KEVIN DIXON FROM HOLMFIRTH CONVICTED OF CRUELTY AFTER DOG'S HORRIFIC MURDER IN HUDDERSFIELD

Kevin Dixon, a self-employed joiner originally from Newsome and more recently residing on Field Road in Holmfirth, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and cruelty to a dog named Tempa. The incident took place in Huddersfield, where Dixon was accused of deliberately slashing the Akita-type dog multiple times, leading to its death.

According to court proceedings, Dixon was charged with inflicting severe injuries on Tempa, a dog owned by Amanda Hamer, who is the dog’s grandmother. Hamer had been unable to walk Tempa regularly due to a serious whiplash injury she sustained, so Dixon had been walking the dog twice daily as a favor. The incident that led to the dog's death occurred after Tempa reportedly bit a woman at a house party in Newsome, Huddersfield. The dog was known to have a history of biting people, which was part of the context surrounding the events.

On the evening of May 16, 2014, Miss Hamer hosted a social gathering at her home in Newsome and invited Dixon to join. During the event, the dog bit a woman in the face, prompting concern and action from the authorities. The RSPCA was contacted, and their advice was to have Tempa taken to a veterinarian the following Monday morning with the intention of euthanasia, due to the dog's aggressive history. However, Dixon chose to take matters into his own hands rather than follow the recommended course of action.

He claimed he would take Tempa for a walk, but his true intentions remained unclear. Approximately an hour later, Dixon returned alone to Miss Hamer’s property. When asked about the whereabouts of Tempa, Dixon responded cryptically, saying, “I have done what needed to be done.” He then mentioned an axe and added, “It felt good, it was not easy, it struggled,” revealing the brutal nature of the act.

The owner, Miss Hamer, was reportedly shocked and distressed by Dixon’s admission and his demeanor. The incident was reported to the police, who initially received conflicting accounts from Dixon. He told officers that he had given the dog to a passer-by, but when arrested on May 19, 2014, he admitted to killing Tempa himself and led police to the location where he had buried the dog.

In March 2015, Dixon was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering and cruelty by killing Tempa “in an inappropriate and inhumane manner.” The court was presented with evidence from the RSPCA demonstrating that the dog had suffered during the attack, emphasizing that the manner of killing was the core issue rather than the act itself.

As part of his sentencing, Dixon received an 18-week jail sentence, which was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was subjected to a curfew and ordered to pay costs amounting to £1,500. The case drew significant attention to animal cruelty laws and the importance of humane treatment of pets in the Huddersfield area.