Owner jailed for brutally stabbing pet dog to death

This article contains a graphic image some people may find offensive

A pet owner has been jailed after a brutal attack on his own dog.

Johnathan Nicholas Holder, 33, killed Staffordshire bull terrier Tyrone at his home in Chester and then left the body in the garden, the court heard.

He was jailed for 26 weeks and also given a lifetime ban on keeping animals after he was found guilty of one animal welfare offence when he appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 5 November.

The hearing was told his mother, Tracey Holder, returned home after she had been away for a couple of days and discovered Tyrone's body on 16 February in the garden.

She reported the matter to Cheshire police who attended the address and they called the RSPCA to help with the investigation.

Officers found the bloodied body of the 11-year-old brindle Staffordshire bull terrier hidden at the bottom of the garden behind a tyre and a sandpit lid.

A large wound could be clearly seen across the whole of the back of the dog’s neck.

There were also blood splatters found around the garden area and patio and in some areas of the house.

Holder, of Derwent Road, who was at the property while his mum was away, was arrested by police, Chester Live reported.

During an interview the following day he said he had no memory of the weekend as he had been drinking heavily.

He denied killing Tyrone but said another animal was responsible for his death.

RSPCA Inspector Pamela Bird took the dog’s body to a vet’s for examination and it was found that there were five sharp trauma wounds which occurred on his neck, shoulder and left forelimb and were believed to have been caused with a knife.

The vet concluded it would have taken several minutes to die or even hours for Tyrone to die as the wounds had missed main arteries.

The court heard how Holder had a fresh dog bite mark on his hand which could have provided a motive for the attack - but he denied this and said it was caused by a broken glass.

He then claimed someone else had killed the dog in a “revenge attack” and denied the animal welfare charge but he was found guilty by magistrates.

The court was told this was a case of “absolute cruelty”.

Watch: 8 exceptions to the new lockdown