CONVICTED (2021) | Sean Nugent, born 17 December 1986, of 3 Keir Hardie Terrace, Shotton Colliery, Durham DH6 2PS – subjected two dogs to a violent attack

By his late teens Sean Nugent, who’s originally from Stanley, County Durham, but with links to Peterlee, Ramsgate and Wellingborough, had already racked up a long list of convictions. His offences ranged from theft and driving without a licence to more serious crimes such as GBH.

In October 2006 local newspaper the Chronicle reported how Nugent, then aged 19, had turned his life around with the help of an organisation named Smart Justice and had “no intention of returning to crime”. Instead he said he planned to mentor other young people to try to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Sadly these were merely empty words and Nugent remained on the wrong side of the criminal justice system.

Prior to his conviction for violent animal cruelty in June 2021 his most serious offence took place in 2013. Now aged 26 and living in the Trafalgar Hotel in Ramsgate, Kent. Nugent led a gang of reprobates that carried out a “degrading, sadistic and vindictive” attack on a man with learning difficulties and suffering from a rare form of epilepsy.

Nugent, who had by then moved to Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, was jailed for 43 months after admitting two assaults, possessing an offensive weapon and robbery.

Now in June 2021 and back living in County Durham, Nugent found himself before the courts yet again, this time charged with inflicting blunt force trauma on two dogs.

He was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a tan and white American bulldog, named Apollo on November 3, 2019 and a black and White bulldog named Storm on January 15, 2020.

The condition of the dogs was not reported.

Sentencing: Nugent was given a community order. He was required to undergo anger management and rehabilitation. He was also made to pay £95 to fund victim services and £720 court costs. 10-year ban on owning dogs (expires June 2031).

Northern Echo