JAMES PRICE FROM ST HELENS CAUSES HORROR WITH DOG TRAGICALLY DRAGGED BEHIND VEHICLE IN MERSEYSIDE

James 'Jimboy' Price, a resident of St Helens, was involved in a distressing incident that culminated in the tragic death of a French bulldog named Pepper. The incident took place after Price set off from his home at the Caravan Park on Sherdley Road, St Helens, unaware that his dog’s lead was still attached to his vehicle’s trailer. As he drove along, the lead eventually snapped, leaving Pepper’s mangled body abandoned on Brasenose Road in Bootle, after being dragged for approximately 13 miles.

It was only the following morning that a member of the public discovered the dog’s remains and contacted the RSPCA. The animal welfare inspectors swiftly traced the microchip embedded in Pepper, which led them directly to Price. During the court proceedings, Price admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, asserting that he had not realized the dog was still attached to his vehicle at the time of the drive. His claim was that he was unaware of the lead being connected when he started his journey.

Price’s connection to the dog, Pepper, was well known locally, as he and his partner, Lisa Walker, frequently advertised litters of puppies on Facebook. The couple had built a reputation for breeding and selling puppies, often fetching around £1,300 per litter. The court heard that Price had no malicious intent to harm Pepper, and he expressed that the loss of the pet was punishment enough. His solicitor, Daniel Kenyon, emphasized this point, suggesting that the incident was an accident rather than deliberate cruelty.

Magistrate Frank Dainty, presiding over the case, delivered a stern warning to Price. While he acknowledged that there was no evidence of malicious intent, he emphasized the importance of vehicle safety checks before setting off. The court ordered Price to pay fines and costs totaling £1,238 and imposed a 12-month ban on keeping animals, which expired in October 2020.

In a related case, Lisa Walker, Price’s partner, was also prosecuted. In July 2021, she received a community order and a 12-month ban on dealing in dogs after being convicted of selling puppies illegally. Walker’s prosecution was carried out by the now-defunct charity Animal Protection Services, which had previously taken action against numerous pet profiteers in the Merseyside area, including St Helens. The case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal puppy sales and animal welfare issues linked to pet breeding operations in the region.