A Perth man punched his neighbour’s dog twice in the face during a row about late night noise.
George Boura lashed out at the staffie-collie cross after being woken by people outside his block at 2am.
The dog, called Summer, has never been the same since the assault, owner Mark Donnachie told Perth Sheriff Court.
Police charged Boura with causing the animal unnecessary following the disturbance outside his home at St Johnstoun’s Buildings, Charles Street, on May 8 last year.
The 44-year-old, who was also charged with a public disorder offence, denied hitting the dog and claimed to police he had instead “pushed its head away gently”.
He claimed his neighbours had conspired against him because he had repeatedly complained to the council about noise.
Boura, who builds tee-pees for weddings, was found guilty following a one-day trial at Perth Sheriff Court, after three witnesses insisted they saw him punch the dog in the face.
‘Wanting a fight’
Mr Donnachie, 48, told the trial he was outside the block of flats with his dog just after 2am.
He said he met with two friends who had just returned from holiday.
“They were dropping off some cigarettes for me.
“My dog was playing with their dog.
“They were just running about, they weren’t barking or anything.
“Then George came out from his home, two doors up.
“He started shouting and swearing at us.”
Boura asked: “Do you know what f***ing time it is?”
Mr Donnachie said: “We weren’t being that loud.
“He came towards me and came right up into my face. I was like: ‘George, stand back a bit’.”
Mr Donnachie told the trial: “The way he was acting, he was basically wanting a fight.
“I don’t know if he had a drink in him or what.”
Not the same dog anymore
The trial heard Summer – who knew Boura – jumped up at him.
“She wasn’t being aggressive,” said Mr Donnachie.
“George just turned round and punched her full on the head.
“She got scared and ran away. I put her back inside the house.”
Asked by fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton how Summer was after she was hit, Mr Donnachie said: “She isn’t the same dog at all.
“She’s going to have to go to training. If someone goes to touch her now, she just starts shaking.
“She has stickers on her, letting people know she needs space.”
Mr Donnachie said Boura struck his dog once but other witnesses agreed he hit the animal twice.
Complaints
Boura told his trial he had made several complaints to Perth and Kinross Council about noise.
When asked by solicitor Linda Clark what kind of complaints, he said: “Dogs barking, fighting over squeezy balls.”
He said he had fallen out with Mr Donnachie at the time of the incident.
He said: “I was asleep in bed when I heard howling from the dog.
“It lasted about 20 minutes.
“I just went out and I was swearing at them.”
Boura said: “The dog jumped at me.
“Because I was angry, I pushed her away with an open hand.”
Asked by Mr Hamilton if there was a conspiracy against him, Boura replied: “Yes, because I’m the only one who complains.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade found Boura guilty of threatening or abusive behaviour, likely to cause fear or alarm, and causing the dog unnecessary suffering by repeatedly punching it – a breach of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act.
She said: “I note you have a previous conviction for serious violent offending, so you are clearly a person who is of a violent disposition.”
Boura was fined £450.
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