Alcoholic launched frenzied attack on helpless animal

Pet dog now 'frightened to go out'

AN alcoholic father of two launched a vicious attack on a helpless, tethered dog.

John Michael Shackell thought he had got away with dishing out the savage kicking to a stranger’s pet, Newbury magistrates heard.

But the horrific incident, which took place outside the One Stop store in Fairview Road, Hungerford, was caught on CCTV, the court was told.

The attacked dog’s owner said in a statement that her pet was now frightened of strangers and afraid to go out.

Jennifer Riddell, prosecuting last Thursday, said Mr Shackell, of Embrook Way, Calcot, was visiting the store with his partner, children and his Staffordshire bull terrier.

She added: “He allowed his own dog to approach the other animal, which was tied to a post.

“He then pulled his own animal away and kicked the tied-up dog.”

The 33-year-old then marched into the store and began shouting and swearing before leaving his pet with his family and rushing, in an “agitated state”, back outside, magistrates heard.

Ms Riddell said: “There, he proceeds to furiously kick the tied-up dog in the head.

“A female came along and he started shouting at her.”

Mr Shackell was arrested after police viewed the CCTV footage and the dog’s owner, who was not identified in court, said in a subsequent statement that her pet was now “very nervous” around strangers and that she had trouble leaving it on its own.

Mr Shackell, who has previous convictions for offences including assault and theft, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by repeatedly kicking it on October 19 last year.

Ben May, defending, said his client “lashed out, in a ‘moment of madness” after the dog began to fight with his own.

He described jobless Mr Shackell as a “dog lover” who was signed off work owing to alcoholism.

Mr May said his client was addressing his alcohol dependency and told magistrates: “A custodial sentence would put back his recovery.”

A probation officer assessed both Mr Shackell’s risk of harm to others and his risk of re-offending as ‘medium’.

She went on to tell the court that, in her opinion, Mr Shackell was not suited to a sentence involving unpaid community work because of the medication he takes for his drink addiction.

Instead, magistrates made Mr Shackell subject to a 10- month community order with 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

In addition he was required to pay £85 costs plus a £60 victim surcharge.