Man who kicked dog in head spared jail

A man who repeatedly kicked his dog in the head outside a Brighton convenience store during a psychotic episode has been spared prison.

Brighton Magistrates Court heard Harry Booth, 27, was “extremely unwell” when he attacked his Rottweiler after a row in Budgens in Queens Road in the early hours.

He had left the store after a row with a customer, who the dog had lunged at. During the argument, he took off the muzzle and threatened the customer, and then a store worker.

Booth, of Dalebury Road, Wandsworth, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and affray in connection with the incident on 17 May this year.

He also admitted three counts of assaulting a passenger and two railway staff and criminal damage to a train at Gatwick Station on August 28.

Defending, Alison Reedy said he had no recollection of either incident as he had been so unwell.

Prosecuting, Benjamin Parkinson said Booth’s dog had lunged at a customer after he went into the Budgens at about 1am.

He said: “The defendant and the customer had a verbal argument and the dog again lunged at them.

“The defendant took the muzzle off the dog and made threats towards the customer, and threw a bottle.

“The customer paid and left the shop. The defendant made a threat to fight a member of staff.

“CCTV captures the defendant’s behaviour outside the shop and shows him kicking the dg multiple times.

“Police attended, and the defendant gave a false name and date of birth and could be hard saying on body worn camera footage ‘F*** the law.'”

The Gatwick assaults began as a train pulled into the station, when passenger Jonathan Murrell saw the defendant acting erratically, punching the train doors and communication equipment.

When train staff came to the carriage, Mr Murrell told them to call the police, at which point Booth started following him down the carriage, throwing something at him and shouting: “I’m going to f*** you up.”

Once he left the train, he punched train staff Aaron Manz and Colin Pallet.

The court heard victim impact statements from Mr Murrell, Aaron Manz and Colin Pallet all of whom said they were still affected by the attacks, which had left them nervous about confrontations.