CONVICTED (2018) | Justin Reid, born c. 1975, of King’s Crescent, Aberdeen AB24 3HP – repeatedly punched his pet dog in the street. Justin Reid from Aberdeen subjected his pet dog Amber to a brutal beating. Justin Reid pleaded guilty to causing a dog unnecessary suffering by repeatedly punching the animal to the head and body. Reid hit the seven-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, named Amber, at a bus stop on King Street, Aberdeen, on February 25, 2018. Police witnessed Reid strike the dog to the head and body about six times on CCTV. When officers arrived on the scene Reid tried to demonstrate he had only been “play fighting” with the pet by punching her again – leaving her “cowering”. Dog abuser Justin Reid pictured outside court. Defence agent Paul Barnett said his client, who is unemployed, has a history of mental health difficulties. He said: “The dog is jointly owned by Mr Reid and his girlfriend. “It’s accepted by him he was heavily under the influence of alcohol. “He thought that he was play fighting with the dog but having seen the CCTV he accepts he went beyond what could be described as play fighting. That’s a matter of extreme regret for Mr Reid.” Mr Barnett added the dog had been in the care of the SSPCA since the incident, but that Reid’s girlfriend hoped to get her back. Sentencing: fined £120. Not banned from keeping animals. Evening Express