Teenage thug jailed for 17 weeks after torturing two husky dogs is told by judge: ‘I wouldn’t trust you with a goldfish’

“What a pitiful outcome of this degenerate waste of space. It is well documented that those who harm animals; more often than not, end up hurting people. They should have made an example of this POS & enforced more jail time. Animal abusers need to see heavy penalties being dished out; if there is any hope of trying to stop them! Would be ABUSERS need to think of the consequences before they even think about hurting an animal! William Legget admitted “he didn’t know when to stop“ what happens next time he gets mad, just how far will he go then?….probably too far & an innocent life will end!!”

By KEILIGH BAKER FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 19:08, 22 January 2015 | UPDATED: 01:49, 23 January 2015

• William Legget, 19, tied a dog up before punching, stamping and kicking it
• Then turned on his puppy, which he beat before threatening her with knife
• Puppy named Nala suffered a broken hip, jaw, cheek and a fractured skull
• Legget said the dogs had been ‘naughty’ and he didn’t know when to stop

Judge jailed Leggett and told him he is ‘not a decent human being’

The huskies abused by Legget – Nala  suffered a broken hip and Balue (below) was also beaten

William Legget, 19, of Bedminster, Bristol, tied adult dog Balue to a bannister and punched, stamped and kicked her before turning on his puppy Nala, who he beat and threatened with a knife.

The older dog  (above) escaped serious injury but Nala suffered a broken hip, jaw, cheek and a fractured skull.

William Legget has been jailed after being caught on CCTV beating and severely injuring his husky dogs, http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/22/24F3A12600000578-0-image-a-3_1421952243911.jpg

District Judge Lynne Matthews jailed Legget for 17 weeks after telling him he was ‘not a decent human being’. She said she was ‘staggered’ by his cruelty and imposed a life ban on him keeping any animals, adding she ‘would not trust him with a goldfish’.

She also said the case should be reported to social services after hearing that Legget had a young child. Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard the beatings took place at Legget’s former home in Gravesend, Kent, in February last year.

Legget appears to have grabbed one of the dogs by the head or neck in this CCTV still

When he was arrested Legget told police the dogs had been ‘naughty’ and said his only fault was not knowing when to ‘stop telling them off.’ Judge Matthews said: ‘With the puppy it wasn’t a slight fracture but the bone has broken away. ‘The veterinary surgeon said that break was a result of extreme force. You applied that extreme force.’

An X-ray image of the broken hip bone suffered by husky puppy Nala after a brutal beating from Legget 

Broken Bone

Legget admitted three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and two counts of failing to protect it from pain, suffering and injury.

John Stokes, defending, said his client had both emotional and behavioural problems but had a partner and a young child to look after.

The huskies abused by Legget – Nala (pictured left) suffered a broken hip and Balue (right) was also beaten

Legget was jailed for 17 weeks. Both dogs have now been re-homed.

News Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2922185/Teenage-thug-jailed-17-weeks-torturing-two-husky-dogs.html

Animal control officers found not guilty in cruelty case

 

A jury has found two veteran Sullivan County animal control officers not guilty of animal cruelty charges for waiting six days to euthanize an injured cat.

About 55 minutes of deliberations preceded the jury’s announcement that they had found Douglas Aaron West, 31, 251 Heyford Drive, Bristol, Tenn., and Stephen F. Ward, 52, 485 Hood Road, Kingsport, not guilty of two counts each of cruelty to animals in Sullivan County Criminal Court.

Stephen Ward, left, and Douglas Aaron West are being tried on animal cruelty charges in Sullivan County Criminal Court. Kacie Breeding photo.

The case revolved around the question of whether the pair’s keeping of an injured cat in a quarantine cage from April 17, 2011, until Ward euthanized it on April 22, 2011, constituted animal cruelty offenses.

At the time of the alleged offenses, the shelter was still under the purview of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office. West, with about a decade of experience, had been promoted to shelter director, while Ward, an animal control officer for 13 years, was authorized to perform euthanizations.

In closing arguments Wednesday morning, Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Julie Canter argued the state had proven that the cat endured pain and suffering during its time in the quarantine cage. She argued West and Ward were also guilty because they had failed to relieve the cat’s suffering by either seeking immediate veterinary care or by euthanizing it.

Testimony Canter highlighted in support of her position included that of Dr. Katherine Zimmerman, a veterinarian of 16 years who said the cat appeared to have suffered one or more pelvic and tail fractures and would have been in pain and in need of immediate veterinary care. Zimmerman’s testimony was based on her review of a statement from James Sexton, a Kingsport resident whose call prompted West to respond and collect the cat, and a study of the animal’s posture in a photo snapped by concerned retired nurse and shelter volunteer Karen Young.

West’s attorney, Lynn Dougherty, and Ward’s attorney, Rick Spivey, each argued that the state had failed to prove the cat had endured pain and suffering. They argued that, based on their clients’ hands-on examinations of the cat, it was injured but not in pain. West and Ward each had previously testified that the cat did not cry out or try to bite them when they had checked it over, leading them to believe it felt no pain from its injuries.

When the jury foreman read the first not guilty verdict — which was for West — the outcome prompted an emotional response from family and friends, including a shout of, “Yes!” The judge’s stern warning that any further such disruption would be met with an arrest for contempt subdued the group somewhat, although muffled sobs were still audible. West and Ward were both teary-eyed as well by the time all four not guilty verdicts had been announced.

Afterward, Dougherty said, “I’m glad it’s over for Mr. West. I hope he can get back to work soon. He really has dedicated his entire adult life to helping the citizens of Sullvian County and taking care of our animals, and I hope we can get him back to work.”

Read the rest of this post here:-http://www.timesnews.net/article/9051854/animal-control-officers-found-not-guilty-in-cruelty-case