Thug beat dog to death and threw a cat against wall
A PET cat was left badly injured after being thrown against a wall by a thug who beat his dog to death.
Kelvin Mckendry was already wanted by police over the dog’s death when the RSPCA was called to an address in Rose Hill, Woodville, to reports of an injured cat on July 21 last year. When inspector Rachel Leafe, along with police, went to investigate they found the cat, called Gyspy, had been thrown against a wall, leaving her with a broken pelvis.
Derby Magistrates’ Court heard that Mckendry had previously subjected his British bulldog, Marley, to a horrific assault which left the pet with traumatic injuries to his head, body and internal organs. Following the incident, which took place at Mckendry’s home on February 13, last year, the criminal buried him in nearby woodland.
When a youth offender worker questioned where Marley was, the 19-yearold claimed he had died the previous night and he had buried him in a field where he used to walk him.
The RSPCA were contacted, but when they went to Mckendry’s address in Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, he was not there and they were unable to locate him. Four days later Derbyshire police received information that led them to where the dog was buried.
A pathologist’s report concluded Marley had suffered “horrific” life threatening injuries caused by multiple blunt force trauma.
A report said: “The life-threatening injuries suffered by Marley caused internal bleeding and shock, from which he ultimately died.”
When the RSPCA found Mckendry in Woodville he was arrested in connection for other matters, including a one-year long campaign of violence in Ashbourne which saw him injure at least five people in separate incidents.
He was sentenced to a two years in a young offender institution for those offences, and was charged with animal cruelty offences while in prison.
Inspector Leafe said: “According to the pathologist report it is clear poor Marley had suffered from a series of injuries which led to his death.
“Gypsy was also in a suffering state after Mckendry threw her against a wall. She had emergency surgery and after weeks of cage rest I was pleased to hear she had made a good recovery at Derby’s Abbey Street Rehoming Centre. Now called Aggi she has now been nursed back to health thanks to dedicated staff and has just moved into her forever home in the countryside.”
He pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and two charges of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of an animal for which he was responsible.
He was jailed for 19 weeks and was also given a lifetime ban from keeping all animals and ordered to pay a £121 victim surcharge.