A WESTON man who was seen dragging his XL bully dog along whilst riding an electric scooter has been jailed for 19 months.

Lucas Slim-Fitzpatrick, of Regent Street, was prosecuted by the RSPCA after he inflicted serious injuries and neglect on his tan and white 10-month old bulldog, called Luna.

This occurred in Plymouth between June and December 2022.

Ring doorbell footage showed the defendant riding his scooter along a service road in the Mutley district of Plymouth on November 30. He was holding Luna's lead, who was trying to follow behind.

The witness said that the defendant was "staggering around" on the scooter and talking aggressively to the dog, who he picked up and threw in the direction of a wall.

The animal was later heard in distress at the back of Slim-Fitzpatrick’s former address in Greenbank Road in Plymouth minutes later.

Slim-Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at an earlier hearing on September 18 and was committed to Bristol Crown Court where he was sentenced on December 7. 

Slim-Fitzpatrick was given 14-month custodial sentences to run concurrently on each of the animal welfare offences, as well as a further five-month prison sentence for his breach of a suspended sentence imposed on an unrelated matter.

The defendant has also been banned from owning animals for 20 years.

Found limping and unable to bear weight on one of her back legs, Luna was taken to the vets whilst Slim-Fitzpatrick was arrested. An examination revealed that Luna's left hip and pelvis were broken.

She had also suffered fractures to her jaw and cheek bone as well as her wrists.

Luna suffered three broken ribs, three broken teeth and a badly bloodshot eye.

When he was interviewed by the police in December 2022, Slim-Fitzpatrick said that Luna's bloodshot eye was the result of her being attacked by a Jack Russell dog, and that she had also been struck by a car and kicked by a horse.

RSPCA prosecutor Gregory Gordon said: "It has not been possible to identify the number of separate incidents from the injuries alone, but records indicate that injuries were sustained by Luna on at least three separate occasions, including June 29 and August 2 last year.”

Although he did seek vet advice, Slim-Fitzpatrick failed to attend appointments.

Slim-Fitzpatrick is said to have experienced a troubled background.

Luna was signed over to the RSPCA on July 5, 2023.

She has since been rehomed and is in rehabilitation to regain the use of her back leg.

A judge told Slim-Fitzpatrick: “This was prolonged, lengthy violence towards an animal in your care who should have been protected by you rather than becoming your punchbag.”