Man who beat dog with metal lead receives ten year ownership ban

A man from Gateshead who beat a dog with metal lead has been banned from keeping animals for a decade following a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.

Mark Brown, who called himself Defty in court, was sentenced at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Tuesday, March 7.

He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a brindle Staffordshire bull terrier Rocco after being arrested by police on a warrant.

The court heard how last November the RSPCA received a 37 second long clip which showed Rocco cowering with his head lowered, while Brown took the end of a metal lead and hit him repeatedly on his back and head. Brown did this eight times over a period of around ten seconds.

A vet examined Rocco and fortunately didn’t find signs of recent injury - but confirmed the dog had been caused to suffer fear and pain.

In an independent veterinary report, which was presented to the court, the vet stated: “His fear was likely to have been a repeated state on previous occasions when this person was with Rocco as he immediately submitted to his attacker and attempted to flee.”

Rocco is now in the care of the RSPCA.

Speaking after the hearing, inspector Kirsty Keogh-Laws, who investigated the case for the animal welfare charity said: “This was a vicious attack on a young defenceless animal who had been in Brown’s care. It is completely unacceptable to treat any animal in this way and we will always look into reports of animal cruelty and, where necessary, seek justice for that animal.”