A man who subjected a young puppy to extreme cruelty, resulting in multiple injuries that forced veterinarians to euthanize the animal, has received a two-year prison sentence. The 14-week-old XL bully named Milo suffered broken bones, fractured ribs, and cigarette burns on his face due to repeated kicks and punches from his owner, Adam Blackwell, who had no fixed address.
Details of the Abuse
Blackwell acquired Milo in June 2023 while living in accommodation with a communal garden in Mansfield. He confined the puppy in a cage without food, water, or bedding and neglected to seek veterinary care for his worsening condition. A concerned neighbor alerted authorities after hearing Blackwell shout, “I told you not to bite me and that’s what you get for biting,” followed by the puppy’s screams.
RSPCA inspectors responded and observed Milo cowering near Blackwell but relaxing in their presence. The puppy was limping severely, with his right hind leg non-functional and facial lesions later confirmed as cigarette burns. Veterinary examination revealed hopeless injuries, leading to the decision for humane euthanasia.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Nottingham Crown Court, Blackwell claimed the injuries stemmed from the puppy falling off a mattress, a market stall, and a table. He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal. The court heard that Blackwell also possessed a knuckle duster and cannabis from a separate incident and had four prior convictions for nine offenses, including breaching a suspended sentence for intent to supply Class A and B drugs.
Judge Stuart Rafferty KC sentenced Blackwell to two years in prison and disqualified him indefinitely from owning animals. The judge stated: “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 for the RSPCA, described the neighbor’s intervention: “She heard him shouting at the dog 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.”
In mitigation, Tom Welshman said: “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.”
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.”
