CONVICTED (2022) | Bradley Simpson, born 3 January 1998, of Watson Avenue, St Andrews KY16 8JE but with links to Honeygreen Road, Dundee DD4 8BG – stabbed his mother’s pet dog to death with a screwdriver.
Violent career criminal and drug abuser Simpson walked free from court with a 33-month ban on keeping animals and a social work referral after admitting repeatedly stabbing the German shepherd, called Buddy, with a screwdriver in Dundee.
Simpson formed part of the search party after Buddy was reported missing, before telling his mother: “You will never see him again. I’ve killed him.”
The much-loved family pet had been in the family home when they went to bed but was missing the next morning. An alert was posted for the missing animal on a locally-targeted social media site and a search was carried out by a number of people.
Meanwhile, Simpson’s mother saw a pool of blood at the door of her home and splashes of blood within the living room and kitchen area.
When she went outside to investigate further she saw more blood spattering on the side of the house.
Simpson was quizzed about what had happened and made comments about killing the dog and telling his family they would never see him again.
The search for Buddy came to an end when a horrified dog walker in a local park saw a scorched patch of ground close to a mound of disturbed soil which looked like it had been recently dug. When the mound was scraped back it revealed the charred remains of a dog, which was subsequently confirmed to be missing Buddy.
Simpson later spoke about being inspired to carry out the horrific slaying of the family pet after watching a Netflix series based around rescue dogs.
He admitted causing a protected animal unnecessary suffering. A not guilty plea to burning and dumping the dog in the park to conceal his crime was accepted by the Crown.
Solicitor Theo Finlay, defending, told the court: his client had been misusing drugs and this “has had a pretty catastrophic effect on him mentally.”
The dog killer had previously complained he had become “a target” during a period of remand in prison.
Simpson has a number of previous convictions, including for domestic abuse, under-age sex offending, theft and assault to permanent disfigurement.
Sentencing | three-year social work supervision order. Disqualified from owning or keeping any animal for just 33 months.
Courier (behind paywall)
This MONSTER deserves the same treatment no less
Another Mentally Disturbed Scum.
Clearly not safe around anything,
I feel sorry for his Family and poor Mother, after what he did to their Family Dog.
Another pathetic Sentence, more like a slap on the wrist.
But at least his face is out there, and everyone knows who he is.
He won’t have no luck for what he has done.