GLENN CALDERWOOD FROM BRENT ESCAPES JAIL AFTER BRUTAL ATTACK ON FRENCH BULLDOG IN BRENT

In a disturbing incident that took place in Brent, a 57-year-old man named Glenn Calderwood was involved in a violent assault on a defenseless French bulldog named Toffee. The attack, which occurred on January 20, 2020, has shocked the local community and garnered significant attention from authorities and animal welfare advocates alike.

According to court proceedings at Willesden Magistrates' Court, Calderwood subjected Toffee to a brutal assault that included punching the dog three times in the head with full force. Witnesses reported hearing the dog yelping and crying out in pain during the attack. Neighbors who observed the incident saw Calderwood holding the dog by the scruff of its neck, approximately five feet above the ground, before violently punching it.

After the physical assault, Calderwood moved to a hot tub located in the garden he shares with the dog's owner. The hot tub was covered, but a foot of rainwater had accumulated on top of it. Demonstrating further cruelty, Calderwood used both hands to push the dog into the water, attempting to drown it. Witnesses noted that the dog was yelping loudly, and after a few seconds, the neighbors could no longer hear the animal, indicating it had been submerged.

During the court hearing, it was revealed that Calderwood’s actions left Toffee with redness in one of its eyes. The neighbors' intervention and shouting caused Calderwood to release the dog, but the damage had already been done. Prosecutor Stuart Bell described the act of forcing the dog underwater as a deliberate attempt to inflict suffering, emphasizing that the dog was in significant pain and subjected to prolonged distress.

Calderwood, who appeared in court wearing a grey suit and sporting a ponytail, admitted that his behavior was somewhat erratic. The court also learned that he has a criminal history, including convictions for causing disturbances on NHS premises, common assault, assaulting a police officer, and theft from his workplace. Despite denying the charges, Calderwood was found guilty after a trial of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Throughout the proceedings, Calderwood expressed his frustration and anxiety, shouting from the dock, “I’ve have been anxious about this for over a year. Do I have to suffer any longer?”

Magistrate Michael Herlihy addressed Calderwood directly, stating that his actions were deliberate and had caused significant distress to both the dog and its owner. Recognizing Calderwood’s unspecified medical condition, the court decided to suspend his sentence. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to pay £150 in court costs and £150 in compensation to the dog's owner, Ms. Riddex.

Following the sentencing, Calderwood expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation requirement, remarking that the animal should have been taken to a veterinarian instead. His behavior and comments during the trial have further highlighted the severity of the incident and the ongoing concerns about animal cruelty in the Brent area.