A professional dog walker known for walking packs of dogs on Brighton Racecourse has been told he will go to prison if one of them bites someone again.
Terrence Peckham, 67, yesterday admitted three counts of being in charge of dangerously out of control dogs which bit other people.
Last year, he was banned from walking more than four dogs at a time after admitting one of the dogs he was in charge of bit yet another man.
Yesterday, district judge Amanda Kelly gave him a suspended prison sentence, and limited the number of dogs he’s allowed to walk to just two.
All three of the incidents dealt with yesterday happened on the footpath between Walpole Road and Brighton Racecourse between November 2021 and August last year.
The dogs injured Christopher Karaszy-Kulin on two occasions, first on 19 June, 2022 and then again on 20 August, 2022. Another man, Christopher Fowler, was hurt on 24 November, 2021.
Peckham, 67, of Walpole Terrace, previously said if his dogs attacked, it was the fault of owners who didn’t socialise their pets properly, instead treating them as “fur babies”.
The court then heard there had already been a number of occasions of his dogs causing injuries, with six incidents reported to police of injuries to people or other dogs.
No one dog was responsible for all the attacks.
At that time, he had ten dogs living with him, seven his own and three he was fostering.
Yesterday, Ms Kelly told him the offences were so serious, only a custodial sentence can be justified, and passed a six month sentence.
But she suspended it for 12 months, with the condition that if he breaches it, he will appear before her again.
He was also given a criminal behaviour order for three years, starting yesterday, with the requirements: “You must not be in a place to which the public have access with more than two dogs each of which you must be holding on an non extendable lead of no more, than one metre in length and each dog must be wearing a muzzle.”
He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation.
How can he blame the owners when I have witnessed him first hand hitting dogs.
It is about time action is taken against him.
Please please report him to the RSPCA right away. Those poor dogs deserve better!
Well done to those who followed up – dog bites can be fatal and children need protection. I’ve had several incidents and people need to be responsible for their dogs . We all have a right to walk in the countryside and not be bitten .
He is a disgusting dog beater. I have seen him hit and kick dogs that he is walking and when confronted was abusive and nasty. A horrible little man deserves all that comes his way.
Oh heavens, i recognise him! Bit of a shock. Saw him hitting a dog much too hard & long back in the winter along that walkway butto my shame was too scared to intervene. Very nasty jobsworth. He should be forbidden to have any animals as pets or to earn money from them.