Dogsey

A four-year-old dog was repeatedly thrown from a slipway into the sea by her cruel owners. The incident happened in Exmouth, Devon. With the concrete Mamhead Slipway just below the surface of the water, the black-and-tan terrier, Jess, was at serious risk of injury.

The incident was caught on camera by an eye witness. Both the owners, John Nesbitt, 62, and Linda Jones, 51, were seen throwing Jess at least four times. Her body was described as twisting in the air as she headed towards the sea.

When interviewed by police, the couple claimed they were throwing Jess into the sea to cool her down on a hot April day. Jones initially denied throwing the dog, stating: “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.” Later admitting throwing the dog, she said she 'plopped' her in and said she'd do it again. “Whoosh, she goes to the bottom and up she comes. She is 18 inches tall and shakes herself off. She swims out of the sea - doggy paddles. It wasn't that shallow, the tide was coming in.” The eye witness' photographs, however, showed the true story, with Jess being hurled up into the air towards the sea, her body twisting uncomfortably.

Although Jess was luckily unhurt, vet David Cooper advised Exeter magistrates that she could have suffered spinal, leg and jaw injuries after twisting and plunging into the sea. The couple were subsequently convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. Sentencing was adjourned until next month but the Crown want a life ban on them keeping animals and an order depriving them of Jess. Jess is currently in foster care.

Couple have convictions overturned - see update here: http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...27#post2542327