Man fed chicken to his pet dog

Kevin Dale, Grove Hill, Banbridge, pleaded guilty to destroying a chicken without lawful excuse on February 14.

A public prosecutor said that at approximately 10.25pm at Lurgan Road, Banbridge, the lid of a coop was lifted.

A hen was lifted out and fed to a dog which ripped it to pieces.

The dog was located a short distance away.

Dale went to the dog warden the next day to get the dog released and was arrested and interviewed by police.

He claimed he had been out hunting with the dog when it escaped from him and broke into the coop.

He saw it eating the hen and tried to prise it out of its mouth but could not and the dog killed the hen.

Dale denied he lifted the lid off the coop claiming the dog was a powerful animal and it was entirely possible it removed the lid.

The public prosecutor said they did not accept that and would say it was a deliberate act by the defendant.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, adjourned the case until August 27 saying he wanted the investigating officer present
in court.

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