New dog laws used to jail owner

Beard was a man of "limited cognitive ability", the court heard

A man from the Black Country has been jailed for more than four months after being the first person in the UK to be prosecuted under new dog fighting laws.

Clayton Beard, 24, of Cannon Street, Walsall, admitted four charges relating to dog fighting at Walsall magistrates.

They included a new charge of possessing items for use in training animals to fight.

Three badly wounded pit bull terriers, a treadmill and veterinary kit were found at a house in Walsall.

Beard, 24, was told by magistrates that a custodial sentence was "inevitable".

We always come across these articles on dog fighting operations, but before, it's never been an offence Ian Briggs, RSPCA

The case was the first dog fighting prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, according to the RSPCA.

Magistrate Michael Kearns told Beard he had three "highly dangerous dogs of an aggressive breed".

They had received many wounds "over a prolonged period which must have caused them suffering", but Beard had been involved in treating the animals' wounds so that they could fight again, the court heard.

The makeshift veterinary kit found by the RSPCA contained superglue which was used to stick the wounds together.

This treadmill was found at the house in Walsall

The three dogs will now be destroyed.

Beard was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody and banned for life from keeping or being responsible for any animals.

The court heard he was a man of "limited cognitive ability" who had received "abuse" from his neighbours.

Ian Briggs, Ch Insp of the RSPCA's special operations unit, said he was pleased with the sentence and ban and added that the new laws were welcomed by animal protection bodies.

"We always come across these articles on dog fighting operations, but before, it's never been an offence."