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A pedophile who stabbed his mother’s dog has been released from court after successfully appealing his verdict.
Mathew Friend was jailed for 16 weeks after stabbing a kitchen knife in the Shih Tzu’s back.
The little dog was still alive and trembling when the 38-year-old left to go to a police station and check out.
A court ruled today that due to the “exceptional” circumstances of the case, his sentence should be reduced and suspended.
Callum Ross, who is indicting Liverpool Crown Court today, said Friend was jailed after admitting to causing unnecessary harm to a protected animal.
He said: “On November 9, 2019 at around 12:30 pm, the appeals leader himself called the ambulance service and said he would injure himself if he did not get the help he needed.”
“Then, while he was on the phone, he claimed to have killed a dog.”
Mr. Ross stated that the police were present and “found a dog in marked pain with a kitchen knife stuck about three inches in the upper back or neck area.”
He said the dog was still alive and “was clearly trembling” after getting wet.
Mr Ross stated that Friend had left the house and was on his way to a police station to throw up while he was on the ambulance phone.
When the officers arrived, a friend said to them, “I killed my mother’s dog.”
Mr Ross said, “The dog was taken to a local vet as it was still alive on the scene but died later that day after being resuscitated several times.”
The court heard that Friend was not interviewed after the offense as he was subdivided under the Mental Health Act.
Freund has two previous convictions for three offenses.
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On July 13, he was convicted of inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
In 2018, Friend was jailed for failure to comply with reporting requirements while on probation and was detained for 16 weeks.
Mike O’Brien, who defended himself, said: “On behalf of the defendant, anyone who stabs a dog should expect to be sent to jail immediately.”
Mr O’Brien stated that this was “an exceptional case, not only in relation to the offense but also in relation to the perpetrator”.
He said there was “no consideration” for Friend’s mental health, which was an “attributive” factor when he was originally convicted.
Mr O’Brien said: “In November 2019 it was undoubtedly a risk to the public.”
As a result, Friend stated that he stayed in a mental hospital for three months after the incident.
He said: “He has remained alcohol-free and has not committed any crime since November 2019.”
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Mr. O’Brien said, “It is a risk, but it was administered in the community.”
He stated that Friend has been connected to mental health services since the offense and has a stable address.
Mr O’Brien said the friend of the court’s compliance with previous court orders had been described as “satisfactory” rather than poor, and stressed that he had “expressed remorse”.
He said Haslemere Way’s friend Gateacre has now realized that “alcohol does not replace his medication”.
Mr. O’Brien said, “He got the point and the evidence is there for all to see.
“In my opinion, the court can step down from an immediate prison sentence and impose a sentence that can be suspended.”
Judge Gary Woodhall detailed the case, stating that Friend’s mother had been present the night before when Friend said “he had visions of harm to her and she felt it necessary to leave the house as she was was aware of the complainant’s mental health problems. “
The judge added that Freund was “clearly someone who has been mentally ill for some time,” and noted his initial diagnosis.
Judge Woodhall said: “Although the complainant was aware of his mental health problems, the complainant had stopped using prescribed drugs and used alcohol to self-medicate before the commission for about 12 months.”
The judge found that he had used services since the crime and was now regularly receiving medication for his diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.
Judge Woodhall said, despite his mental health problems at the time Freund “used reasonable judgment” to “make rational decisions”.
The judge said Friend had been classified as “low risk of conviction and high risk of harm”. A preliminary report went on to say that “the risk is unlikely unless the complainant’s circumstances change”.
Judge Woodhall, along with two judges, ruled: “In this case there are exceptional circumstances in which the court must suspend the sentence.”
The friend was given a 10-week sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was instructed to give 40 days of rehabilitation.
He has been banned from keeping an animal or participating in an agreement to keep an animal for 10 years.
