Owner goes free, after starving her Bull Terrier to death

A negligent mum who left her pet dog to starve to death in the 'worst animal cruelty in 30 years' has avoided prison.

Amie Smith’s white Bull Terrier Rocky died from hunger and neglect in a filthy home surrounded by dirt and his own faeces, the Chronicle reports.

Rocky was found only after he had been dead for three weeks when neighbours reported a “stench of death” coming from Smith’s home in Merton Road, Walker.

The emaciated dog was found near an empty water bowl and tin cans which he had attempted to eat in his desperate state.

The young mother, 23, claimed that she had gone to Blackpool for four days and had left the animal in the care of a friend.

She said that when she got back she could not find the dog, who was less than two years old.

Denise Jackman, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said a post-mortem showed Rocky would have suffered “an enormous amount of stress” before he died.

She added that Rocky’s pain had been 'severe, prolonged and avoidable'.

But Smith immediately pleaded guilty to causing Rocky’s unnecessary death when he was discovered.

David Parish, mitigating, described her as “someone who has expressed deep and sincere remorse. She is deeply, deeply ashamed of what has happened here.”

He added that though she wanted to make “no bones” about the incident, she had been in an 'extremely violent relationship' and that the majority of the domestic violence occurred in the house where Rocky was discovered.

He said: “Her mental health deteriorated to the point where she was unable to return to that address.

“You can see the mess of what was happening to her in that address.”

Mr Parish added that Smith suffered from an emotional disorder for which she has only recently begun receiving treatment.

He implored magistrates not to send her to prison as he said it would undo the treatment she has undergone so far.

In a court hearing at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court Smith sobbed quietly and said she was “deeply ashamed and really sorry” before breaking down as magistrates decided her punishment.

Smith was given a suspended six-month prison sentence, a curfew from 6pm to 6am for the next three months and a life-long disqualification from ever owning an animal again.

She will also have to foot the bill for legal costs of almost £700.

John Dixon, chair of the bench, told her: “I just want to tell you that in over 30 years of magistrates this is the worst case of animal cruelty that we have ever come across.”

He added that her severe mental health problems, including a borderline personality disorder, were all that was keeping him from sending her to jail immediately.

Mrs Jackman, prosecuting, argued that the sentence was too harsh.

She told Mr Dixon: “I know this is a suspended sentence but your powers only carry six months’ maximum. She has had no credit for the timely guilty plea.”

Her complaint was rejected by Mr Dixon who said Smith’s remorse and guilty plea had stopped him from sending her to prison straightaway.

Michelle Charlton from the RSPCA told The Chronicle the punishment was 'appropriate' for what had happened.

“This is a dreadful case. In my view there is no excusing leaving an animal to starve to death. The sentence is appropriate - you can’t get better than a life-time disqualification for all animals.”