CONVICTED (2015) | career crook Paul David Rush, born 15/01/1979, formerly of Wooler Avenue, North Shields NE29 and as at September 2019 of Railway Terrace, North Shields NE29 6RP – left his dog in a comatose state and suffering from a fractured spine after viciously attacking him at a party.
Rush left cross breed Scoobie comatose on the floor of his North Shields home.
The pet had been badly beaten up during a house party and was left unconscious in the kitchen.
And when police attended Rush’s address and found Scoobie, he was just hours away from death.
Rush pleaded guilty to one count of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Police were initially called to Rush’s home in the early hours of September 2, 2014, after neighbours reported hearing a woman scream.
In the kitchen, they found Scoobie lying in his own faeces, unable to stand and unconscious. Rush denied there was anything wrong with the dog and attempted to make him stand.
The RSPCA were then called and took Scoobie to the vets. A CT scan revealed he had a fracture at the top of his spine, a broken right cheekbone and numerous broken ribs.
The spine fracture could have easily paralysed Scoobie or caused him to suffocate.
Thankfully the brave little dog began to respond to treatment. He underwent surgery and subsequently made a “miraculous recovery” with the only residual impairment being “a slighly wobbly walk”.
After the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Trevor Walker said he was relieved that Rush had been banned from keeping animals.
“I feel the sentence fits the crime,” he said. “There had been a substantial and repeated trauma to this dog.
“From my point of view it is one of the worst cases of injuries caused to a dog I have seen.
“It’s unbelievable he’s survived, but he did and he’s now been rehomed.”
Sentence: jailed for 18 weeks and banned from keeping pets for life.
Updates
2019: Rush was sent to jail for eight weeks after assaulting two shop workers. He was living in Whitley Bay but is now back in North Shields.
2021: Rush back before the courts to face shoplifting charges. By now he had racked up 116 criminal convictions. The address given in the newspaper report was Stanley Street West, in North Shields.