Blackpool man released from jail discovered his dog had been beheaded

A man came out of prison to discover his pet dog had been deliberately decapitated in his flat.

His lawyer Patrick Nelligan told Blackpool Magistrates’ Court: “The death hog his dog upset him a great deal.”

“He made threats against the person he believed had done it.”

Those threats were made when James Topping was arrested for breaking his criminal behaviour order which prohibits him from entering Blackpool town centre.

District judge Jane Goodwin asked why Topping, 27, formerly of Bolton Street, Blackpool, had not reported the incident to the RSPCA or police.

Mr Nelligan replied. “If he had reported it he feared grave consequences from others.

“That is the work he lives in.”

Topping admitted breaching his order by sitting outside St John’s Church on Church Street.

It was his 20 th breach of the order.

The judge told him: “You take little or no notice of court order. I am jailing you for 26 weeks.”