Overview

• Kieran O’Connor received a community order requiring 26 programme days and was ordered to pay £500 in costs plus a £114 victim surcharge, alongside a five-year ban on owning or dealing with animals.
• Prince, the Staffordshire bull terrier, was examined by RSPCA vets who found no fractures but documented emotional distress as he recovers in charity care.
• The RSPCA opened its prosecution after a member of the public sent CCTV footage of the October 1 incident to the charity, prompting seizure under warrant.
• Inspector Caren Goodman-James denounced the attack as unacceptable cruelty and thanked the public for providing crucial evidence to secure Prince’s rescue.
• The case underscores growing reliance on civilian-recorded footage and strict enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to protect pets from unnecessary suffering.