CONVICTED (2019) | Paul Kelly, born c. 1969, of Longroyd View, Beeston, Leeds LS11 5ET – killed and mutilated his pet dog during a Spice binge.
Leeds Crown Court heard Kelly was suffering from a psychotic episode due to taking the synthetic drug Spice when he cut off his pet dog’s head and set it alight in a bin.
Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said Kelly’s girlfriend went to his home on October 10, 2018, to find the dog decapitated in the living room.
The prosecutor said: “He told his girlfriend that the dog had been possessed.
“The defendant burned the dog’s head in a bin and moved the torso on to a sheet and took it to a wooded area.”
Kelly then caused extensive damage to his home by setting fire to a gas meter cupboard. A neighbour saw smoke coming from the terraced property as Kelly walked away.
Firefighters found the living room alright when they arrived to tackle the blaze. Two fire alarms had been removed from the house.
The next morning Kelly tried to set fire to a large detached house in Morley in which three people were sleeping.
Kelly pleaded guilty to the arson charges.
Kelly has previous convictions for serious offences. He was given an 11-year sentence in 1995 for armed robbery.
Sentencing:
18-week prison sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Banned indefinitely from keeping any animal. Extended prison sentence of 12 years for the other offences.