Suffering: Linda Jones, 51, hurls four-year-old terrier, Jess, into the sea at Exmouth, Devon. The dog twists in the air before hitting the shallow water belowA couple were caught on camera repeatedly throwing their pet dog into the sea, a court heard.
John Nesbitt, 62, and Linda Jones, 51, hurled their four year old terrier dog called Jess into the sea from a slipway at Exmouth, Devon.
Jess narrowly avoided injury as she plunged head first towards the concrete just below the surface of the sea. The little dog twisted in the air as she flew towards the seas. She was thrown in at least four times.
The court heard that the couple were photographed by eye witness James Clews, 24.
Photos don't lie: Jones holds the pet dog, Jess, aloft before swinging her forward and releasing her. The court said the dog could have been hurt on the concrete slipway below the water, she told police she couldn't lift the small dogJones and Nesbitt, both from Exmouth, Devon, were convicted of a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The couple claimed they were just trying to keep their pet cool during a hot day in April.
Prosecutor Clifford Howard told Exeter magistrates court: ‘Mr Clews, was on Exmouth docks taking some pictures and witnessed the incident - and his photos were shown to the court. Police arrested the pair and interviewed them.’
Prosecutor Clifford Howard said: ‘Both of them accepted that the dog called Jess was thrown into the sea by them. However they claimed they were cooling her down because she was hot.’
Poor Jess: The little terrier is bent uncomfortably as Jones throws the dog. The astonishing scenes were captured by shocked eye-witness James ClewsMr Howard said beneath the water was a concrete slipway but said the couple would not know how shallow the water was at the point and where the solid concrete was under the sea.
The prosecutor said the first photos showed Mr Nesbitt throwing Jess into the water after holding her in his arms. The second batch showed Jones holding her before launching her into the sea from shoulder height and the dog 'hitting the water'.
Mr Howard said Jess would have been in danger of hitting the concrete base of the slipway. Mr Clews said: ‘The male picked up the dog and chucked it into the sea. It went into the sea and got back out. Then the woman picked it up and she chucked it in the sea. I saw the dog hit the water.’
Jones told the magistrates: ‘I am so angry. I know the sea like the back of my hand. I just want my baby back.’ Jones told police in her interview: ‘I did not throw the dog in the water, Mr Nesbitt did. I could not have thrown her into the sea, I couldn't pick her up, she is too heavy to throw into the sea.
The magistrates said the pair should have known their actions could have caused the dog suffering. The Crown want a life ban on them keeping animals and an order depriving them of Jess. Jess is still in boarding RSPCA kennels. Sentence was adjourned until next month.
source : dailymail
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