A woman who filmed herself "abusing" a dog in what a court heard was a "cry for help" has been handed a suspended jail sentence. Jamey McCusker, 23, was at "the end of her tether" with her pet when she verbally and physically abused the animal.
A court heard Ms McCusker believed she was purchasing a Staffordshire bull terrier but instead purchased Storm, a female chocolate-coloured dog, who was actually a cross breed with a pitbull, reports HullLive.
The woman, from Longhill, in Hull, appeared in court charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after the first of two videos showed McCusker shouting at the animal and throwing a wooden object, believed to be a kitchen utensil, at the dog's side.
In a second video taken on the same day, McCusker was said to be appearing "more agitated" with Philip Brown, prosecuting for the RSPCA, saying the pet had been brought to the animal welfare charity's attention after the videos.
The proceeding clip showed the woman striking the dog with her leg in a "kicking and stamping" motion, with a vet claiming the animal's body language was consistent with being fearful and in distress.
Between April 18 and October 18 last year, McCusker was said to have knowingly abused the animal verbally and physically, causing it pain, discomfort, and suffering, in a way that she knew, or ought to have known, would have done so, the court heard.
She pleaded guilty to inflicting pain on the dog but had no previous convictions. Richard Drew, mitigating, said McCusker's actions were "a cry for help" and she "had reached the end of her tether". She was said to have "lost control of her emotions" after unsuccessfully trying to re-home the pet that was eventually seized by Humberside Police and put down.
Lynda Carmichael, the Head of Magistrates, asked the defendant how Storm was acquired given her poor financial situation. She told that court that she had bought the dog from a person she went to school with but was under the impression that she was purchasing a Staffordshire bull terrier.
Ms Carmichael told McCusker that the level of suffering caused to the dog meant her sentence passed the custody threshold. The defendant was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months and was also banned from owning any animal for 10 years and told to pay fees of £528 to the court.
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