CONVICTED (2023) | Nathan Thompson, born 1994, of Melbreak Avenue, Cleator Moor CA25 – killed a young border collie after weeks of systematic abuse.
Thompson mistreated the puppy, known as Daisy, so badly that she eventually died. He then tried to cover his tracks by setting a fierce fire, inside a metal bin.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Thompson had brought home the dog shortly after moving into the terraced property in 2022.
But throughout the late summer, neighbours heard sounds of the puppy being abused.
Neighbours reported Thompson had regularly beaten Daisy causing her distress and to yelp in pain and cry.
This included incidents of grabbing her by the scruff and banging her against the cage causing injury. These assaults increased in frequency in the lead up to her death.
“Thuds and crashes followed by the distressing noises of the animal crying in pain. This went on for night after night,” said prosecutor Andrew Evans.
Neighbours had described their deep distress at hearing banging, shouting and hearing the dog cry in pain “all the time”.
One woman would sit on her back doorstep crying because the dog was being beaten.
Thompson was seen to grab the puppy around her neck before dragging and pushing her head down into the grass, and also to hose her down while she was tied up.
The noises of beating became more frequent and “most days” there would be a “bang and a yelp”.
“It is the Crown’s case that the defendant, in rage and anger, repeatedly beat Daisy over the final few months of her life, and that the beatings she received, either with punches, kicks or the use of the metal cage door, caused the puppy distress and injury,” said Mr Evans.
Daisy had died at an unknown time on September 5, 20222, the court heard.
“Later that day the defendant placed her corpse into a large metal bin in his back garden,” added the prosecutor.
“Using an unknown accelerant he set a fierce fire which destroyed the body to such an extent that the veterinary post-mortem was unable to determine the exact cause of her death when, two days later, neighbours found the remains of the body and alerted the police.”
Thompson admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He had claimed that Daisy escaped and war un over but this version of events was dismissed by a judge who heard evidence, including harrowing accounts from neighbours who had sought to intervene.
Recorder Julian Shaw imposed an immediate 27-month jail term, describing Thompson’s criminal conduct as “cruelty” and “sadistic” having used “significant force.
“What greater harm could there be to that animal than you killed it?” he wondered.
And of the brutal treatment meted out by Thompson, Recorder Shaw said to him: “You must have known, day after day after day what you were doing was grotesque.”
Sentencing | 27-month custodial. Lifetime ban.
