Man jailed for burning puppy’s face with cigarettes and breaking its bones | UK | News
A sadistic dog owner subjected his puppy to such brutal physical abuse that he suffered multiple broken ribs, broken legs and cigarette burns on his face. Nottingham Crown Court heard Adam Blackwell repeatedly kicked and began abusing his XL Bully dog named Milo, who was just 14 weeks old when he bought him. (Image: BPM Media)
The cruel dog owner who brutally tortured his puppy and caused the veterinarian to euthanize the animal was jailed. The horrific injuries included multiple broken bones, broken ribs and cigarette burns to his face. Adam Blackwell, of no fixed address, repeatedly kicked XL bully Milo, who was just 14 weeks old.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Blackwell bought Milo and began tormenting him by locking him in a cage with no water or food. He also neglected to get veterinary treatment for Milo. The RSPCA intervened after a neighbor became concerned about seeing Blackwell in the garden with her puppy. They managed to get Milo to a veterinarian.
Blackwell informed the veterinarian that the animal’s injuries were caused by rolling off a mattress, a market stall, and a table. The trauma was so great that the veterinarian announced there was nothing they could do but euthanize Milo, the Nottingham Post reported. Daily Star.
Adam Blackwell repeatedly kicked his XL Bully named Milo (Image: BPM Media)
Jailing him for two years, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC said: “You deliberately and sadistically kicked and punched him. You broke his bones and he could barely walk. You forced him to be locked in a cage with no bedding, no water or food.
“The dog would suffer every day it survived during its short life. Animals, just like children, expect and demand to be well cared for.
“They don’t choose the owners, they have no say in the matter. There can’t be a single happy day in that dog’s life.”
Philip Brown, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court Blackwell bought Milo in June 2023. At the time he was living in communal garden accommodation in Mansfield.
A neighbor raised her concerns when she heard him yelling at the dog and the RSPCA became involved.
The prosecutor said: “He heard her shouting ‘I told you not to bite me, if you bite me this will happen to you’ and then the dog screaming.
“When the RSPCA inspector saw Milo he noticed him cowering next to the defendant but his demeanor changed towards the inspector. He realized he was disabled and took him to an RSPCA vet who noted that his right hind leg was disabled and he had lesions on his face.
“These were later revealed to be consistent with cigarette burns. There were such injuries, the prognosis was hopeless, and the only humane way to deal with Milo was euthanasia.”
Blackwell later admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal. During a separate incident that led to him being stopped and searched, he was found in possession of a duster and marijuana.
He had four previous convictions covering nine other offences. His latest offenses meant he breached a suspended sentence order relating to intent to supply Class A and B drugs.
A sadistic dog owner subjected his puppy to such brutal physical abuse that he suffered multiple broken ribs. (Image: BPM Media)
Tom Welshman, mitigating, said: “Mr Blackwell in his letter refers to himself as exhibiting ‘despicable behaviour’ for which he knows he has no excuse.
“He’s a guy who has issues and challenges, and he couldn’t deal with his anger and his issues with substances and people, and he took it out on Milo. It’s a very sad situation, and he’s sorry about that.”
In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also imposed an indefinite ban on keeping animals.
An RSPCA spokesperson commented: “This was an incredibly distressing case for everyone involved.
“Milo was a loving puppy whose short life was dominated by the terrible suffering of the person who was supposed to care for and protect him.
“We are grateful to the person who provided us with the video evidence as we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears so we can help voiceless animals like Milo.”
