CONVICTED (2018) | David Greenhill, born March 1978, of Sneyd Place, Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5PU – hit a 16-year-old border collie over the head repeatedly with a wooden weapon, because he didn’t want to look after her anymore.
Greenhill attempted to kill Missy as she no longer had control of her bowels before dumping her near-lifeless body in the garden of his Goldenhill home.
But a neighbour heard whining and barking and then watched in horror as Greenhill came out the back door and clubbed Missy twice more.
Greenhill was arrested and Missy had to be put to sleep.
Tree surgeon Greenhill, who runs a business named Sunset Landscapes Limited, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to ensure an animal’s welfare.
Roger Price, prosecuting, said a neighbour was woken by a dog barking and whimpering in the early hours of June 9, 2017.
He added: “His neighbour looked to see if the dog had been let in and she noticed the defendant coming out of his back door holding a wooden object. She saw him bring it down twice in a downward motion and heard the two most pitiful whines each time he made contact.
“She then saw him go inside the house with the piece of wood. She went and banged on his door and he leaned out of the window and said ‘the dog is dead, she’s gone off her back legs, it’s shitting everywhere and it’s gone back where it came from’. The neighbour called the police.
“The police arrived shortly after. She was surprised that the dog was alive when it was carried away by police as she was hit with such force.”
The court heard that the defendant showed ‘no emotion’ before being arrested and confessing his actions.
Mr Price added: “Officers entered the yard and saw the dog was alive but was breathing erratically and they noticed a pool of blood on the floor below its head. The defendant said that he had never taken the dog for treatment and expressed in hindsight that he should have done.
“Police took the dog to the out-of-hours Vets Now in Longton and a vet examined the dog. The dog was unresponsive, was short of breath and was bleeding from its nostrils and its mouth.
“Deep pain was present. Brain injury was expected due to the trauma so the vet euthanized the dog to prevent further suffering.”
Greenhill admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to ensure an animal’s welfare.
Sentence: 12-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months; 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement with 120 hours unpaid work; £415 costs. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.