CONVICTED (2022) | David John Raybone, born 2 September 1983, of Tame Court, Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7QD – strangled a puppy to death.
Raybone admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the eight-month-old dog, known as Reggie, after putting a belt around his neck and dragging him, causing fatal asphyxiation.
The court heard from witnesses who saw the puppy dragged along the floor with his neck pulled and extended. Reggie was left motionless and sadly later confirmed dead despite the efforts of vets.
In a written statement to the court, a veterinary surgeon said Reggie was noted to have been “behaving playfully prior to having the belt tied around his neck”.
They added: “No other pathological findings could explain the death of this animal and therefore the most likely cause of death was asphyxiation.
Following the hearing, RSPCA inspector Pamela Bird said: “It is just heartbreaking to think about how Reggie must have suffered. I’d like to thank the police for their swift and effective action when they responded to the incident and their assistance throughout my investigation, as well as the vets who did everything they could to save Reggie and the members of the public and witnesses for helping to bring this extremely upsetting case to court.”
Sentencing | 20-week custodial sentence; ordered to pay a total of £656 in costs and surcharge. Disqualified from keeping animals for life and a seizure order was made for a cat he owns.
CONVICTED (2021) | Loizos Ydraiou, born September 1998, of Arboretum Avenue, Lincoln LN2 5JE – subjected his dog to a violent attack which included attempted strangulation.
Lurcher Oscar was subjected to a sadistic attack by his evil owner, Ydraiou.
Ydraiou, who works as a chef, was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence and disqualified from keeping all animals for five years, after inflicting violence on a dog — including strangling him.
An expert vet said in their report that when they examined Oscar he had bloodshot eyes. He also demonstrated pain on manipulation of his neck, and there was tenderness and swelling around the throat.
The fur around Oscar’s neck was shaved to enable it to be examined further, and the vet found bruising over his laryngeal area.
Ydraiou pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a lurcher dog by inflicting violence resulting in physical and mental trauma.
The court heard the RSPCA was provided with a video which appeared to show Oscar being strangled. RSPCA Inspector Laura Jones attended the location on April 16, 2021, with a signed vet certificate along with the police.
They met with the defendant who had the dog and the police took the dog into their possession. Oscar was then taken to a vet for examination.
RSPCA Inspector Jones said: “The male appears to remove some sort of cord from the top of his garden fence metal railing, he appears to wrap this cord around both his hands and pull it taught between his hands.
“It was about a foot in length when pulled taught between the male’s fists.
“He then enters a brick shed type outbuilding, you hear a dog yelp and bark from inside this outbuilding, then the male lifts a black smooth haired dog with white chest markings off its feet by its throat from out of the outbuilding and swings its full body weight mid air by its neck.
“I could clearly hear the dog gurgle and make a definite choking noise.
“The male then places the dog on to the ground in a sitting position still with his hands around the dog’s throat.
“The male straddles the dog from behind using his body to restrain the dog, he looks to be squeezing the dog’s throat area with both hands with force.
“This male then removes his left hand, the dog is now quiet, the male then lowers the dog’s head to the ground, the dog appears motionless.”
The vet said although the video shows Oscar suffering for only a short period of time, they did not feel this diminishes the act of cruelty he suffered.
The vet’s report stated: “It is my professional opinion that Oscar was caused to suffer firstly through being carried by his neck and then through the application of pressure to his throat.
“The sound Oscar makes after he has been moved outside and immediately prior to his dropping to the ground are hard to listen to and thankfully not often heard, but are consistent with him having an obstructed airway.
“Oscar appeared to be being strangled and in my opinion this would have been both painful and terrifying.”
Oscar has since been signed over to the care of the RSPCA and has now found a loving new home.
Sentencing: 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months; 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days; 100 hours of unpaid work; total of £528 costs and charges. Five-year ban (expires November 2026).
#MostEvil | Martin Stewart, born c. 1988, of Rokeby Crescent, Strathaven ML10 6EG – put a dog in a headlock, hanged him from a door handle and stabbed him twice in the abdomen with a knife
Musician Stewart subjected black Lab Fergus to a frenzied attack which the dog miraculously survived
Twisted Martin Stewart, a musician in a band called Another Filthy Weekend as well as a hairdresser and personal trainer, carried out the horrific attack on his partner Kelly Steedman’s Labrador, Fergus.
The brute pleaded guilty to threatening and abusive behaviour and causing the dog unnecessary suffering and assault.
The court heard how Fergus survived the ordeal after receiving emergency treatment following the bloodbath.
Stewart is founder and singer with an up-coming band Another Filthy Weekend
Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham said: “On the day libelled both parties retired to bed after being outside for the NHS clap and were in the company of pet dog Fergus.
“Both the accused and the complainer fell asleep and at some point she woke up and went downstairs.
“While she was downstairs she heard a squealing noise and ran back upstairs and found the accused with the pet dog in a headlock.
“He was applying pressure to the dog’s neck and described the dog’s eyes as rolling to the back of its head. She attempted to pull the dog away from the accused and break his grip.
“The dog ran from the room but she was unable to calm the accused who ran downstairs and put a dog chain around its neck and tied the other end on the handle of the front door.
“He then pulled the chain to the ground resulting in the dog being lifted off the ground and suspended by its neck.
“The witness placed her arms under the dog in a bid to release the pressure while screaming for him to stop what he was doing and noted the dog was choking.”
Miss Cunningham added: “She opened the door and went outside to phone 999 but saw the accused with a kitchen knife stab the dog twice in the abdomen.
“The witness intervened and attempted to wrestle the knife from the accused but the accused then stabbed himself in the neck.”
The prosecutor also told how when police arrived Stewart told them “I’m God. I’m being commanded to kill you, you have come here to die demon” before making threats and lashing out at them.
Hairdresser Kelly Steedman is standing by Stewart despite him almost killing her dog. She even lodged a letter of support with the court.
Stewart’s lawyer said his client was examined by a psychiatrist and was found fit to plead to the charges.
After studying a criminal justice social work report, Sheriff Thomas Millar told Stewart: “This was a bizarre episode.
“You have made good progress addressing your issues since, but I want to ensure that continues through an extended period of supervision.”
Sentencing: two-year supervision order and no ban or deprivation order for Fergus.
CONVICTED (2020) | Michael P Tognetti, born c. 1997, of 82 Main Street, Wolston, Coventry CV8 3HJ – strangled his pet cat to death and buried her in his garden
Cat killer: Michael Tognetti
Tognetti strangled elderly tortoiseshell cat Ruby to death with a trouser cord to “put her out of her misery”. He then buried her body in a shallow grave in his garden.
A member of the public tipped off the RSPCA and Inspector Helen Smith visited Tognetti’s address to investigate. Tognetti told the inspector he was expecting a visit from the charity and took her to the area of his garden where he’d buried Ruby’s body.
He told Inspector Smith he had used a cord from his jogging bottoms and said it took about 30 seconds to kill Ruby. He killed her, he said, because Ruby was elderly and needed to be put out of her misery.
Ruby was “put out of her misery” by her callous owner Michael Tognetti
Veterinary examination confirmed that she had died due to strangulation.
Inspector Smith said: “Anyone with concerns about an animal coming to the end of their life should seek veterinary advice and putting a pet to sleep to end any suffering should be done in the most humane way possible.”
Another cat at the property, a male called Oscar, was signed into RSPCA care and has since been rehomed.
Sentencing: 24-month community service order; a total of £390 costs and charges. Lifetime ban on keeping animals.
WALKED (2019) | alleged dog killer Klaudiusz Maria Grzesiak, born c. 1973, of Ballacannell Estate, Laxey, Isle of Man IM4 – walked free from court after the sole witness, his wife, refused to testify against him
Charges against Klaudiusz Grzesiak in relation to the brutal death of his family dog were dropped after his wife refused to give evidence against him
The case against Polish national Klaudiusz Maria Grzesiak, who was accused of strangling a cocker spaniel named Milka to death, collapsed after his wife, Marta Adamczewska-Grzesiak, withdrew her evidence.
IOM Today previously reported that the dog had been found dead in a children’s shed in the garden of the family’s home in Ballacannell, Laxey on Tuesday November 19, 2019. The court heard she was wrapped in clear plastic and a black bag.
A post mortem examination carried out on Milka confirmed the cause of death was strangulation to the front of the neck.
They were also injuries consistent with trauma to the dog’s back.
Mrs Grzesiak had advertised the dog as missing on Facebook before her body was discovered.
Prosecutor Roger Kane told the court during an initial hearing that Mrs Grzesiak had received text messages about the dog following a verbal altercation with her husband the previous day.
Grzesiak had denied causing unnecessary suffering to the dog and damaging property. But just days before a pre-trial review hearing on Christmas Eve 2019, his wife retracted a statement she’d made to police.
Prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon said by law she was prevented from compelling Mrs Grzesiak to give evidence against her husband.
She said under the circumstances, all the prosecution could do was offer no evidence on both counts.
Marta Adamczewska-Grzesiak
Mrs Hughes told Grzesiak no further action would be taken against him, and formally dismissed the charges.
She also said the prosecution wasn’t to blame for the trial’s collapse, and didn’t order defence costs to be paid.
CONVICTED (2019) | Daniel McPhillips, born 1 November 1993, of Beech Crescent, Denny FK6 6LL – strangled a King Charles spaniel, bound his head, neck, throat and legs with his lead and dumped him in the canal to drown.
Repugnant drug addict and dog killer Daniel McPhillips from Denny, near Falkirk in Scotland was sentenced to the maximum six months in jail and banned from keeping animals for five years.
Daniel McPhillips was given £20 to deliver a spaniel named Alfie to a vet to be rehomed. Instead, in an act of shocking callousness, McPhillips strangled Alfie and dumped his body in the Forth & Clyde Canal with his lead wrapped around his legs.
The heroin addict then lied to the dog’s original owner, Tammy-Lynn Burgoyne, stating by text he had taken the dog to the vet so he could be re-homed. Ms Burgoyne later discovered the truth after Alfie’s body was discovered in the canal and reported the matter to the Scottish SPCA.
McPhillips appeared from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court having been arrested for his non-appearance on an earlier date. He denied asphyxiating the dog and dumping him in the canal in September 2018.
A Scottish SPCA investigator told the court that McPhillips had avoided her telephone calls and appeared reluctant to meet with her.
Loser McPhillips lied through his teeth in court but was found guilty. He will be sentenced on 18 December
An associate of McPhillips then gave evidence, stating McPhillips had actually admitted to him he had killed the dog, telling him “I didn’t ken what else to do with it.”
Giving evidence himself, McPhillips stated Alfie had escaped while he was walking with him in the woods and he could not get him back. He said he texted Ms Burgoyne and lied, telling her he had safely delivered the animal to the vets.
After considering all the evidence, Sheriff Christopher Shead found McPhillips guilty and told him a prison sentence was a real possibility.
When McPhillips re-appeared in court for sentencing, his solicitor, Mark Fallon said his client now “regrets the harm he caused”.
Mr Fallon added: “He is addicted to crack cocaine, and the offence was committed having taken heroin and Valium.”
Sheriff Christopher Shead said it was a “grave contravention” of animal cruelty laws.
Imposing the six-month jail term he added: “The repugnant nature of this offence is such that a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal.”
McPhillips showed no emotion as he was led to the cells.
Commenting on the case, a Scottish SPCA undercover SIU officer said: “This is a truly shocking case of animal cruelty. Rather than taking Alfie to the vet, McPhillips instead decided to kill him and pocket the cash.”
“Numerous people contacted our animal helpline to identify McPhillips as the perpetrator when Alfie was discovered in October 2018 and two witnesses told us he’d openly admitted to the crime.
“McPhillips ignored our repeated attempts to engage with him and he failed to turn up for two trial dates, which meant warrants were issued for his arrest.”
The SIU officer added: “It is hard to comprehend how tragic Alfie’s death was. As well as the trauma to his neck, he also had injuries to his front legs where he’d been trying to escape the bindings. Alfie was caused unimaginable unnecessary suffering due to the actions of McPhillips.”
Despite his conviction for a sickening act of cruelty towards a sweet, trusting dog, McPhillips’ hapless girlfriend Evie Marie Mackenzie appears to be standing by him.
Sentencing: six months in jail.Banned from owning or keeping animals for five years (expires December 2024).
CONVICTED (2019) | Carl Steven Athey, born 25 September 1991, of Dorset Close, Frome BA11 3HL – kicked and strangled a border collie to death
Carl Athey was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison after he was convicted of animal cruelty for kicking and strangling a four-year-old border collie named Gracie to death.
Gracie with Robyn Garman. Garman is standing by Athey despite his conviction for killing her dog
Gracie belonged to Athey’s partner, Robyn Nicole Garman, who is standing by him.
Athey, who owns two other dogs – Jack Russell terriers Ruby and Chloe – was convicted of two counts of physical harm to Gracie, which ultimately resulted in the dog’s death.
Gracie died from multiple injuries following a series of attacks by Carl Athey
The second of these counts left her so badly injured she was presented to vets in an unresponsive and comatose state and was ultimately put down.
The vets then contacted the RSPCA to investigate.
A post mortem examination showed a number of recent blunt force trauma injuries including three broken ribs, liver damage consistent with a kick, blunt force trauma to the head and signs of strangulation on the neck.
According to the RSPCA, Athey denied responsibility for Gracie’s injuries, claiming on the first occasion that he had tripped while holding a shopping bag while failing to provide any explanation for her severe injuries on the second.
He did admit to being the only person in the house at the time of Gracie’s injuries.
RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albinson, who investigated for the charity, said: “This saddening case involved a defenceless dog who lost her life because of the series of serious injuries that had been caused by Athey.
“The veterinary reports and the post mortem exposed the deliberate ill-treatment which tragically led to her death.
“There is never an excuse for harming an animal or for failing to treat an animal with the kindness and respect they deserve.”
Sentencing: 20 weeks in jail; total of £865 costs and charges; deprivation order for Ruby and Chloe. Banned from keeping animals for life.
Several friends of Carl Athey have come to his defence today (19/10/2019) and to protest his innocence. It is suggested that Athey’s partner is in some way involved in Gracie’s death and that other animals in the household Robyn Garman shares with Athey and her seven-year-old son have come to harm. One or two have said that Gracie may even have been harmed by the child. Garman herself has this to say:
We may never know the truth, but if the allegations about a child being to blame for Gracie’s death are true then that is extremely concerning and there absolutely must be intervention by social services.
CONVICTED | Sean Paul McGinnes, born 4 May 1984, of Faskally Walk, Newmains, Wishaw ML2 9LD – strangled his sister’s pet rottweiler and dumped his body in a wheelie bin.
Sean McGinnes was convicted of causing the three-year-old dog, named Tyson, unnecessary suffering and asphyxiating him by an unknown method causing him to die.
The court heard that McGinnes choked Tyson to death after a row with his sibling AnneMarie McGinnes.
The pair had been in Miss McGinnes’ home in Newmains, Lanarkshire, when they had a minor argument about the dog.
McGinnes left the house but the three-year-old pet was later discovered lying in the bin with a jumper tied to his collar.
Police were called in and McGinnes was arrested.
He went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court and insisted he had nothing to do with the animal’s death.
But he was convicted by Sheriff Linda Nicolson who told the thug he faces jail for the horrific incident of January 2018.
Dog killer Sean McGinnes from Newmains, Wishaw
Miss McGinnes said she was traumatised by her ordeal and has called on her brother to be put behind bars.
She said: “Sean and me had a daft argument after he took Tyson without permission. He brought him back to my back door in a bin already passed away with his jumper tied around Tyson’s collar.
“I was distraught and still am. I can’t bear to think what poor Tyson endured at that monster’s hands.
“I really don’t know who he is anymore, even if I did at all. I wouldn’t give him time of day again because of the evil crime he has committed.
“What I went through in court was horrible, distressing and sad but I had to see justice done for my boy. All the lies he told were disgusting and at times it was uncomfortable to sit through.
“He should be jailed. Anyone who harms pets or animals should all receive jail because I think Scottish law is far too light on people who are cruel to animals.
“I have been looking after another dog called Marley which helped me because I was depressed by what had happened but no other dog could ever replace Tyson, I loved him to bits.”
McGinnes was jailed for 15 months for killing Tyson and was hit with another eight-month term after he admitted threatening his former partner. The terms will run consecutively.
Sentencing: jailed for a total 23 months. Banned from keeping animals for life.
#MostEvil | Melvyn Hall, born 2 April 1948, of Ashfield Mews, Wallsend NE28 7RG – hit a rescue dog over the head with a hammer, strangled her, then dumped her body in the River Tyne.
Dog killer Melvyn Hall from Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, is banned for life after brutally killing a rescue dog named Molly
Melvyn Hall struck six-year-old German Shepherd Molly on the head before strangling her with a piece of washing line.
He then dumped her into the River Tyne. She was found washed up on December 6 2018 and the RSPCA were alerted.
Hall killed six -year-old German Shepherd Molly by hitting her over the head with a hammer and strangling her.
RSPCA inspector Rowena Proctor said: “When the rescue called Hall he told them that Molly had died of a ruptured aneurysm and had been seen by a local vet but he couldn’t remember the name, which he re-iterated when I visited him the next day.
“However, in the interview that followed he said he had gone to the shop and come home to find her dead before going on to admit hitting Holly on the head with a hammer, strangling her with the washing line that was around her neck when her body was found and dumping her in the River Tyne.
“He said he did it because she was following him around and getting on his nerves and he lashed out.
“He showed me where he had done it, in his garden shed, and gave me the hammer he had used.”
Hall admitted two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to Molly under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Inspector Proctor said: “A post-mortem found that Molly had several fractures to skull and evidence of haemorrhaging however it was unlikely these injuries would have caused immediate death.
“The vet said that the attack on Molly from the person who cared for her would have caused immediate distress, which would have quickly passed into suffering when she received the blow from the hammer.
“The pain of a fracturing skull would be intense but the period of suffering wasn’t possible to establish from the post-mortem due to the decomposition of her body.
“They went on to say that the presence of the washing line and injuries to her neck, which were consistent with having been strangled, indicate that the owner was uncertain of the state of consciousness of Molly after she had been hit with the hammer.”
Sentencing: 18 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months; £1,000 costs. Lifetime disqualification on all animals.
CONVICTED (2018) | Robert Fitzgerald, born c. 1980, of Sparkhill, Birmingham, and with links to Staines upon Thames in Surrey – threw a Yorkshire terrier against a wall and strangled her to death
Tiny Yorkie Titch was subjected to a violent death at the hands of Robert Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald killed the tiny dog named Titch after he flew into a rage when he tripped over her. He had been looking after the Yorkie for friends Paul and Donna James at their home in Birmingham while they went on holiday to Spain.
But a court heard Fitzgerald became stressed following an angry phone call with his employers on April 21, 2018 and viciously attacked the defenceless animal.
A neighbour, Jade Leech, who had been asked to keep an eye on Titch by her owners, found the dead pet wrapped in bedding the day after the attack.
West Midlands Police and the RSPCA were called in to investigate.
A post mortem found Titch died of blunt force trauma to the head, causing a brain haemorrhage and fracture to the skull on the left side of the head behind the eye.
The vet also found dislocation of the tail bones 2.5cm away from the tip of the tail.
In a police interview, Fitzgerald, who, it was claimed in court, has learning difficulties, admitted killing the animal.
Rafe Turner, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said: ‘He has admitted causing the dog’s death.
‘Perhaps the clue to the size of the dog is in the name – Titch. The dog was owned by Mr and Mrs James who had gone on holiday to Spain.
‘Mr Fitzgerald had been given a spare room in the premises.
‘Ms Leech found the dog wrapped in bedding. The police and the RSPCA were notified. The lady said she hadn’t seen the dog since the night before.
‘A veterinary surgeon who carried out a post mortem examination said there was a fracture to the skull behind the left eye socket.
‘The dog would have died within four hours of the injury.’
Kate Scully, defending, said: ‘This happened as a result of stress. He was undergoing significant stress at this time.
‘He had recently moved from his address in Staines-upon-Thames. He was off work and was under pressure to return to work.
‘He did trip over the dog and things spiralled from there. His learning disability would have limited his ability to adapt to stress.’
Sentencing: jailed for 16 weeks (reduced from 20 weeks due to his guilty plea). Financial penalty of £115. Disqualified from owning animals for life.
