An English dognapper who toured Scotland stealing folks's pets has been jailed and banned from maintaining any animals.
Clifford Hodgkins was discovered responsible at two separate trials of animal cruelty and dognapping and was jailed for 90 days and fined a complete of £900.
He requested Perth Sheriff Courtroom for "no time to pay" and the advantageous was transformed to an additional 28 days in jail, together with a two-year ban on maintaining any pets.
The court docket heard how brazen Hodgkins stole one terrier canine in full view of its proprietor however was filmed driving away in a particular Ford Focus.
The canine's DNA was recovered from hair and faeces within the automotive, together with Hodgkins DNA which was discovered on the handbrake.
Canine proprietor Alistair McLaren, 22, informed the trial he realised Hodgkins, 40, was stealing his canine Harvey in entrance of his eyes.
Mr McLaren mentioned one other one in every of his canines began barking as a result of they heard a automotive approaching the household's distant rural residence.
He mentioned: "I owned 5 canines. Certainly one of them was Harvey. He is a terrier blended with a little bit little bit of Jack Russell. He was stolen.
"It was about 9.30 am on 20 October 2020 and I used to be working from residence. I've acquired a pet canine inside the home.
"Each time one thing comes down the drive the canine will bark - regardless of who or what it's. I heard the canine bark so I walked by way of to the lounge to look out the window.
"I may see a automotive parked on the opposite aspect of the hedge on the backside of the backyard.
"You'll be able to see the street within the distance. I noticed somebody go into the canine kennel, choose up Harvey and dump the canine in his automotive.
"He went into the kennel, picked up the canine and chucked it into the blue Ford Focus he was driving.
"I mentioned 'what are you doing' and he mentioned 'nothing,' jumped within the automotive and drove away. That is once I whipped out my telephone and filmed him.
"There was an English accent with a lisp in his speech. Throughout it occurring I used to be on the telephone to my dad."
Mr McLaren mentioned he later posted a message on social media to ask for assist in discovering his canine and figuring out the thief who stole Harvey.
He mentioned one in every of his associates posted a screenshot of Hodgkins and recommended he might have been the person accountable for taking the canine.
Mr McLaren informed the court docket he then realised that he had seen Hodgkins when he had visited his residence just a few weeks earlier than the dognapping passed off.
Hodgkins, from Kidderminster, was discovered responsible of stealing a canine from Muir Ale Home close to Meikleour in Perthshire on 20 October 2020.
He was additionally discovered responsible of stealing two Jack Russells and a springer from one other deal with in the identical space on the identical date.
On the time, their proprietor - gamekeeper Craig Brown - mentioned: "I had been engaged on the property and got here again to search out the kennels empty.
"It was simply stunning, unthinkable. We might by no means imagined something like that would occur right here."
The trial heard that the automotive was discovered deserted and hidden amongst polytunnels in a discipline close to Blairgowrie, Perthshire.
Three of the canines had been later discovered greater than 400 miles away, in numerous components of the West Midlands. The springer stays lacking.
Sheriff Francis Gill ordered that the lurcher canine, which remains to be being held within the care of the police, be re-homed.
Hodgkins claimed he had by no means pushed the automotive and mentioned it was "a recognized legal’s automotive." He added: "It was owned by one of many lads on the property. Everybody used it."
He mentioned he had solely ever been a passenger within the car, however the sheriff didn't imagine his DNA was solely on the handbrake as a result of he had been doing handbrake turns.
Two-year-old Harvey was discovered days after the theft, roaming across the village of Dodford, Worcestershire. One other canine was handed right into a vet in Bromsgrove, whereas a 3rd was present in a park some 11 miles away.
In a separate trial, Hodgkins was discovered responsible of animal neglect after his personal canine was heard crying in ache after being locked exterior in freezing circumstances.
The lurcher, referred to as Bruce, was heard "howling" in misery and was discovered scarred, with cracked paws and an contaminated claw by SSPCA officers.
Hodgkins informed the trial he was solely shouting on the animal as a result of canines had been "mind useless."
Police and the SSPCA swooped on his property in MacDonald Crescent, Rattray, following experiences by neighbours that Bruce had been chained up exterior when the temperature dropped to minus 4.
Hodgkins was discovered responsible of failing to supply the animal with enough shelter and exposing it to the weather between 27 and 29 November 2020. He failed to supply an acceptable residing setting and restricted its motion by tethering it.
Sheriff Gill informed Hodgkins that he discovered the proof of SSPCA officers, police and neighbours to be credible and dependable and mentioned it was clear the canine was left in a state of misery.
The sheriff discovered an additional cost, that tree surgeon Hodgkins, from Blairgowrie, behaved in a threatening or abusive method and threw stones on the canine, not confirmed.
Hodgkins informed the trial he had purchased the canine for £400 after seeing it marketed on the web.
"I purchased it on the Friday and the police got here and took him on the Sunday," he mentioned. "It was a pet. I needed to take him on walks within the countryside."
He denied neglecting the animal, insisting that the half-built shed - which had no door or home windows - was wind-proof, dry and insulated.
Hodgkins rejected claims made by a neighbour that he threw stones on the canine and shouted aggressively at it.
"The canine was whinging as a result of it was in a brand new setting," he claimed. "So I informed it to get in (the shed) just a few occasions."
"You need to prepare them, as a result of they're mind useless. You need to present him."
SSPCA inspector Katherine Aitchison informed the trial she went to the property - then the house of Hodgkins' accomplice - after complaints from residents.
She mentioned Hodgkins answered the door and informed her there was no canine within the again backyard. She returned with police the next day.
She described the lurcher-type canine within the again backyard as "very chilly and all hunched up. I believe the night time earlier than the temperature had dropped to minus 4.
"The canine was clearly drained and was shivering. Its tail was between its legs and it had a roached again. That is not completely happy physique language."
Ms Aitchison mentioned the canine had entry to a wood shed, which had a tarpaulin sheet with a slit in it as an alternative of a door.
"There was a small blanket on the ground of the shed. It wasn't offering a lot consolation and it undoubtedly wasn't offering any warmth."
The canine was taken into SSPCA care and examined. Ms Aitchison mentioned it had cracks on its paws, an contaminated claw and scarring on its face.
"He relaxed after a couple of minutes of being within the warmth," she mentioned.
Neighbour Karen Thorburn informed the trial she was saved awake by the canine's "howling," whereas one other witness, Jenna Muir, mentioned she heard it crying.
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