NIALL MARTIN SENTENCED IN IPSWICH FOR ATTACK ON POLICE DOG

Niall Martin, a man born around 1990 and previously residing on Speedwell Road in Colchester before moving to the Strand in Ipswich, was convicted in 2020 of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. The incident involved a police dog named Ivy, who was retired earlier in January 2020. Martin, described as a lifelong offender, had previously been jailed in 2014 for nine months for attacking a deaf-blind man and his brother.

The police were called following a disagreement between Martin and his partner in Colchester. Officers responded, accompanied by their highly trained German Shepherd, Ivy. During the encounter, Martin attempted to hide, prompting Ivy to bite him. In response, Martin threw Ivy against a parked car, choked her, and forcibly wrenched her jaws open. A court statement from Ivy’s handler expressed genuine concern for the animal’s safety, stating: “She bit him on the arm and then Martin threw Ivy against a parked car. I heard Ivy yelp with pain, he was trying to choke her. I punched him to the back of the head with all my force to try to get her free. I have never heard her make a noise like that before. I genuinely believe he was trying to kill or seriously injure her.”

Martin also admitted to possessing cannabis. His mitigation counsel, Katie Armstrong-Mason, explained that on the day of the incident, Martin had been drinking and had an argument with his partner. She stated: “The dog runs after him and bites him on the leg. The only reason he grabs the dog’s mouth is because he had been bitten and was in a lot of pain. He didn’t want to be arrested – the last time he was he got a four-week prison sentence. He has a borderline personality disorder and alcohol exacerbates his mental health problems – he gets in trouble when he drinks.”

The court clerk, Don Wicks, said to Martin: “This is a crossroads for you. It is a last chance scenario to change your life for the better.”

The sentencing included a ten-week prison term suspended for one year, with conditions that Martin attend an accredited programme and complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities. He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs and £50 to the dog handler who suffered back pain during the incident. Ivy’s previous active duty status was confirmed, and she was not badly hurt during the event.