BANNED FROM KEEPING ANIMALS AFTER CRUELTY; Dog was punched and kicked

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Jan 23, 2008

Byline: By KATIE CAMPLING News Reporter

A DENBY Dale man has been banned from keeping animals for five years after being convicted of cruelty to a dog.

Grant Fenwick, 29, was sentenced at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court yesterday after being convicted at a trial last November of cruelly treating his housemate's Jack Russell dog.

Fenwick, a carding engineer for a textile firm, has also been given an 18-month community order, which involves him being supervised and completing 150 hours of unpaid work.

He will have to work with the Probation Service on his issues with alcohol and has to pay the RSPCA's prosecution costs of pounds 2,200 at pounds 25 a week.

At the earlier trial, the court heard that Fenwick had punched and kicked the dog, named Lucie, after it escaped from his house on March 6 last year.

The dog belonged to a man called Simon Allsop, who had been sharing Fenwick's house at Wakefield Road for five months.

Mr Allsop was at work and Fenwick was looking after the dog when a friend called round at 8pm.

As Fenwick opened the door to his friend, Lucie ran out of the house and across the busy Wakefield Road.

Fenwick ran after the dog and was seen by his friend, Daniel Glover, raising his arm and bringing it down towards the animal.

Fenwick admitted punching the dog, but claimed he did it because Lucie was attacking a cat.

Mr Glover said Fenwick then picked the dog up and threw her towards the house, but she tried to turn back so he kicked her towards the doorway.

When Mr Allsop returned from work, he found Lucie subdued and bleeding from her leg and around her eye. Her breathing was shallow.

Fenwick admitted what he had done and the dog was taken to a vet, where it was revealed she had two broken ribs, a punctured lung and bruising on her head.

Lucie is now fully recovered and living with her owner at a new address.

Fenwick was interviewed by the RSPCAand admitted causing the injuries, but said he felt his actions had been reasonable in the circumstances.

During the trial, he said he felt bad about causing the injuries and had paid the vet's bill.

After the trial, magistrates said they felt the level of force used by Fenwick had been excessive and unnecessary.

CAPTION(S):

PUNCHED: Jack Russell Lucie is seen in an RSPCA picture after being cruelly treated (s)