CONVICTED (2022) | Cameron Robert James Casson (aka Cameron Bulger), born 1 May 2000, of 4 Mount Avenue, Skerton, Lancaster LA1 2EF – allowed his routinely abused pet dog to be hit by a slow-moving train.
Casson, the son of a notorious, now deceased, lifelong career criminal and drug addict Danny Casson, allowed the dog, Cali, to roam without a lead at Bare Lane Station in Morecambe, where she was struck by the train.
Cali, who is 10 months old, was also found to have suffered broken ribs during the previous month, for which Casson had not sought veterinary care.
On the platform of the rail station, an eye witness reported seeing the defendant, a father of one, punching his pet.
She was later picked up by a dog warden and taken to a vets in Lancaster, where she received treatment for wounds to her back and tail and bruising around her eye and there was also evidence her fur was contaminated by oil.
The RSPCA launched an investigation and Casson admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog and one of not ensuring the needs of the animal were met.
In a statement to the court, an eye-witness said she had restrained the dog, who was without a collar and lead, on the platform and returned her to the owner.
But she later spotted him shouting and swearing at his pet.
She said Casson had attempted to tie a jumper around the dog’s neck to “use as a lead”.
She said: “The dog seemed reluctant to follow him, so he grabbed the dog by the skin of the neck and attempted to drag her along the station platform.”
Another eyewitness said she saw the dog being punched to her face and head three or four times with “hard force”.
Cali was found a couple of hours later on a public footpath in Hest Bank.
In his expert report, veterinary surgeon Dr Sean Taylor said the dog’s lacerations and the oil contamination were consistent with her having been hit by a slow-moving train.
X-rays showed two bilateral rib fractures, which in the surgeon’s view were sustained in mid to late June 2021.
The defendant had claimed he was unaware of how they could have been caused, other than the dog “falling from a rope swing”.
Dr Taylor concluded: “The rib fractures indicate Cali had sustained high force focal blunt force trauma to both sides of the chest.
“Although they did not occur on July 19 it is highly likely these injuries occurred via physical abuse when taking into account the defendant’s lack of reasonable explanation as to how these fractures could have occurred accidentally.”
RSPCA Inspector Amy McIntosh said in her witness statement that Casson admitted slapping his dog for trying to get back on the train.
The inspector said he’d told her: “You can’t do nowt for slapping a dog.”
She said: “The dog got off the train with him, then got back on and he chased the dog and it ended up on the tracks.”
In mitigation, the court was told Casson, who has previous convictions for robbery and assault, suffered from mental health issues and lacked maturity.
Since her ordeal Cali has come on leaps and bounds in the care of boarding kennels whose staff will soon be finding her loving new owners.
Sentencing | eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months; £128 victim surcharge. 20-year ban on keeping animals.
Additional Information
Casson’s brother is Callum Lee Casson, a self-described “top dog man” and a violent career criminal in his own right.
When not committing crime against humans, Casson spends his free time time persecuting wildlife with dogs trained to attack.
Another Mentally Disturbed Scum.
He is not safe around that Child.
Social Services need to keep a close eye on that Child.
About 4 weeks ago I saw Cameron kick another dog REALLY hard in the chest/stomach and then drag it by its collar so violently that only its back paws were touching the ground. I 100% AM happy to stand up in court and be a witness. Please do contact me. I fear for his brother’s and other dogs.