Man tortured 11-week-old puppy to death ‘for a laugh’ | UK News

A cruel dog owner who tortured an 11-week-old puppy to death did it ‘for no other reason than enjoyment’, a court heard. 

Dudley Payne, 29, has been jailed for two years and nine months after the horrific attack on American Bully Rocko. 

The pup’s breeder, George Wilson, said Rocko was in top condition when he handed him over to Payne in January 2022. 

But within a week, the puppy had died at the hands of Payne, suffering horrific injuries which included cigarette burns, broken bones and internal bleeding. Rocko’s heart also showed signs of having a massive rush of adrenaline before he died, showing the pup was terrified, the court heart.

Handing down the sentence, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, said: ‘The only conclusion I can draw is that you tortured that dog to death. He must have died in agony and terror.

‘You have shown no remorse. I am driven to the appalling conclusion you did it to him because you enjoyed it.’

During a trial in August 2023, Preston Crown Court heard Payne agreed to buy Rocko from Mr Wilson, an old school friend, on a payment plan. 

He took him home on January 25 but failed to make the first instalment. On January 29, Rocko was given his injections and a clean bill of health, but on February 1, Payne’s grandmother called the out of hours vet.

‘It was clear the dog was either dead or close to death’, Judge Altham said.

The court heard the vet fee was too high for Payne, however the vet said Payne could pay what he could afford and set up a plan to pay the remaining cost.

However the following day, Payne called Mr Wilson and told him the puppy had died. 

Mr Wilson was immediately suspicious, and told Payne to take Rocko to his own vet, Chris Mason.

Mr Wilson left work to meet Payne and Rocko there, resulting in him losing his job, the court heard.

At the vets it was clear Rocko had suffered serious injuries and Mr Wilson offered to pay for a post-mortem to find out what had happened. It emerged Rocko had suffered horrific injuries consistent with him being held down, his legs pulled forcefully apart and burnt with cigarettes.

He also had blunt force trauma to his abdomen and head, likely to have been caused by a fist. 

When the vet saw the results of the post mortem, he made a report to the RSPCA, and Payne was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

In a statement read in court at the trial, RSPCA inspector Emma Dingley said: ‘The vet received the postmortem results back and immediately contacted the RSPCA.

‘He told me on the phone it was the worst postmortem examination report he had ever read.’

He denied the offence, claiming Rocko was in poor health when he collected him from Mr Wilson, and needed ‘a bit of love’.

However the jury saw through his lies and Payne, of Braintree Avenue, Penwortham, was found unanimously guilty of the offence. 

Mr Wilson said: ‘Rocko was in great condition. He was the biggest of the litter. The vet checked him over and said he was bang on perfect.

‘I’ve known Dudley since primary school and I never thought he would do something like this. It’s shocking and I’m disgusted by it. The sentence is nothing really, is it? Rocko could have lived for 12 – 15 years.’

Judge Altham commended Mr Wilson’s actions which ensured Payne’s cruelty was fully investigated and brought to justice.

Speaking after the hearing, inspector Dingley said: ‘I will never be able to comprehend what happened to Rocko and why such a young animal was treated in such a cruel way.

‘This investigation will stay with me forever, but I’m pleased that we were able to get some justice for this little puppy, and I think the long custodial sentence reflects the gravity of this case.’

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