CONVICTED (2018) | for beating a helpless dog Chelsey Alice Clayton, born 22 March 1993, of Memorial Road, Walkden M28, Jamie Lee Wilson, born 24 August 1994 of Birch Road, Walkden M28 7FE, and the dog’s owner Dean Mark Anthony Smedley, born 1 August 1992, of Willow Tree Court, Eccles M30 8PS
Neighbours filmed Jamie Lee Wilson repeatedly punching a Staffy named Bob (pictured) as the dog yelped out in pain in the back yard of a house occupied by Wilson’s partner, Chelsey Clayton. Clayton was also filmed attacking the dog.
The RSPCA began investigating when several neighbours tipped them off regarding dogs being potentially beaten at Clayton’s property on Memorial Road in Walkden.
An RSPCA inspector went round and viewed the footage, shown to a district judge in Manchester magistrates’ court, which captured first Clayton hitting a dog in the back yard of her property.
That was followed by a ‘prolonged’ attack by Wilson who, despite the animal being obscured for some it, can be seen grabbing and throwing him around and raising his fists and punching him.
Bob’s ordeal lasted well over a minute and the dog was ‘screaming, crying and clearly in distress’, said Anna McDonald, prosecuting for the RSPCA.
At the end of the footage, Wilson was seen holding up the dog and punching it to the head.
An RSPCA inspector attended with police officers following the incident, on 17 August 2017, and seized all the animals at the property for their protection.
Bob was examined, and had a laceration to his lip but no other injuries and no treatment was required.
However, a vet confirmed any animal which has been beaten, causing it to cry as heard on the video, will have been caused to suffer unnecessarily.
Wilson and Clayton were both charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
The charges were proved in the pair’s absence at a hearing in February 2018.
Dean Smedley, who was Bob’s owner, was at the property at the time of the attack and ‘failed to do anything to prevent Bob from being beaten and suffering unnecessarily’, the prosecution said.
He was convicted of two offences of failing to take steps to prevent physical violence to a protected animal.
Speaking after the case, RSPCA Inspector Vicky MacDonald said: “This was a really shocking case which is reflected by the sentences handed down.
“I’m really grateful to the witnesses who came forward to take a stand against this kind of behaviour who, in doing so, enabled us to conduct this investigation, and to the police for the help that I received from them throughout.”
Sentencing:
Wilson: jailed for 14 weeks and banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires June 2028). His legal team lodged an appeal against his sentence.
Clayton: eight-week sentence, suspended for a year, £200 costs. Disqualified from keeping animals for eight years (expires June 2026).
Smedley (sentenced in May 2018): 18-week prison sentence, suspended for two years. 150 hours of unpaid work. Disqualified from keeping animals for seven years (expires May 2025).