the windowsill. When asked why he had done that, he said ‘He kept barking.’

“He said he’d had a bad night, but he hadn’t meant to take it out on the dog.”

Nicholson cried heavily while the footage was played to magistrates, and often shielded his eyes away from the screen.

Magistrates’ chairman Howie Roberts told Nicholson: “Quite frankly, we were disgusted by what we saw on the video.

“We hope you show a lot more respect for the animals in your care.”

Nicholson, a part-time DJ from Station Road, was caught on film outside the Bay Grill takeaway on Seaview Road, Colwyn Bay, just after midnight on 4 September 2005.

He was told he could not take the dog into the shop, but became increasingly angry at the pet barking while he was waiting outside.
It was then the brown and white dog’s ordeal started.

The CCTV footage shows the pet being whipped with the handle of the lead several times, flinching at every sudden blow.

Sweep tried to flee the attack, but was stopped from running away because of his lead.

Nicholson then lifted up the dog by the lead, with the Jack Russell hanging in mid-air. His owner tied the top of the lead to a lamppost, and hung the pet there for a few seconds.

But Nicholson seemed to realise the upset he caused Sweep, and took him into his arms. He held the dog close, and peppered him with kisses.

On the walk home, with a petrified Sweep dragging behind on the lead, Nicholson violently yanked the lead, flinging his pet over several feet.

He then kicked Sweep in the side of his body.

An RSPCA report said: “The persistent nature of the behaviour has caused the dog unnecessary suffering, primarily physiological trauma.”

It adds: “The body language of the dog clearly showed that the dog was afraid and repeatedly tried to get away, but was restricted by the lead.”

Gwyndaf Pari, defending, said: “It was a one-off offence, one at the lower end of the scale, perhaps one that was impulsive and one after which he has shown genuine remorse.

“Since then, he has looked after the dog well.

“It is an animal clearly loved by Mr Nicholson.

“He has certainly learned his lesson since, and was dealing with the stress a relatively new job brought. It is something that worried him.”

Sentencing: fined £250 with £262 court costs. He was not banned from keeping animals and was allowed to keep Sweep.

Daily Post