CONVICTED (2015) | Hayley Jayne Cowan, born 31/07/1992, most recently of Linney Square, Scholes, Wigan WN1 3LN – strangled her pet dog to death and hid the body in her garden
In what RSPCA chiefs called one of their most harrowing and distressing cases of all time twisted Hayley Jane Cowan killed a defenceless Staffie named Bo by wrapping duct tape around her muzzle before strangling her with her collar and lead.
Cowan then buried Bo’s lifeless body in a shallow grave in the back garden of her then home in Sale Road, Tyldesley, Manchester.
The shocking case only came to light when one of Cowan’s concerned friends turned detective and dug up Bo’s remains before alerting the RSPCA.
Friends of Cowan had witnessed her kicking Bo in the face on an earlier occasion. The friends took the dog away from her callous owner after the kicking incident but later returned her when Cowan promised she wouldn’t hurt her.
But they were called by Cowan the following morning, who said Bo had run away.
Just three weeks later, however, Cowan admitted to them that she had killed then buried Bo in the garden.
One of the witnesses attended the garden on a later date and found the body.
The RSPCA was called on November 5, 2014, and a post-mortem examination was ordered after an exhumation.
The results confirmed Bo died from strangulation by means of duct tape and the tightening of a collar.
Bruising to her limbs suggested she had been held down.
The court was told that Cowan has a history of mental health problems.
Cowan, who openly boasts on social media about her promiscuity, drug-taking and taste for violence, was banned for life from keeping any animal as a pet. She has since racked up further convictions for violence. During a 2016 court case Cowan’s lawyer described his client as “a Jekyll and Hyde” character whose personality changed under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Rumours abound locally that Cowan has gone on to hurt other animals, however, specifically a rabbit that she allegedly tortured to death. She is also said to have threatened to harm other people’s pets, telling one horrified neighbour that she would “make your dog scream”.
Sentencing | four months in jail. Banned from keeping animals for life.
What A Sad Mentally Disturbed Young Woman.
I Hope She Never Has Children, To End Up In Care.