Man jailed for breach of pet ban
Reporter: Beatriz Ayala
Date published: 15 December 2009
A MAN was jailed for six weeks after breaching a five-year order banning him from keeping pets.
Raja Hussain (28), of Mansfield Road, Abbeyhills, was banned last May after admitting eight charges relating to animal welfare and keeping dangerous dogs, namely pit-bull type dogs.
At Oldham Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Hussain pleaded guilty to breaching the order after a Staffordshire bull terrier was discovered chained up in his back garden last month.
Kirstin Beswick, prosecuting, told the court how police had gone to his address on November 19 and found the 10-month-old black dog secured by a chain and collar to the ground.
An empty bowl and plastic kennel was also found in the garden, and officers said the dog appeared thin as they could see its ribs.
Hussain, a father-of-three, was subsequently arrested but the dog disappeared while the police were at the property and has still not been found.
Richard Williamson, defending, said the dog was owned by another man, Shahid Aslam, who had begged Mr Hussain to look after it for a few days after being made temporarily homeless.
He said his client disputed the fact the dog was thin or badly looked after, rather it was a young dog which had not filled out.
Mr Williamson said Hussain had no previous convictions prior to May, had completed his community order and paid off the previous £250 court costs.
He also asked magistrates to take into account Hussain’s guilty plea and that his three month-old daughter suffered from a heart murmur.
Patricia Graham, chairman of the bench, said a custodial sentence was considered in this case due to aggravating factors such as the dog appearing to be malnourished and escaping into the community.
She said: “We feel this offence is so serious the only appropriate sentence is immediate imprisonment.
“This is a direct breach of a court order and cannot be allowed.”
She added an original 12-week sentence was reduced after taking into account Hussain’s early guilty plea and his family circumstances.
No costs were ordered.
