Man sentenced over 'abhorrent' animal abuse after attacking fox with garden fork
Date of alert:
Monday, 1 August 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Essex Police
Described as an “abhorrent” case of animal abuse, secret filming revealed Paul O’Shea capturing a fox with his terrier and using a garden fork to eventually remove it from the dog's jaws.
O’Shea was sentenced on Monday for hunting a wild mammal with dogs, under the Hunting Act, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, under the Animal Welfare Act. Magistrates in Chelmsford told him he would be sent to prison for 18 weeks, however his sentence would be suspended for a year.
The attack on the fox last December in Pattiswick was prolonged. Experts said it was caused unnecessary suffering, mental fear and terror. O’Shea’s defence lawyer suggested the fork did not impale the animal but the Magistrates rejected the attempt to minimise the abuse.
