CONVICTED (2011) | Jonathan David Bloomfield, born 25/04/1975, of Grange Walk, Grimsby DN34 4DX – caused unnecessary suffering to a Staffordshire bull terrier dog by hitting him with an object, punching and kicking him
On 24/11/2011 Londoner Jonathan Bloomfield, who at the time of the offence was living in Stanley Street, Grimsby, pleaded guilty to failing to protect Butch – an 18-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier – and causing unnecessary suffering to the dog by hitting him with an object, punching and kicking him.
The court viewed footage – filmed between September 9 and October 18, 2011 – showing Butch, who vets said may have always had sight problems or even be blind, whimpering and cowering as Bloomfield punched him twice in the face and told him to “shut the fuck up”.
Prosecuting, Brendan Woodward said: “The most important image is where he clearly comes outside and punches the dog twice to the head.
“We have seen the action and the actions are not a proper way of controlling a dog. Every time that door opened, the dog was not wagging his tail waiting to come in, it was in fear. You can see that in the reaction of the animal.”
Bloomfield claimed Butch had bitten his three-year-old son’s hand when it took a packet of crisps from him, adding he was stressed from work and was “sick of the dog barking”.
However, Bloomfield denied any involvement in the footage showing Butch being repeatedly hit with a pole, which was accepted by the prosecution because the person doing it is standing behind a door and cannot be seen on camera.
Magistrates also heard Bloomfield had come under attack after refusing to hand Butch over to a man who came to his door, who then hit him in the face. A short time later an “angry mob” gathered outside Bloomfield’s house and smashed his window, before police were called to the scene.
Bloomfield was arrested and his partner, Michelle Walker, and their son and one-year-old daughter, were forced to flee their home by social services, who told them if they didn’t both children would be taken into care. Butch was taken into the care of the RSPCA.
Banning Bloomfield from owning a dog for 15 years, bench chairman, David Stenton said: “It is pretty clear to everyone this is an awful case of animal cruelty. The dog was clearly very frightened and had been subjected to violence over a period of time. Weapons were used, including piping and fists. We know you received some rough justice and we don’t condone that.”
Sentencing:
260 hours of unpaid work; £100 costs; 15-year ban on keeping dogs (expires November 2026).