A man who was found guilty of cutting his own dog’s ears off in a sickening attack has been sent to prison.
Christopher Matthew Griffiths had initially denied the offence against his Staffordshire bull terrier named Victor but was convicted following a trial at Wrexham magistrates court in May.
He was jailed for 24 weeks and banned from owning dogs for 10 years by district judge Gwyn Jones yesterday.
Griffiths' trial heard how the 34 year-old, of Bridge Street, Southsea, Wrexham, used pliers to remove the dog's ears during the brutal attack.
Police were alerted when Griffiths himself contacted the force about the assault which happened outside his former property in the Wrexham's Crescent Close on September 22 last year.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Victor inside the property with his ears bandaged up.
Griffiths told them the alleged attacker was a man known to him who was after money.
Police evidence confirmed that they were called to reports of an assault at the property and found Griffiths with injuries, a smashed window and rubbish strewn across the front of the house.
Expert veterinary evidence read out in court revealed that the dog had cocaine in his system, which can result in the dog suffering periods of lethargy.
Giving evidence, Griffiths said he had not long been released from hospital at the time of the incident, having been in a coma and suffered brain damage.
He said he had callipers on both legs and paralysis in his left arm.
Griffiths told the court he was “volleyed” by his alleged attacker and lost consciousness.
He said: “He pointed at the dog and he had no ears.
“I love my dogs. He (Victor) is a muscular dog.
"There is no way I was going to be able to hold him down.
“Both my hands are extremely weak. My dogs are like kids to me. I wouldn’t give my dog cocaine. I don’t know why you would.”
Glenn Murphy, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, called neighbour Mark Owen Jones as a witness.
He told the court he heard the “stressful calls of a dog” and immediately looked outside his flat window.
Mr Jones said Griffiths was trying to remove a muzzle from the dog and requested a pair of pliers from a neighbour.
He said the defendant was kneeling down over the dog with his back to him, then he got up holding up what looked like fabric in his hands.
Bethan Jones, defending, told the court there were “big gaps" and discrepancies in Mr Jones’ evidence, adding that he had never spoken to or met the defendant.
But the magistrates found Mr Jones’ evidence to be credible and found Griffiths guilty.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wrexham-man-who-cut-dogs-11954790
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