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27
Jan
Knaresborough man who inflicted ‘horrendous’ suffering on his dog spared jail
Warning: this article contains distressing information.
A Knaresborough man who inflicted “horrendous and completely unnecessary suffering” on his dog has been spared jail.
Shane Hooton, 33, is believed to have stitched and glued injuries to the dog himself and even considered stapling it.
The dog, which was then taken hare coursing, was so severely injured it had to be put to sleep.
Hooton, of Thistle Hill, drove to Lincolnshire for a hare coursing match with John Langan and Thomas Jaffray.
The trio had three dogs with them — two white and one black. The black dog’s injuries were so horrendous that it had to be put down.
DC Aaron Flint, Lincolnshire Police’s wildlife crime officer, said:
The owner, Shane Hooton, had known of the dog’s injuries for six days. He appears to have stitched and glued the injury himself; there is evidence he even talked about stapling it. By taking the dog hare coursing the defendants caused horrendous and completely unnecessary suffering to a dog; they should have sought immediate veterinary care,
They were all involved in hare coursing, and two of them ignored Criminal Behaviour Orders designed to protect animals and the public.
This case shows that when offenders choose to disregard the law and animal welfare, we will respond robustly.
(from left) John Langan, Shane Hooton and Thomas Jaffray
Graphic video
The three men travelled to Lincolnshire on February 9 last year in a silver Vauxhall Vectra.
Shortly before 1pm, the men were seen on land at Waddingham near to the A15 in the north of the county. They had lined themselves up, about 50 metres apart across a field. One of the dogs was seen chasing a hare.
When officers arrived, the men ran to their car but officers had already blocked it in. The hare coursers were arrested. Their phones, vehicle and dogs were seized.
Evidence revealed the injury to the black dog happened a number of days earlier.
A graphic video found on one of the phones, filmed on February 6, showing the skin torn off the dog’s chin. The video shows the dog crying as someone pulls her lips. Evidence was uncovered which indicated attempts had been made to glue and stitch the injury by the owner of the dog.
The images are so distressing police did not release them.
Further evidence was found on the phones that related to hare coursing. There were many photos, videos and voice messages relating to hare coursing.
Video evidence was also found of the men on their way to Lincolnshire and of their dogs and dead hares on the day they were arrested.
The Vauxhall Vectra
Guilty plea
After their arrests they were interviewed. Langan denied any involvement in hare coursing and denied possession of the dogs or vehicle, Hooton declined to say anything in interview and Jaffray told the officers there wasn’t any evidence.
Hooton pleaded guilty in court to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog, trespassing with intent to search for or to pursue hares and breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order. He was handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was handed a 15-year Criminal Behaviour Order and is disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years. He must complete 180 hours unpaid work. He must pay £114 surcharge and £85 CPS costs.
Langan, 39 of The Hawthorns, Great Ayton, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs and breach a Criminal Behaviour Order. He was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 180 hours community work. He must pay £154 surcharge and £85 costs.
Jaffray, 42, Eastwood Road, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to search for or to pursue hares with dogs. He was sentenced to an 18-month community order and told to complete 150 hours unpaid work. He must pay £114 surcharge and £85 court costs.
The silver Vauxhall Vectra has been confiscated.
The men were also told to pay kennelling and care costs of £1,733 each.
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