Dad killed dog in knife horror

January 31, 2006

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A LABOURER has been banned from keeping animals for life after stabbing to death an American bulldog in front of horrified children.

James Gregory, 34, killed Kodo the dog because he believed it had attacked his four-year-old daughter.

Gregory, of Buckley Road, Gorton, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at Manchester Magistrates' Court.

He was also sentenced to 240 hours community service with '200 costs and ordered to pay '300 compensation to the dog's owners.

Prosecutor Derek Wilcock said the incident took place in November 2004 after Kodo got out onto the road in Woodley Avenue, Burnage.

Gregory's daughter was playing outside and the dog got hold of the hood of her fur-lined coat and wouldn't let go.

The child wasn't injured but the defendant was incensed and after trying to get his bulldog to fight with Kodo, armed himself with a foot-long kitchen knife.

Mr Wilcock said Kodo was stabbed around 12 times with children looking on.

Sentencing Gregory, chairman of the bench Bill Kempton said: "This is the worst case of animal cruelty we have heard in these courts. It's by the skin of your teeth that you have avoided going to prison."

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Emma, Walkden (31/01/2006 at 11:52)

I am not sure if this was animal cruelty on purpose. If I saw my child with a pitbull hanging of its hood I am not sure what I would do bit I am sure I would not stand there and let if carry on draggin my child.

andy attwood, bolton (31/01/2006 at 13:12)

i completely agree with the comment above. If i saw my young child in distress with a dog mauling her, whether it be her clothes or her arms in the heat of the moment i imagine i would have reacted in a similar manner. If owners cannot take responsibility for there savage animals then why should innocent children suffer attacks ? If the animal is viscious enough to dish it out then it must accept the consequnces...whatever they may be !!

bernie, trafford (31/01/2006 at 14:05)

Oh how lovely Emma you would do the same would you so glad I dont inhabit the world where you would leave your young child unsupervised hanging out on the street then rush out with your own fighting dog to hopefully see a great fight where dogs rip each other to shreds and if the dog shows no interest you then have a large knife to hand to stab the dog to pieces. Tell me why didnt this neanderthal get a custodial sentence? He clearly has anger mgt issues not to mention poor 'parenting skills'

croft, machester (31/01/2006 at 14:27)

I am appalled at the judgement, I would have thought that, with a Pit Bull out in the streets without supervision climing up the back of a four year old girl, with his teeth inches away from her jugular, would entitle any parent to take remedial action including killing the dog if necessary. the judgement should have been the other way round against the dog owner for allowing a Pit Bull on to the street without supervision, this is an appalling
judgement.

Pandora, Barcelona (31/01/2006 at 14:57)

In Spain, the owner of the dog would be getting the custodial sentence, owning a dog here is akin to possessing a potentially lethal weapon and the police are red hot on punishments for careless owners whom they deem entirely responsible for the actions of their pet. However I'm not sure about the mentality of a person that would slaughter an animal in such a way. I wouldn't call it entirely normal to shed blood in such a manner. Could the child not have slipped out of her coat? I'm also unsure why people want to keep certain breeds. I thought there was a dangerous dog legislation issue in the UK? Does this breed not fall into that category? And why make such a point of this guy being a labourer - or was this purely a working class crime?

Annie, Chorlton (31/01/2006 at 14:58)

What a disgusting punishment! Let's look at FACTS.

The American Bulldog is a large, dangerous dog, like a Pit-Bull. Far more dangerous and athletic than the smaller British Bulldog.

If the dog attacked once, it will do it again.

True, he took the law into his own hands, but I would imagine it took 12 blows to kill the thing, given that it is pure muscle. I wonder how many injuries the man recieved trying to fight the dog?

Clearly "Bernie" loves ickle doggies....but since when is it wrong to let children play in residential streets... supervised?

Dogs of this type should not even exist, never mind be kept anywhere near children.

Sile, Chorlton (31/01/2006 at 15:28)

This man should have been sent to prison. OK he wanted to pull the dog off-complwtely understandable-but sending his own fighting dog to deal with the situation would only inflame th sitation.Similarlyth owner of the pit bullshould also be investigatd for keeping an illegal breed of dog.

s.corry, moston (31/01/2006 at 16:58)

The animal seems to have been a danger, what if it had gotten hold of the child? Has the dog owner been charged with anything, the dog shouldnt have been out on the street.

expat, u.s.a. (01/02/2006 at 01:40)

if this guy had stabbed a human to death, he would have got little more than a slap on the hand. every time i read british news , i am so glad to be giving up my british citizenship. i am not in favor of hurting animals but the value of human life versus that of a vicious animal, should be a no brainer.

Lee, Salford (01/02/2006 at 13:06)

What are you on about expat USA?? He would have recieved a slapped hand if it was a human he'd stabbed to death? What planet do you live on! This guy should of been sent to prison, if you can do that to an living animal you could do it to anyone. If he hadn't been winding the dog up it wouldn't of attacked! And what was his young daughter doing around when he was inticing two animals to fight each other!

Emily, Withington (02/02/2006 at 11:48)

Sure it was not right to kill the dog, but why was the dog not on a leash in the first place???? And what if the "innocent" dog had not grabbed hold of the girl's hood, but her head? I'm sure everyone would be singing a different tune then. Why was the dog owner not warned about letting his dog run loose????

Rebecca Gulliver, Nashua (07/02/2006 at 02:03)

people are unbelievable most don't take the time to think about the situation.People label certain dogs as "bad dogs" when really there loving, friendly dogs if they're brought up right and given the chance. I read that the girl was fine. Yes, the dog had grabbed onto her hood and wouldn't let go maybe he was playing it's not like he bit her neck or face or any other body part for that matter. That man deserves more of a punishment then he got. What he did to that dog was so wrong and should have to actually "pay the price" for what he did. That family lost a part of there family, but because it wasn't a human it's different right...no WRONG...people like that don't deserve a place in this world to hate that much and feel to do that much violence is disgusting. Look people have actually lost their kids to dogs and learned to forgive...the girl was fine

nic, withington (08/02/2006 at 21:00)

i would take the dogs head off

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