KEIRAN O’CONNOR

Self-employed gardener O’Connor, who owns O’Connors Gardening, was charged under the Animal Welfare Act in a case brought by the RSPCA.

He was prosecuted after a 20-second video clip showed him walking his dog – male bull-breed Prince – before stopping outside his house.

He is seen to pick up his dog by the skin on his back and neck, before lifting him up and forcibly throwing him over the fence and onto the concrete path.

O’Connor then opens the gate to let himself in.

RSPCA Inspector Caren Goodman said in a statement to the court that she went to the defendant’s then address in Kirkby, Merseyside, in October 2024.

Accompanied by a colleague and a Merseyside Police officer, she got no answer by knocking the door, but could see Prince through a window, sitting on the front room sofa.

The police officer who was with her called the defendant’s number – which was advertised on his trailer parked outside – but he refused to attend the address.

The officer gained entry into the home using a search warrant, after they waiting outside for 25 minutes, and Prince was taken into RSPCA care.

She said Prince had “ideal body condition”, was “bright, alert and active” and showed “no obvious signs of distress”.

When she spoke to the defendant the following day, he claimed he was “putting his dog over the fence” because his neighbours had accused Prince of attacking their dogs.

A vet at RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital who viewed the footage, said that “instead of opening the gate” the owner was seen “picking up the dog and forcefully throwing it on the other side of the gate, in a report.

The vet added that “the dog has fallen down on its side/back” and “looks very confused on the video, it takes a few seconds for it to get up”.

The vet signed a Veterinary Certificate supporting Prince’s removal from the house and at the surgery, he was given pain relief.

Although a full examination revealed that he had not sustained any fractures, the vet said he had been put through unnecessary distress and suffering.

O’Connor pleaded guilty to failing to meet the need to protect his dog from pain, suffering, injury and disease by the infliction of physical abuse and emotional distress.

After the hearing, Inspector Goodman said: “The most surprising thing about this case is that Keiran did not seem to understand that what he did was wrong.

“This attitude meant that he would not sign Prince over to us – even when the prosecution had run its course.

We had to obtain an order from the court to make sure we could take him into our care and get him into a safe and secure environment.

Sentencing | community order with 26 programme requirement days; costs of £500 plus £114 victim surcharge.

Banned from owning, keeping or dealing with animals for five years (expires July 2030).