Man Jailed Over Puppy Attack In Aberdeen

A man was jailed today after beating up a puppy - then telling police to have it killed.

Kristopher Anderson repeatedly kicked the three-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier, picked it up and threw it at parked cars.

Concerned members of the public called in police after seeing the injured dog being attacked on city centre streets in Aberdeen.

They followed him home to his mother's house on Crown Terrace until police arrived.

The puppy was left with a large gash above its right eye.

Anderson told officers that if they were going to seize the animal they should "just have it put down".

The 30-year-old admitted causing the dog unnecessary suffering on January 26th on South Silver Street and Golden Square in Aberdeen when he appeared in court earlier this year.

Yesterday his lawyer Neil McRobert said the crime had been committed as a result of his problems with alcohol.

He told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: "He had consumed a ridiculous amount of alcohol and had taken some diazepam and it would appear he then had an argument with his mother.

"He says he's disgusted and ashamed, and he certainly should be given the conduct displayed by him on the 26th of January."

Mr McRobert said his client had significant issues with alcohol and accepted that he would be disqualified from keeping animals.

He said Anderson had been held on remand since the 10th of June and had not enjoyed the experience.

The defence lawyer urged the sheriff to consider imposing a community payback order on his client.

Anderson had faced a further charge of failing to get vet treatment for the puppy's injuries but his not guilty plea to the charge was previously accepted.

Fiscal depute Stephanie Ross previously told the court that when Anderson left his mother's house at around 5pm that day the puppy was in good health and uninjured.

However, when he returned to her house on Crown Terrace, the dog was clearly hurt.

Mr Ross said: "The police attended at the property and found the accused along with the dog.

"They noticed the cut above the dog's eye. The accused was thereafter cautioned and detained and conveyed to Kittybrewster Police Station.

"During the course of the journey, he made the spontaneous remark that if his dog was seized they should just put it down."

The dog was taken to a cat and dog home so it could be cared for properly and re-homed.

Yesterday Sheriff Alison Stirling jailed Anderson for a total of five months for ill-treating the animal, breaching a previously imposed community payback order and a charge of failing to appear in court.

She also banned him from keeping any animal for 10 years, telling him: "It seems to me that it is necessary for the protection of animals from you."

She added that he was not an appropriate person to be in charge of an animal at this stage of his life.