CONVICTED (2021) | Martin Dunn, born c. 1972, of Albion Gardens, Meltham, Holmfirth HD9 5AF – caught on camera punching a springer spaniel puppy.
West Yorkshire Police were called after Dunn, a serving police and firearms officer with Greater Manchester Police, attacked the puppy, known as Frank, leaving him yelping in pain.
Sergeant Martin Dunn who earns £44,000 a year, lost his temper and punched the five-month-old dog three or four times in the garden of his property on the evening of March 14, 2021.
Dunn pleaded guilty to an offence of animal cruetly at an earlier hearing.
Following the incident, Frank was examined initially by a vet and then a canine behaviour specialist.
The latter noted in his report that the dog “reacted with extreme fear” when shouted at, indicating that he had learnt to fear such behaviour.”
The behaviour specialist added: “Punching a dog repeatedly is not appropriate training.”
A spokeswoman for Probation said that Dunn “saw red” after the puppy had made a mess. She added that he had been involved in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 and has been suffering from PTSD “but without realising it.”
The defendant had been referred for treatment by Occupational Health.
In mitigation, Sarah Barlow, said: “In this case there are a number of stress factors that came together on that evening that caused him to behave as he did.
“He hung his head in shame when he saw the video. It was a complete one-off.”
She said his job which saw him patrolling Manchester Airport “requires that at all times he is under control of his actions.
“As a firearms officer he has a great responsibility. In short he can’t believe that he behaved as he did.
“No excuses are made for it. This is the only occasion when he has behaved in any way like this.
“The effects of witnessing what he did at Manchester Arena affected him very deeply. So often police officers don’t avail themselves of counselling fearing it will affect how they are viewed.”
She said he was also involved in a “horrific neighbour dispute” and was hoping to sell the home he shared with his partner.
She said it meant he “can’t relax either at work or at home.” There were also issues with the custody of his son.
When Dunn was charged by West Yorkshire Police a Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Police Sergeant Dunn is currently on restricted duties and the matter has been referred to Greater Manchester Police’s Professional Standards Branch.”
Sentencing |12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work reduced from 180 hours because of his guilty plea. Costs and charges totalling £180. Disqualified for five years from keeping any animals apart from a lizard-type leopard gecko (expires April 2026).
ExaminerLive
Manchester Evening News
Update | May 2023
It was reported that Greater Manchester Police have sacked Martin Dunn following his criminal conviction for animal cruelty.
Dunn admitted gross misconduct at an independent disciplinary hearing on Tuesday 2 May 2023 and was dismissed without notice.
GMP said Dunn, who was placed on restricted duties when the incident was reported, had “unreservedly accepted the allegations”.
Ch Supt Michael Allen, head of GMP’s professional standards branch, said Dunn’s actions fell far short of the standard expected of police officers.
“The vast majority of police officers and staff fulfil their duties in serving the public to the highest standard and demonstrate exemplary behaviour in their private lives,” he said.
“Having a criminal conviction for animal cruelty makes Dunn wholly unsuitable to continue serving as a police officer and his cruelty towards Frank the dog is ultimately why he has lost his job.”
What an evil person. No excuse. So what if he was around the Manchester bombing. Please someone punch him
He is supposed to set an example. Well , he’s certainly done that! Someone so volutatile should be dishonerably discharged from his duties immediately. And he certainly should be licenced to carry a fire arm.
Why only a 5 year ban from keeping animals, is the judge mental? Why wld u give this evil bastard another chance to hurt and terrify another animal in 5 yrs time?? The judge needs to hang his head in shame too!! Scumbags!!
Totally agree with your comments the evil sh.t should be punched hard 3 or 4 times as he did to this defenceless puppy. I’m sick of people using the Manchester bombing and other places as an excuse. If he can’t take it, get out of the Force and let true/real men take his job. There should be clear laws that ‘cruelly to animals’ means a custodial sentence WILL be handed down to the perpetrator. Giving the cruel scum a slap on the wrist is a joke . The animals need the laws support to be a voice for them.
Get rid of the scumbag.
Vial piece of shit should be put away for attacking a defenceless little puppy 🤬🤬🤬🤬
As a policeman he should have known better he’s a bully. I hope they kick him out of the police force
Absolutely disgusting- no excuse whatsoever! Lifetime ban
He should be sacked immediately, banned from working with any animal and banned for life from keeping any pets. He should be made an example of.
Fecking wanker, I hope he gets the crap beaten out of him as justice!! He should be locked up, sacked and banned for life from ever being allowed to have any sort of animal again!!!!!
Please could you let me know how little pup Frank is getting on? I couldn’t care less about Dunn, but I would like to know how Frank is. Ps signed the petition to get Dunn removed from the Force.
This evil inbred should have lost his job. I personally would not let him work wearing a firearm.
He is dangerous. I would personally thump him several times.
The Country has enough scum without a police officer being part of it! We as the people he’s supposed to serve request his termination!
What a pathetic excuse for a human being.
Absolutley sick. He only hangs his head in shame because he’s been caught. He should be struck off and given a huge fine and a lifetime ban from ever keeping animals. And this vile excuse for a human being is allowed to carry weapons. Clearly he has got anger issues…NOT PTSD!
Always make some pathetic excuse as to why he did it. There is no acceptable excuse for abusing a dog. They always throw the mental health issue out to get these thugs off – people with mental health issues do not behave like thugs.
The sentence is a joke ,only a policeman would get away with such a pathetic sentence , hes an evil piece of pond scum and thousands of people have signed a petition to get him sacked and all that happens is he gets a wrap on the knuckles this is swept under the carpet and in a few weeks it will all be forgotten about .Britain is corrupt and broken and this is just more evidence of that
Can someone throw acid on him please?