A man has been jailed for 36 weeks following horrific injuries to his four dogs over several weeks, one so badly that it died from its injuries.

In a case described by magistrates as ‘the worst they have ever heard in court’ Highgate Magistrates heard yesterday that Curtis Hamilton-Gordon, 20, formerly of Braemar Road, Tottenham, admitted cruelly ill-treating two Siberian Huskies and two Bull Terriers.

The RSPCA was told that in October 2008 Curtis Hamilton-Gordon took his husky puppy bitch, Princess, to RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital. The dog was dead on arrival at hospital and Hamilton-Gordon claimed the dog had suffered an accident.

Two weeks later Hamilton-Gordon took his husky puppy dog, Kaiser, to the same hospital. He claimed that he was walking the dog and it was clipped by the back wheel of a car three days earlier. The dog had a fractured left hip, broken teeth and a swelling to his nose.

At the end of November, Hamilton-Gordon’s girlfriend arrived at Harmsworth Hospital with a third dog, a bull terrier named King, suffering from identical injuries to Kaiser. She claimed she had been burgled and the dog had been attacked. Hamilton-Gordon was interviewed and claimed Princess died from a keyboard falling on her head, Kaiser, her brother, was injured by being hit by a car and he said he had no involvement with King.

In February 2009 the RSPCA was called to Hamilton-Gordon’s home again following complaints of dog beating. An injured bull terrier named Remi was found in the garden and taken to Harmsworth Hospital. The dog had similar injuries to the other dogs with injuries around the face and hips.
The three live dogs were assessed by a dog behaviourist on behalf of the RSPCA, who found them all to be fearful, particularly of men and of smokers. Hamilton-Gordon is a smoker and regularly beat the dogs. The dogs were found by vets to have injuries consistent with having been badly beaten.

In sentencing the chairman of the magistrates Laurence Harvey said: ‘This is the worst case we have heard in this court. You caused the most untold suffering to these animals without remorse or regret. For that reason we are imposing the maximum sentence permitted. This case is so serious that only custody is appropriate. You have committed cruelty to four animals, one of which was neglected and the other three ill-treated. There were serious injuries to all, and the death of one. These are aggravating features and put the sentence at the top of the range.’ He was sentenced to 24 weeks custody, with an additional 12 weeks imprisonment because he was in breach of a suspended sentence.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Simon Osborne said: ‘There was a string of abuse given to these dogs, proved by vets to be caused by beating. This was a very disturbing case to deal with. We are happy that justice has been done and there is a very clear message that you cannot beat your dog or you will be brought to justice. This has been a lengthy process and cost the RSPCA more than £40,000 but for these dogs it has been worth every penny.’


Send your opinion of this story below