Friday 29 January 2010

Something For Judge Morris Cooper To Bear In Mind…

As Al Jahom pointed out, this sets a precedent:
A security firm worker who allowed a dog to die of heatstroke in a van has been jailed for three months, the RSPCA said tonight.
A mistake? Well, yes.

But one which shouldn’t have been made:
Commenting on the outcome of the court case, Ms Lyons said: 'Although I am sure Mr Ellerton never intended his dogs to suffer in this way, I found this whole situation to be wholly unacceptable.

'Mr Ellerton is a professional dog-handler and should not under any circumstances have left the dogs in the van. '
People wondering what this has to do with Judge Morris Cooper will have forgotten this case last year…
A pre-trial review has been set for December 17, which PC Johnson was told he does not have to attend. The trial is set for February 22 to 25 next year at Nottingham Magistrates, in front of district judge Morris Cooper.
A date for the diary, I think…

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe he will ask a question or two about this result? Or is it one rule for the vets and one rule for everyone else?

Vet Alex Gough of Clutton is cautioned over dog's hot-car death
6 Jul 2009 ... Alex Gough, 37, from Clutton, in Somerset, was cautioned by the RSPCA following the death of his Labrador Rory in May 2007. ...
www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Vet-cautioned-dog-s-hot.../article.html

JuliaM said...

Interesting!

I've always thought that precedent was taken into account in British courts, as it is in the US.

Well, we'll see...

Anonymous said...

Precedent in the UK is only set by the higher courts.

This case was in the magistrates court, otherwise known as police courts because they are usually so biased towards the prosecution! - see
http://the-shg.org/Penny%20Darbyshire.htm

Magitrates courts are the lowest of the low - in every sense!