Aberdeen man caught throwing dog against wall and beating another on CCTV jailed

An Aberdeen man has been jailed after he was caught throwing one pet dog against a wall and beating another with scrap metal on CCTV.

Allan Gillies, 42, of Hilton Drive was sentenced to six months in jail and a 10-year ban on owning and keeping all animals at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on March 21.

He plead guilty to physically abusing his two dogs, Rex and Reg.

Animal charity Scottish SPCA received a complaint of dog cruelty against Gillies from a neighbour on February 21 last year, stating he was “acting aggressively” towards his dogs.

The neighbour also said Police Scotland officers had paid a visit to Gillies earlier in the day, who confirmed the dogs were still in the property and the owner was in hospital.

“On arrival at the locus we had a look through the front window and saw a black, adult Staffordshire-bull terrier crossbreed type dog, known as Reg, loose in the living room,” Scottish SPCA inspector Fiona McKenzie said.

“From there we could see into the kitchen and saw a brindle and white, adult French bulldog, known as Rex, who appeared to be tied to a cupboard door by a lead.

“We walked around the outside of the locus and the garden areas were covered in several weeks’ worth of faeces.”

Inspectors were then provided with CCTV footage of the incident which happened in Gillies’ front garden earlier that day.

The footage captured the whole incident, and revealed Gillies’ “brutal and cruel” actions towards Rex and Reg.

“The CCTV showed both dogs to be fearful of Gillies and cowering from him,” Inspector McKenzie said.

During the incident, Gillies lifted both dogs in an “unacceptable manner” and threw them, with one being thrown off the exterior wall of the flat.

He then hit Rex with a long piece of scrap metal, and threw the frame of a coffee table directly at Reg – the Staffordshire-bull terrier was seen trying to escape, but the table landed right on top of him.

“When the police officers arrived they informed us that Gillies was still in hospital and they had the keys to the locus,” Inspector McKenzie said.

“We confirmed that, from the CCTV footage we had seen, an offence had been committed and we were removing both dogs.

“We immediately took both dogs for veterinary examination. Reg’s skin and general coat condition was poor.

“The skin was oily and there were large areas of scaling. His anus was red and inflamed which may have been related to his generalised skin condition.

“There were small wounds on his front left leg and he had a broken dew claw on his right.”

A veterinarian was shown the CCTV footage, and she stated in her opinion that the manner in which Gillies handled the dogs was “aggressive and completely unacceptable”.

Both dogs were showing fearful behaviours and had undoubtedly been caused unnecessary suffering and distress by his actions, the Scottish SPCA concluded.

Alan Gillies has a previous conviction of dog cruelty reported by Police Scotland, which had led to a ban from keeping dogs – but the ban was expired by February 21.

Inspector Mckenzie found this a very distressing case.

She said: “I was aghast at Allan Gillies’ cruelty towards his dogs.

“The pain and mental suffering Rex and Reg endured while in his care is unthinkable.

“We welcome the sentence that Gillies received and hopes no other animal will be caused suffering by him. “