Mark Simon Philip Sharp left his ex-partner’s King Charles spaniel, named Daisy, with severe burns to her head as well as broken ribs and a broken pelvis.
He was jailed in October for 16 weeks after admitting animal cruelty, and is now out of prison.
However Sharp, who recently moved to Coventry from Liverpool where the offences took place, has now pleaded guilty to stealing cash from Lyndsey Wakefield by raiding her credit card account between October 2015 and February this year.
The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to fraud at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Thursday – but disputes the total amount taken.
Angie Rowan, prosecuting, told the court Sharp is accused of stealing £2,200 from Miss Wakefield.
However Rachel Chandler, defending, said her client claims he had permission to spend £863 of that amount.
The case was adjourned for a Newton Hearing in February, where a judge rules on disputed issues which could affect the length of the defendant’s sentence.
At Sharp’s sentencing hearing in October, the court heard Daisy suffered full thickness burns to her head and body and was left cowering away from human contact.
Miss Wakefield, who had no idea of her then boyfriend’s cruelty, noticed a sore on Daisy’s head and took her to a vet in January – who later notified RSPCA inspector Claire Fisher.
Peter Mitchell, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court: “On seeing the dog it was on strong pain relief and appeared very nervous and was shaking in the kennel.
“When (Insp Fisher) attempted to touch the dog she cowered away and snapped. The inspector described seeing an extensive scabbed area over the top of the head and neck with a particularly raw area at the middle of the top of the head. She was advised that the burns were full skin thickness.”
Sharp, who was unrepresented in the animal cruelty case, described how he had been attacked and left needing stitches due to the publicity surrounding the case.
He said: “At that time in my life I didn’t like myself, I was suffering from deep depression. I still don’t believe in my heart I could harm anybody or anything.”
Sharp was banned from owning animals for 15 years.
Speaking after the case, RSPCA inspector Claire Fisher said the case was one of the worst she had investigated in 13 years on the job.
She said: “I’m just very pleased that the courts have taken these vile acts seriously. This dog suffered for months at Sharp’s hands, and the moment I first saw her there was no way I was getting close to her.
“This is a breed that is so loving and wants human contact but she was cowering in the back of the kennel.”
Miss Wakefield told the court Daisy has since made a full recovery.
(Coventry Telegraph - Dec 23, 2016)
No comments:
Post a Comment