CONVICTED (2020) | Kieran John Jerome Mitchell, born 27/05/1995, of Keswick Crescent, Plymouth PL6 – punched and slapped his pet dog 36 times causing him to suffer wounds to his head and ears
Convicted cannabis dealer Mitchell, formerly of Penrose Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to the bull terrier Hugo in November 2017. He was convicted in his absence back in July 2018 and a warrant issued for his arrest the following month.
Mitchell surrendered to custody in March 2020. He was released on bail but failed to turn up at the next hearing. Justice was eventually served in September 2020 when he returned to court to face charges of drug dealing.
The RSPCA, which brought the case, said concerns were raised about the welfare of Hugo, after they were sent an anonymous audio recording of him being beaten and taunted by Mitchell.
RSPCA prosecutor Lindi Meyer told the court it was a “nasty sustained attack” with a total of 36 hits, punches or slaps heard on the recording.
As Mitchell attacked the dog he can be overheard goading him, asking him: “Are you crying now? Whimpering?”
The RSPCA seized Hugo from Mitchell and took him to a vet for examination. The vet found three lesions on his face, one of which was near an eye. The vet said that the beating would have been a traumatic experience for Hugo, causing him to feel “terror, fear, pain and anxiety”.
Mitchell admitted in his interview that he smacked Hugo and would rub his nose in it if he fouled on the floor.
The presiding magistrate told Mitchell: “You acted in anger against an innocent animal.”
Sentencing: 24 weeks in prison. £115 victim surcharge. Banned from owning animals for ten years.
Additional Information:
- Kieran Mitchell has links to Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.
- He has lived in Wilton Street, Plymouth PL1 5LT.
- We understand that Hugo was very sadly put to sleep by police for being a banned breed.
Poor hugo pts because he was a banned breed but obviously not a vicious breed as he did not try to defend himself against the cruelty of his owner .. this law needs to be redressed as innocent animals are being destroyed through no fault of their own .
Ffs put to sleep for nothing This ridiculous law wants to be changed NOW The piece of scum that beat the poor boy should be put to sleep not Hugo Makes my blood boil Sort the bad owners out !!!!!!!????????????????????
I know how the hell do the courts get away with these pathetic I just sentences given out? ????????????????????
Where does it say he was pts?
Hugo’s original owner commented on Facebook that he had been put to sleep by police for being a banned breed.
He was put to sleep for doing absolutely nothing wrong. He didn’t choose to be that breed and obviously was no threat after taking a beating from his owner, the person who chose him but failed him miserably, yet he suffers because of someone’s inhumane act! How is that justice? That poor dog did absolutely nothing wrong. What a merciless killing. Law needs to change. The dog was the victim, yet he paid the price for being who he was. Disgusting! Yet that vile cretin walks the earth…..that’s justified!
Yes it is so dispicable how the justice system does not protect the innocent animals over the evil humans in this society, let the public decide their sentence
The police are just as bad as the owner. An innocent dog abused, hurt then murdered just because some idiots decided that he looked the wrong way. I pity them really as they have no heart, no compassion and obviously no sense of right and wrong. Fly high Hugo, so sorry you were let down on every level by so called humans xx
WHAT A TERRIBLE TERRIBLE LAW – SHAME ON LAWMAKERS – SHAME ON POLICE AND VETS THAT KILLED THIS INNOCENT DOG
You should have murdered the idiot animal abuser… Losers!! Need to change laws to protect the innocent, not kill them.