CONVICTED (2017) | Liam Smith, born c. 1994, of Tuckers Road, Loughborough LE11 – dragged a puppy on a lead through a cemetery, stripping the skin off his paws, before attacking him
Liam Smith was seen by staff at a cemetery in Leicester Road, Loughborough, swearing at 16-week-old American bulldog Cash as he dragged him yelping and screaming along the road.
They intervened and were sworn at by Smith.
Later a woman walking her own dog tried to grab the puppy and
then called the police..
Members of the public stopped Smith from boarding a bus with the puppy while they waited for the officers to arrive.
Smith was taken into custody and told police he had just tripped over the dog and that he had been in a hurry to go home because he had to go shopping.
He was later charged with subjecting an animal to unnecessary physical violence, which he denied, but was later found guilty in his absence.
Kevin McCole, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the two cemetery workers saw the dog “crying and yelping”.
He said: “The defendant had a small child riding a bike on stabilisers and he was dragging the dog behind while effing and blinding at it because it wasn’t walking.
“It was rolling over and screaming. He stopped and he kicked and punched it.
“It tried to get away through some railings and he pulled it back.”
Mr McCole said one of the cemetery workers told Smith: “If I see you touch that dog again I’m going to call the police. If you don’t want the dog give it to me.
Mr McCole said Smith just swore at the man. A woman who was walking her dog then tried to take the bulldog’s lead off Smith and when she failed to do that, she called the police.
After Smith’s arrest, the dog was taken to the vet and found to have skin ripped from his paws, damage to his claws and a spinal injury.
Deputy District Judge described the offence as “extremely unpleasant” adding that it feel “into the highest culpability” in terms of the pain and suffering caused to the puppy.
Sentencing: 12-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months; 100 hours of unpaid work; 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Total of £615 costs and charges. Banned from keeping any pets for five years (expired April 2022).