Oh well, if it stops them thieving…
Spud, a five-year-old Rottweiler, pounced on 35-year-old career burglar Carl Lazenby as he was hiding in a garden.Only nearly? Send Spud for retraining, or perhaps some emergency dental work!
Sheffield Crown Court heard that Lazenby later complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission after nearly losing his arm.
Lazenby’s barrister Peter Hampton said he had lost three tendons in his fingers and would never have the use of his right hand again.I’m sure it won’t prevent him from filling in disability benefit forms…
Lazenby, of Fairleigh, Manor, admitted burglary and an attempted burglary in August.The incident did give his defence a rather unusual opportunity to plead for leniency, though:
His criminal career began at the age of 13. He has been convicted of 13 house burglaries and asked for another 17 to be considered over the years.
He was released from his latest jail term in April this year, but his licence was revoked in August after his latest arrest.
Mr Hampton said his mitigation for Lazenby was “unusual and exceptional” after justice had already been “meted out” by Spud.Sadly, this being England, it’s not left up to the dog to pass sentence, more’s the pity…
Judge Alan Goldsack, the Recorder of Sheffield, said he would bear the injuries in mind when passing sentence, along with his benefits being withdrawn and his efforts to get off drugs.Believe it or not, the IPCC is actually taking his complaint of ‘excessive force’ seriously.
But the judge told Lazenby: “None of these factors can excuse this further serious offending by you.”
Spud probably was going to use the minimum amount of force (now we're no longer legally obliged to retreat and cower away from intruders - any self-defence being regarded by the desk-jockeys as 'excessive force') but the drugs that Lazenby introduced into Spud's system would obviously confuse a non-user.
ReplyDeleteSpud's owner should counter-sue for the poisoning of his dog. Probably worth checking for HIV as well.
I was expecting to read that Spud's owner was in the dock and that Spud was on death row.
ReplyDeleteThen the penny dropped.
Is the IPCC allowed to give a ruling of "Well done, Spud"?
".. never have the use of his right hand again" ...
ReplyDeleteIn actual fact Spud has done him a bit of a favour, as he'll no longer have to dither about, deciding which hand to pick his nose with ..
I'd certainly agree Derek .. the scrote should have been additionally charged with the attempted poisoning of a Police dog ..
Good lad Spud ! ....
The Manor is the pits of Sheffield, though most of it is on the side of the hill. (But then most of Sheffield is). But it is the attitudes there that depress so much.
ReplyDeleteA relative of mine once worked at a primary school on The Manor and remembers a little girl always coming to school in the same clothes, day in and day out, winter or summer. One day the little girl had a different cardigan on. Equally frayed and tattered but different. When asked, the child said proudly, that it was her birthday.
Agreed PoWR
ReplyDeleteThe Manor is a white ghetto if I've ever seen one.
I had to read this story a couple of times before it sunk in.My chums in Yorkshire using Rotties as police dogs? Bloody hell it must be hard oop North!If we get any softer in the Met we will be issued with corgis soon.
ReplyDeleteJaded
Spud was just protecting his territory and his master. Perfectly normal. Serves the bastard burglar right. If he hadn't been there he wouldn't have been savaged by the dog. Of course this 'defence' never works in court.
ReplyDeleteSpud was just protecting his territory and his master
ReplyDeleteI think you may have got the wrong end of the stick like Jaded and me: Spud is a police dog.
That's why there's a risk the IPCC might decide that he is too violent and should be 'modified' so that henceforth he can only apprehend burglars with his gums.
"Is the IPCC allowed to give a ruling of "Well done, Spud"?"
ReplyDeleteIt damned well should be!
"When asked, the child said proudly, that it was her birthday."
*appalled* But I bet that household didn't lack for booze & cigarettes, or drugs... :/
AARRGGGHH. Here is the problem. Despite the scumbg being a cereer criminal since the age of 13, and despite 13 - yes 13 - previous convictions for burglary, the judge sentences him to three years and four months!!! The maximum sentence for burglary is 14 years. Why has he not gone into at least double figures? This is why these scummies are laughing at us.
ReplyDelete"The maximum sentence for burglary is 14 years. Why has he not gone into at least double figures?"
ReplyDeleteBecause our justice system is irretrievably broken?