The dog, who was approximately 10 months old at the time, died from injuries sustained in the offence.
A teenager killed a dog by kicking it twice – one time so hard that it went over the head of its owner.
Josh Henney, 19, kicked the dog in its underbelly while its owner was speaking to his mother outside his flat on North William Street, Dublin City Centre.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court reportedly heard the teenager was having an argument with his mother from their flat window before coming out of the flat and telling the dog’s owner to “f**k off out of here and mind your own business.”
He threatened to kill the dog and then took a run at it, kicking it so hard it went over the head of its owner. He walked away and took a second run at the animal, kicking it in its underbelly and causing its breathing to labour.
The owner brought the dog, a 10-month-old cross between a Jack Russell and Yorkshire Terrier, to a nearby vet but the animal died while undergoing treatment.
Dr. Alan Wolfe, who performed the autopsy on the dog, said the animal had sustained multiple fractures and fissures to its liver. Its injuries showed the dog died from blood loss as a result of acute trauma, he said.
Prosecuting barrister Dara Hayes told the court the dog, named Sam, had been like family to its owner, who has no children, and went wherever she went.
Henney pleaded guilty to and wished to apologise for killing the dog on March 23, 2020.
The Irish Times reports he told a psychologist that the offence was a “horrible thing to do” and that he wishes to get help so he never does anything like that again.
Defending barrister Cathal McGreal told the court his client’s father was shot in Malaga in front of Henney when he was just 14. The now 19-year-old has 36 previous convictions and is currently serving a two-year sentence (with the final six months suspended) for an offence of violent disorder.
Judge Melanie Greally said she will likely extend Henney’s imprisonment due to the nature of the offence.
