JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Lewes Crown Court Gives Suspended Prison Sentence To Couple Who Left Their Dog Starving To Death
Sophie Singer and Keith Byrne, who abandoned their boxer dog to starve, were handed a suspended prison sentence after the judge learned that they had seven children.
A couple left their dog during their vacation, forcing him to eat trash out of desperation. Boxer Bentley, 14, was left behind when Eastbourne, East Sussex, residents Sophie Singer, 41, and Keith Byrne, 38, swanned off on a lengthy Center Parcs vacation in January 2022.
A neighbor took advantage of the chance to notify the RSPCA while the family was abroad, since she had earlier suspicions that the dog had been suffering while under their care. After a judge learned they had seven children, they were granted suspended prison terms.
According to an RSPCA investigator, Bentley, 14, was reportedly gasping for air and barely alive. Scabs covered his body, and his weight was only 12.5 kg, less than half what it should have been. Food wrappers and a felt pen were discovered in his stomach, showing his extreme hunger, prosecutor James Bull told Lewes Crown Court.
Inspector Tony Woodley said, "It was very dramatic. Although the law forbids me from taking the dog, the police sergeant I spoke with after dialing 999 instructed me to take the dog away immediately." Judge Christine Laing KC said: ‘I find this case really extraordinary. Even as a nondog owner, I would have seen instantly that this dog was in a terrible state.’
There was no food in Bentley's stomach, even though there was a bowl of water nearby that had not been touched and dog treats. Rather, his focus had shifted to the substantial volumes of trash discovered within his abdomen, which it is believed he consumed due to extreme hunger.
Bentley passed away unexpectedly on February 1st, despite the RSPCA's greatest efforts to save him. He had been neglected for months. Bentley has not seen a veterinarian in a year, Byrne, the long-distance truck driver, informed the RSPCA when they contacted him using information from Bentley's chip.
The couple attempted to persuade the Court that Bentley, their seven-year-old pet, was being cared for by a family friend; nevertheless, the judge dismissed their argument. For causing needless pain to an animal and neglecting to safeguard its wellbeing, Singer and Byrne were found guilty in their absence.
Singer received a six-month prison sentence with a two-year suspension from Judge Laing. Byrne was suspended for two years and nine months in prison. They were both given community service, forced to pay costs, and prohibited from owning animals for five years.
ALSO READ: Who Is Nicole Mitchell? All About Minnesota Senator As She Gets Arrested On Suspicion Of Burglary
You May Like This
Latest Articles
