CONVICTED (2016) | Paul Anthony Archer, born c. 1975, of Glensdale Road, East End Park, Leeds LS9 9JF – filmed shouting and swearing at a terrified dog and threatening him with a hammer.
The footage shows ill-tempered thug Archer shouting and swearing at an English bull terrier called Denver in the back of a parked car.
In the video, Archer threatens the animal with a hammer and screams “DIE!” at him before slamming the boot when Denver fails to meet his demands to get out of the vehicle.
Archer was investigated after the mobile phone footage was sent to the RSPCA anonymously.
RSPCA inspector Gemma Fowler said: “Watching the footage, it’s clear that Denver is frightened of the way his owner is behaving towards him.
“Mr Archer wants him to get out of the car, and is becoming increasingly angry and violent because he is refusing to do so, finally slamming the boot closed on him and shouting at him to ‘die’.
“We all get angry sometimes, but Mr Archer’s behaviour towards Denver is totally unacceptable.”
Archer admitted failing to meet the needs of a dog by failing to allow him to exhibit normal behaviour when he appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
In mitigation, the court heard the defendant was cleaning the car when Denver jumped in and broke the screen on an iPad.
Ms Fowler said: “Denver is a smashing dog with a great personality and happily he will now be able to go to the kind of home he deserves.
“I’d like to say thank you to the person who filmed and sent this footage to us, without which we wouldn’t have had a case. They have changed this dog’s life.”
Sentencing | 12-month community order; £750 costs. Banned from keeping animals for five years (expired 2021).