RICHARD FORBES SHREWSBURY DOG CRUELTY AND VIOLENCE CASE REVEALED

Richard Forbes, born on February 23, 1978, and most recently residing on Chatford Drive in the Meole Estate area of Shrewsbury, has been convicted of a series of heinous crimes that have shocked the local community. Currently without a fixed address, Forbes, who is known by the nickname Cookie, was found guilty of causing severe suffering to a beloved pet dog, as well as other violent offenses.

On June 29, 2024, Forbes, a scaffolder by profession, returned home after a night of heavy drinking. That evening, he assaulted his 64-year-old landlady, an incident that prompted immediate police intervention. The woman managed to escape from the scene and sought refuge in a neighboring residence. When law enforcement officers arrived, they found Forbes attempting to flee in the victim’s car. During his arrest, Forbes did not hide his involvement in further acts of cruelty; he openly admitted to having harmed her pet dog, a female Pomeranian named Comet.

Following his arrest, police accompanied the woman back to the scene of the assault. There, they discovered Comet suffering from multiple severe injuries, including stab wounds, a broken neck, a fractured jaw, and extensive bleeding. The dog was wrapped in a blanket, indicating an attempt to provide some comfort amid her suffering. Despite urgent efforts to save her, Comet was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic but was ultimately euthanized due to the extent of her injuries.

Forbes’s actions did not stop at animal cruelty. He also faced charges related to the assault on his landlady, which was serious enough to warrant a court appearance. In July 2024, he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the dog and to the assault. His criminal record also includes possession of a Class A substance and failing to provide a breath sample when requested by police.

Further legal proceedings revealed that Forbes had a history of violent behavior. On July 28, 2023, in Shrewsbury, he was involved in an incident where he assaulted multiple individuals, leaving one man with serious injuries. These offenses contributed to the severity of his sentencing.

In January 2025, Forbes was brought before Shrewsbury Crown Court to face the consequences of his actions. The court sentenced him to seven and a half years in prison for the combined offenses, including the cruelty to Comet, the assault on his landlady, and the previous assault incident. Additionally, he received a 10-year restraining order preventing any contact with his landlady, a six-year driving ban, and a ban on owning animals for the next 30 years.

Detective Constable Geoff Anslow of Shrewsbury CID expressed his condemnation of Forbes’s conduct, describing the case as “horrendous” and “sickening.” He emphasized the cruelty inflicted upon a defenseless animal and the devastating impact on the victim. The officer also welcomed the court’s decision, stating that justice had been served for Comet, whom her owner described as “the sweetest little dog in the whole world.”