BRUCE ELLIOTT FROM WEST DENTON SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO DOG AND HARASSMENT IN NEWCASTLE

Bruce Elliott, a man with ties to West Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne, was convicted of heinous acts involving animal cruelty and harassment, leading to his imprisonment. The incident that brought him to court's attention occurred on October 26, 2016, at his residence in Newcastle. During this time, Elliott, who was then living at Lordenshaw and more recently at Gloucester Court, committed a brutal act against his girlfriend's pet dog, an eight-year-old Jack Russell cross named Smudge.

According to reports, Elliott lost his temper and kicked Smudge, who was known to be a beloved family pet. The attack was severe enough that the dog was left to suffer and eventually died from internal injuries. The incident took place when Elliott's then-girlfriend was not present at the home. Witnesses and investigations revealed that Elliott had previously prohibited Smudge from going upstairs, but the dog had disobeyed and urinated on the bed. This reportedly enraged Elliott, who then chased her downstairs. During the chaos, a mountain bike at the bottom of the stairs fell onto Smudge, and Elliott subsequently kicked her outside.

Neighbours found Smudge approximately 300 metres from Elliott's home, collapsed on a patch of grass situated between a local social club and a supermarket. Recognizing her as a dog often walked by Elliott, a neighbour took her back to his residence and inquired about her condition. It was then discovered that Smudge had not been taken to a veterinarian, prompting the neighbour to call the RSPCA. Inspector Helen Bestwick responded to the scene and described the distressing situation. She recounted that Smudge was in a critical state when found, and despite efforts to save her, she succumbed to her injuries en route to the vet. A post-mortem examination revealed that Smudge had died from internal bleeding caused by a ruptured liver, multiple lacerations, a hemorrhage near her right kidney, and bruising between her shoulder blades.

In court, Elliott admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to the dog on two counts—one for kicking Smudge and another for preventing her from receiving medical treatment. He was sentenced to 15 weeks in prison for these animal cruelty offences. Additionally, Elliott pleaded guilty to harassing his new girlfriend, Paris Dixon, and received a four-week jail term for this offence. The harassment included a barrage of approximately 300 messages in a single day, which caused Ms Dixon significant distress.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson highlighted that Elliott's relationship with Ms Dixon began in December 2016, shortly after his previous partner, Franchesca Jones, who was Smudge’s owner, left him following his attack on her pet. Initially, the relationship appeared promising, but it soon became apparent that Elliott was controlling and violent. Court testimonies revealed that Elliott manipulated Ms Dixon into believing she was mentally ill, even prompting her to seek medical help. Ms Dixon described her fear of Elliott, stating, “He would call me a tramp and take the mickey out of my lisp. I am scared to see him if I go out and I am scared to let my dog outside.”

Following their breakup, Elliott continued to harass Ms Dixon, sending her around 300 messages in one day. During the court proceedings, Elliott expressed concern over the potential loss of his business and home, but these pleas did not prevent his sentencing. His legal representative, Sara Clasper, argued that Elliott lost his temper momentarily and expressed remorse for his actions.

As part of his sentence, Elliott was disqualified from owning or keeping animals for 20 years, with the possibility of appeal after ten years. He was also sentenced to serve 15 weeks in prison for animal cruelty and an additional four weeks for harassment. The court's decision underscores the seriousness of his offences and the need for strict penalties to prevent future cruelty and harassment.

Additional background information indicates that in July 2019, Bruce Elliott established a company called BE Engineering Consultants Ltd., registered in Scotland. The company's registration details list Elliott's nationality as Scottish, although his known locations include Newcastle upon Tyne and West Denton.