A sadistic dog owner subjected his young puppy to such savage physical abuse it suffered multiple broken ribs, broken legs and cigarette burns to its face.Nottingham Crown Court heard how Adam Blackwell repeatedly kicked his XL Bully called Milo who was only 14 weeks old when he bought him and started to abuse it. (Image: BPM Media)
A cruel dog owner who barbarically tortured his young puppy so severely that a veterinarian was forced to euthanise the animal has been imprisoned. The horrific injuries encompassed numerous fractured bones, broken ribs and cigarette burns inflicted upon its face. Adam Blackwell, of no fixed address, repeatedly kicked his XL bully Milo who was merely 14 weeks old.
Blackwell purchased Milo and began tormenting him by callously confining him in a cage without water or food, Nottingham Crown Court heard. He also neglected to seek veterinary treatment for Milo. The RSPCA intervened after a neighbour grew worried about witnessing Blackwell in the garden with the puppy. They managed to get Milo to a veterinarian.
Blackwell informed the vet that the animal’s wounds resulted from him tumbling from a mattress, a market stall and a table. The trauma was so extensive that the vet declared there was nothing they could do except euthanise Milo, reported Nottingham Post, reports the Daily Star.
Adam Blackwell repeatedly kicked his XL Bully called Milo (Image: BPM Media)
Sentencing him to two years imprisonment, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC declared: “You deliberately and sadistically kicked and punched him. “You broke its bones and it could hardly walk. You forced it into a cage with no bedding, no water and no food.
“Every day that dog was alive in its short life it would have been in agony. Animals, just like children, expect and demand to be cared for properly.
“They don’t choose their owners, they don’t have a say in that. There can’t have been a single happy day in that dog’s life.”
Philip Brown, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, informed the court that Blackwell had purchased Milo in June 2023. At the time, he was residing in accommodation with a communal garden in Mansfield.
A neighbour raised concerns after overhearing him shouting at the dog, prompting RSPCA involvement.
The prosecutor stated: “She heard him shouting ‘I told you not to bite me and that’s what you get for biting’ and then heard the dog screaming.
“When an RSPCA inspector saw Milo he noticed him cowered around the defendant but his demeanour changed around the inspector. He noticed it was lame and took him to an RSPCA vet who noted the right hind leg was unable to work and he had lesions to his face.
“These were later found to be consistent with cigarette burns. Such were the injuries the prognosis was hopeless and the only humane way of dealing with Milo was euthanasia.”
Blackwell subsequently admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal. He was found in possession of a knuckle duster and cannabis during a separate incident which led to him being stopped and searched.
He had four previous convictions covering nine other offences. His recent offences meant he violated a suspended sentence order relating to intent to supply Class A and B drugs.
A sadistic dog owner subjected his young puppy to such savage physical abuse it suffered multiple broken ribs (Image: BPM Media)
Tom Welshman, mitigating, remarked: “Mr Blackwell speaks of himself in his letter as him carrying out ‘despicable behaviour’ which he knows there is no excuse for.
“He is a man with his issues and difficulties and he was unable to deal with his anger and the issues he had with substances and people and he took that out on Milo. That’s a very sad situation and he’s sorry for that.”
The judge imposed an indefinite ban on the defendant keeping animals alongside his prison sentence.
An RSPCA spokesperson commented: “This was an incredibly upsetting case to deal with for all involved.
“Milo was a loving puppy whose short life was dominated by awful suffering inflicted by the very person who was supposed to care for and protect him.
“We are thankful 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 animals like Milo who do not have a voice.”
