CONVICTED (2022) | Peter Densley, born c. 1955, of 257 Alfreton Road, Blackwell, Alfreton DE55 5JN – kicked his pet dog in the head.
Former British Army dog handler Densley was seen kicking the border collie, known as Meg, to the head when she ran off to play with children at a skatepark.
Witnesses heard the dog yelp in pain and lie on the ground after being kicked. Densley then picked her up by her fur and carried her away.
Video footage, which was widely shared on social media at the time of the offence on June 22, 2021, was played in court.
It showed Meg appear at the bottom of a skate ramp at Scanderlands Playing Fields, Blackwell, as giggling teens watched – with Densley walking across the nearby field towards the boys while shouting.
An RSPCA inspector who watched the footage said the kick to the young dog’s head, neck and shoulder area resembled the movements of a “footballer”.
After viewing the video, a vet said the force of the kick could have caused a “skull fracture” and a “bleed on the brain”.
The court heard Meg was “fascinated” by scooter wheels – something which Densley was trying to discourage with training.
Densely asked the teenagers to “stand still” and allow him to collect his pet, however when he had no response he “lost his temper and kicked the dog”.
Becky Allsop, prosecuting, told how as Densely appeared he was heard shouting “if you don’t stop I’ll kick your head in as well”.
She said: “He kicked the dog hard as if kicking a football and the dog made a sound as if in pain.”
The court heard an onlooker described hearing Densley say “I’ll have you next” to the youths.
Densley’s solicitor Katie Hempstock said her client – who owned five dogs – had spoken to the boys at the park “on a number of occasions”, asking them “not to “engage” with the dog.
She said: “The children carried on doing what Mr Densley has asked them not to do.
“He has lashed out in frustration – he knows it would have caused pain to Meg and nothing can make him feel worse about that than he himself.
“The video was published on the internet and has received some commentary from members of the public.”
Ms Hempstock added that no evidence has been found of any physical injuries to the dog and Densley’s own vet had provided a statement that his dogs were “loved and looked after”.
The solicitor said Densley’s wife had died of a brain tumour last year, adding: “I’m afraid to say it has had a significant impact upon him. When his wife passed away, that really cut him deeply.”
Densley admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Sentencing: 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay £1,837 to Derbyshire Police covering the costs of kenneling the dog after she was removed, plus £85 court costs and a £95 victim surcharge. Deprivation order on Meg. No mention of a disqualification order, however.