BRANDEN MURPHY OF NANTWICH SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL SHOCKS COURT WITH CRUELTY TO AKITA TARA

Brendan Murphy, a resident of Nantwich in Cheshire, has been convicted of a heinous act of animal cruelty involving his pet dog, Tara, an Akita breed. The incident, which took place along the Shropshire Union Canal, came to light in October 2018 when Tara's lifeless body was discovered floating in the waterway.

Murphy, who lives aboard a barge on the Shropshire Union Canal, admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to his ailing dog. According to court records, he stabbed Tara twice, then attached a heavy weight to her body before deliberately tossing her into the canal with the intent to drown her. The court heard that Tara's body was seen drifting in the water at Nantwich on October 6, 2018, prompting immediate police intervention and the involvement of the RSPCA.

Inspector Andy Harris was assigned to investigate the case. He collected Tara's body and arranged for a post-mortem examination at a veterinary clinic. The results revealed that Tara had been suffering from a lung disease for several weeks prior to her death. The veterinarian also confirmed that she had been stabbed twice before her body entered the water. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, it was determined that her body had been in the canal for approximately three weeks.

Further examination of Tara's remains showed patches of missing fur, which suggested that her body had come into contact with a barge propeller underwater. This contact likely dislodged her from the object used to weigh her down. A microchip scan identified her as belonging to Brendan Murphy, leading Inspector Harris to visit his residence. During questioning, Murphy admitted that Tara was his dog and acknowledged her poor health condition. He explained that she had a lung ailment and had sought veterinary care but could not afford the treatment.

Murphy stated that Tara had died on his canal barge and that he had buried her in woodland near Crewe, where he was moored at the time. He claimed to have visited her burial site several times to pay his respects. However, he also stated that approximately two weeks later, her body was dug up, and he was unsure how she ended up in the canal. The suspicion that Tara had drowned prompted forensic testing of her bones, specifically sampling her bone marrow—an innovative technique used for the first time in an RSPCA prosecution.

The forensic analysis confirmed that Tara died from drowning. An expert veterinarian provided a statement to the court, asserting that Tara was suffering from underlying health issues at the time of her death. The expert also concluded that Tara was alive when she was placed in the canal and that she was deliberately anchored with a chain. The cause of death was definitively identified as drowning.

Inspector Harris expressed his distress over the case, stating, “Poor Tara had a lung disease which was left untreated and therefore she was left suffering with this illness for a number of weeks. She was then stabbed in the abdomen twice before being thrown alive into the canal, where she drowned. It is upsetting to think about what she must have endured during her final moments.”

In sentencing, Brendan Murphy received a 10-week jail sentence, which was suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a total of £415 in costs and charges. Additionally, he was banned from keeping any animals for a period of 10 years, a ban that will expire in November 2029.