BEWARE HORRIBLE ARTICLE
24th July 2019
A magistrate said he had never seen a “more heartbreaking video” in his life, after the court was shown a ferret ripped apart by two dogs.
David Garnett was jailed after he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, which in this case was a ferret called Snowy.
The 42-year-old had watched and encouraged his two dogs to attack the animal on April 2 in a field in Aspatria, while he recorded the mauling on his mobile phone.
The court watched part of the harrowing footage – which was about six minutes in duration – with the sound of Garnett saying what sounded like “yes” and “go on lass” heard in the background.
Garnett was reported to police when a witness heard a screaming noise.
Speaking for the prosecution case at Carlisle’s magistrates’ court was Malcolm Isherwood.
He said: “The prosecution witness in the case heard a noise outside her home address at 1.30pm. The noise she described was a screaming noise.
“She saw the defendant in the field and his dogs were attacking a ferret. He was encouraging them to do so.
“He was filming it on his mobile phone.”
The witness then contacted the owner, whose ferret had gone missing, who confirmed that it was Snowy.
Mr Isherwood explained once police arrived at the scene, Garnett refused to provide the password to his mobile phone.
He continued: “He did not comply with police and this was his opportunity to show remorse and to explain his actions, but he failed to take that opportunity.”
Defending Garnett, who lives in North View in Aspatria, was Rachel Dixon. She said: “I can say the defendant is ashamed of his actions and the death of the animal and he accepts responsibility – which he has shown by the guilty plea.”
Miss Dixon explained that the attack was not planned and that the dogs had found the ferret by chance. She also said that the event was “out of character”.
She continued: “Two weeks before the incident his wife of three years left him, along with his two daughters.
“He has been devastated by the event and has since stopped going into work.”
Garnett had no relevant previous convictions.
The court also heard from the probation service, which said that Garnett’s wife had left him for another man, had asked if the pair could remortgage the house and had taken two of his children – all in the space of four to six weeks in the run-up to the offence. He had also found out his wife owed more than £6,000 in unpaid tax.
Sentencing Garnett, presiding magistrate Mark Travers said: “I have never seen a more heartbreaking video in my life. It was a deliberate attempt to cause suffering and to prolong suffering. You were encouraging the dogs throughout. We are sending you to prison.”
Garnett was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, was disqualified from having or dealing in animals for four years and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115.
https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/17791870.jail-man-whose-dogs-killed-pet-ferret-snowy
These people are pure EVIL and in my opinion this should be treated as MURDER because that is what is was. It really is time that HUNTING and SHOOTING were put in the history books only sick minded people like tearing innocent animals APART SO END THIS SO CALLED SICK SPORT NOW AND ANYBODY CAUGHT HUNTING IN ANY FORM SHOULD BE JAILED FOR A VERY LONG TIME PERSONALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM HANG AND I WOULD WILLINGLY DO THE JOB IF ASKED.