JORDAN SMITH'S BRUTAL ANIMAL ABUSE IN HEYWOOD REVEALED

Jordan Smith, born on June 6, 1995, and residing on Middleton Road in Heywood, became the subject of a disturbing case of animal cruelty that spanned over a three-month period. His heinous acts involved the relentless abuse of a male brindle-coloured Staffy, which included kicking, punching, and whipping the dog with a belt. These violent episodes were not only witnessed by neighbors but also captured on camera, shedding light on the severity of the cruelty inflicted.

The first recorded incident occurred in July 2014, when neighbors observed Smith violently attacking the dog in his backyard. The neighbors, alarmed by the brutality, also witnessed another attack in September 2014. During this incident, they heard the dog yelping loudly from the yard, an indication of the pain and distress it was enduring. One neighbor, a young boy, recounted that he ran upstairs and saw Smith assaulting the dog from a bedroom window. The boy described seeing Smith striking the animal with the back of his hand, then clenching his fist and punching the dog multiple times in the stomach. Smith also delivered at least five kicks to the dog, pinning it against a fence panel. The force of the blows was so intense that the fence began to bend under the pressure.

Six days after this attack, neighbors witnessed yet another assault. Smith started by kicking the dog at least four times. He then went inside his house and retrieved a belt, which he used to whip the animal nine times. Following the whipping, he kicked the dog again. This particular attack was recorded on a mobile phone by the neighbors; however, the footage only showed Smith, with the dog not visible, making it difficult for inspectors to gather conclusive evidence at that time.

On September 29th, a further incident was fully captured on camera. In this footage, Smith was seen punching and kicking the dog multiple times. He then threw one of his boots at the animal, striking it hard on the neck. To trap the dog, Smith placed a mountain bike in front of it, effectively confining the animal in the yard. After approximately half an hour, he allowed the dog back inside. Throughout these episodes, the dog did not attempt to escape but could be heard yelping, crying, and making retching sounds, indicating its distress and suffering.

Following these events, dog wardens visited Smith’s residence on October 19, 2014. During this visit, Smith surrendered the dog, which was subsequently taken away to be re-homed. He was also issued a court summons and faced charges for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Smith admitted to the charge, and the case was adjourned by magistrates to allow for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

During the legal proceedings, Smith’s defense lawyer, Steve Connor, acknowledged the disturbing nature of the footage, including the use of an object to hit the dog. He also pointed out that there were mitigating factors that would be detailed later in the case. Despite the seriousness of the charges, the sentencing details remain unknown. Smith failed to appear at his scheduled sentencing hearing in April 2016 and remained at large for several months.

Eventually, Smith was arrested, an event that was caught on camera and shared on Facebook. However, media outlets such as the Manchester Evening News and ITV News did not follow up extensively on his conviction for animal cruelty, leaving many questions about the final outcome of the case.