Beating leaves dog with ‘boxer’s’ bleeding

● Owner banned from ownership of a dog for 20 years, but avoids prison term

A man who battered his dog to death in an attack so violent it left the animal with injuries “the same as a boxer when they get a haemorrhage” has avoided jail.

Alexander Mcghee “hit, kicked or shook” lurcher Murray at his home in Methil, Fife, in a brutal assault that left his neighbours horrified at the noise, a court was told yesterday.

Police were called by “disgusted” nearby residents. One later told police they were so horrified at the noises they heard coming from Mcghee’s property they had to go out and walk their dog, which was distressed by the noises. One resident told the court it sounded like a dog was being “thrown against a wall”.

When police arrived hours later, Mcghee told them Murray had escaped from the property in the middle of the night and he had later found him dead in a nearby street.

Officers were then led to the lurcher’s body, which Mcghee had put in the boot of his car.

The owner claimed the animal must have been hit by a vehicle, but veterinary experts said the injuries were “not consistent” with a road accident.

However, a sheriff yesterday chose not to imprison Mcghee, saying a jail term was “not the only appropriate sentence” in the case.

The train driver was instead handed a community payback order with 240 hours unpaid work and banned from owning or having sole custody of a dog for 20 years.

An earlier trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard vets tell the trial that a post-mortem suggested a vehicle impact was “not likely”.

Thecourtwastoldthatwhen police initially interviewed him he appeared to be “hiding” an injury to his hand with the sleeve of his jumper.

PC Kirsten Lawrie said she “believed he was covering the hand intentionally”.

She said: “He said he had sustained it when he punched a wall in a temper when the dog ran away.”

Veterinary pathologist Dr Bryn Tennant said he believed Murphy had sustained the injuries from being “hit, kicked or shaken with considerable force”.

Dr Tennant said: “The outcome of the post mortem was that this dog had been subjected to multiple traumatic incidents.

“The injuries were spread across the body and the cause of death was the bleeding on the brain.

“The constellation of injuries, in my opinion, were not consistent with a road traffic accident.

“There is a very, very remote possibility that this dog was struck by a vehicle, but from what I saw I do not believe that happened, on the basis of my examination.

“The bleeding around the brain is the same as boxers get when they haemorrhage.”

Fiscal depute Ronnie Hay told the court that earlier evidence in the case suggested Mcghee had inflicted the injuries.

He said: “The couple next door left their flat because of the noise emanating from his property. When they returned they spoke of a bottle of bleach being outside the premises that wasn’t there when they left.”