Man used puppy as 'punch bag' and dragged her behind electric scooter in Plymouth

A Somerset man who was spotted on a doorbell camera dragging his dog along while riding an electric scooter in Plymouth has been jailed.

Lucas Slim-Fitzpatrick has been sentenced to 19 months behind bars after he was convicted of inflicting serious injuries to the canine.

He was prosecuted after doorbell footage of him dragging his 10-month-old bulldog, Luna, in Plymouth was sent to the RSPCA.

A vet who examined Luna said the dog had suffered blunt force trauma injuries in at least three separate incidents.

The RSPCA was shown doorbell footage from November 30 2022, which showed Slim-Fitzpatrick, of Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare, riding his electric scooter in Mutley.

He was holding onto the lead of the dog, who was trying to follow behind.

A witness who contacted the police said he heard an animal in distress at the back of Slim-Fitzpatrick’s former address in Greenbank Road in Plymouth minutes later, the RSPCA said.

The court was told the witness saw Slim-Fitzpatrick “staggering around” on the scooter while talking aggressively to the dog before picking her up with both hands and throwing her six feet in the direction of a wall. He was later arrested.

When he was interviewed by police in December 2022, the defendant claimed Luna’s injuries - a broken left hip and pelvis, fractured jaw, cheekbone and wrists, three broken ribs, three broken teeth and a bloodshot eye - were caused by Luna being hit by a car and kicked by a horse.

He said her bloodshot eye was the result of her being attacked by a Jack Russell dog.

But RSPCA prosecutor Gregory Gordon told the court: “Expert veterinary evidence disproved the defendant’s various claims of accidental injury to Luna.

"For example, if she had been struck by a vehicle, there would have been evidence of skin abrasions or lacerations, and grit or oil in her hair.

“Radiographs indicated Luna’s different fractures were at different stages of healing, meaning that the injuries occurred on different dates.

"It has not been possible to identify the number of separate incidents from the injuries alone, but records indicate that injuries were sustained by Luna on at least three separate occasions, including June 29 and August 2 last year.”

Slim-Fitzpatrick was in contact with vets on both these occasions. But in June he declined the recommendation Luna undergo surgery for her wrist fractures, citing the cost.

He then failed to attend appointments for the rebandaging of her wounds and used a pencil and sock as a homemade splint.

In August he phoned the vet to report Luna was eating painfully, but then failed to keep an appointment.

At his sentencing at Bristol Crown Court on December 7 the judge said he had shown little remorse for his actions and told him: “This was prolonged, lengthy violence towards an animal in your care who should have been protected by you rather than becoming your punchbag.”

Luna has since undergone surgery and extensive rehabilitation work to regain the use of her back leg. She has now recovered from the ordeal and has been rehomed.

Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Miranda Albison said: “The assaults carried out by this defendant on this poor dog started when she was a 10-week-old puppy and continued until she was 10 months old.

"It was absolutely horrific as she was repeatedly beaten and suffered many fractures.

“Luna had surgery on her femoral head and that saved her back leg as the other option was amputation. Happily, she is now doing very well and we have been able to rehome her.

“Without being provided with the Ring Doorbell footage by a member of the public we wouldn’t have been able to prosecute the defendant as he denied being in that area of Plymouth at the time of the assault allegation.”

Slim-Fitzpatrick was handed 14-month custodial sentences to run concurrently on each of the three animal welfare offences and a further five-month prison sentence, to be served consecutively, for his breach of a suspended sentence imposed for an unrelated matter.

He has also been banned from owning any animals for 20 years.