Animal shelter attack man jailed

Paul Lovie holed himself in the Shelter for one and a half hours

A man who armed himself with a samurai sword and an air rifle to break into an RSPCA shelter to retrieve his dog has been jailed for 15 months.

Paul Lovie, 47, of Rose Street, York, remained holed up at the shelter in March for one and a half hours.

York Crown Court was told Lovie had been devastated when his dog was taken ill and needed to be put down.

The RSPCA confiscated the dog after Lovie had been heard saying he would "do it himself with a pickaxe."

The court heard how Lovie had armed himself with a samurai sword, air rifle and pellets, lighter fluid and a hammer before breaking into the Landing Lane shelter in York.

Confrontation

Prosecutor Dianne Campbell said: "He decided he would take matters into his own hands and go and get the dog.

"He attempted to bluff the RSPCA and police into releasing his dog."

Once inside the shelter, Lovie himself contacted the police, but was eventually confronted by Mark Williamson whose girlfriend worked at the site.

Lovie fled the building through a window, after pointing his gun at Mr Williamson and firing at the floor.

There are too many incidents of people taking firearms out with them, then they complain that the police shoot them Judge Paul Hoffman

Miss Campbell said Lovie spread water on paper around the building to make it look as if he had sprinkled petrol around the premises.

He gave himself up after one and a half hours of negotiations with armed police.

He appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence, having an offensive weapon, and causing criminal damage.

Judge Paul Hoffman said Lovie was lucky to be alive: "There are too many incidents of people taking firearms out with them, then they complain that the police shoot them.

"You are a very lucky man to be standing in this dock."

Defending, Catherine Silverton said Lovie had no previous convictions and his actions were out of character during an act of "desperation".

She added: "He was extremely emotionally dependant on this dog and he is devastated."