CONVICTED (2012) | violent career criminal Alan Smith, born 26/03/1981, previously of Hebburn, South Tyneside, but as of 2020 living at 43 The Avenue, Hetton-le-Hole DH5 9DQ – abandoned two dogs to starve to death in atrocious conditions
When bailiffs forced their way into Alan Smith’s flat to serve an eviction notice, they found his mastiff Sam lying dead in a living room surrounded by dog dirt and rubbish.
They also found an emaciated Staffordshire bull terrier called Lily in the room, who had only survived by eating flesh from the dead dog.
The bailiffs called in the RSPCA who took the surviving dog to a vet and had a post-mortem examination carried out on the mastiff. This revealed both dogs had been starved of food and water for about a month.
Smith appeared by videolink as he was already serving a three-year prison sentence for an unrelated crime.
No charges were brought regarding Lily, after Smith told magistrates she belonged to his girlfriend.
Denise Jackman, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said: “When the bailiff opened the door to the living room, a small dog ran out and went to the toilet to drink water.
“A large emaciated dog was dead in the corner of the room. The smaller dog had been living off the corpse, as half of its face was missing.
“The room was strewn with faeces, empty beer cans and other rubbish. Both dogs were almost skeletal.”
Speaking about the case after sentencing, RSPCA inspector Claire Hunt said: “This was an extremely shocking case that upset everyone who dealt with it.”
“This dog died an awful death, deprived of the most basic of things, food and water, for up to a month. The fact that the other dog survived such a horrendous ordeal is a miracle.
“The room they were in was covered in faeces and urine, beer cans and other rubbish and there was a chewed up sofa. She was literally living off the flesh of her mate. When the bailiffs opened the door she shot out of the room and started to drink from the toilet.
“Happily, she is now with new owners and having the kind of life she always deserved.”
Sentence: jailed for 17 weeks, banned from looking after animals for 10 years (expired February 2022).
Huffington Post
Four legged friends (blog)
Update April 2020:
April 2020: Alan Smith was jailed for nine months after threatening a woman with an axe. Headcase Smith was taken into custody following a three-hour stand-off with armed police. In addition to the prison sentence, Smith was given a five-year restraining order.