CONVICTED (2012) | Nora Christine Mannion, born 22/12/1965, of 9 Denmark Street, Oxford OX4 1QS and son Sonny Christian Mannion, born 09/08/1990, of 86 Percy Street, Oxford OX4 3AD – allowed one of their five injured bull terriers to attack a stranger’s dog in the street
On May 26. 2011, the police, along with RSPCA inspectors, executed a search warrant at Nora Mannion’s home in Denmark Street, Oxford where they found the dogs alone. The crossbreed bull terriers – named Yao, Billy, Marley, Cannon and Blingers – were taken by the RSPCA to kennels and examined by a vet.
Vets said the dogs had numerous small injuries, some of which had been caused by fighting. Some wounds were consistent with cigarette burns.
All five dogs had to be destroyed because they were too aggressive to be rehomed.
Nora Mannion was charged with being the owner of a dog and allowing it to be dangerously out of control in a public place and cause injury.
She also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by failing to arrange veterinary care for Yao.
Career criminal Sonny Mannion, who has a string of previous convictions including three robberies, criminal damage, battery, shoplifting and dealing in Class A drugs, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of an animal.
Senior RSPCA inspector Kirsty Wignall said: “I am pleased with the sentencing, particularly with the disqualification.”
She said it had not been possible to prove who was responsible for the burns on the dogs.
The animals also had wounds indicative of fighting with other dogs or each other, she said.
Sentencing:
Nora Mannion – six-week jail term, suspended for 12 months; three-month curfew; £500 costs and £500 compensation. Banned from owning animals for 10 years (expired March 2022)
Sonny Mannion – three-month curfew; £500 costs. Banned from owning animals for five years (expired March 2017).
