ROBERT FREEMAN

STROOD DOG OWNER SPOTTED IN PARK ‘FONDLING’ HIS DOG’S PRIVATE PARTS IN GILLINGHAM APPEARS IN COURT

A dog owner who was spotted by others fondling a dog’s private parts has not been sentenced because the probation service needs to carry out a “full risk” assessment on him.Robert Freeman was charged after behaving in an indecent manner by touching one of his pet’s penis and testicles in a park in Gillingham on October 13.Robert Freeman will be sentenced next year after admitting an act of outraging public decencyThe police were contacted by horrified witnesses and Freeman, of Elaine Avenue, Strood, was arrested and later charged with committing an act of outraging public decency.He admitted the offence when he appeared in court three days later, and it is understood he told police he had just been tickling the dog.A pre-sentencing report was ordered to be completed on him before he was sentenced, and he returned to Medway Magistrates’ Court on December 18 to learn his fate when he left his two dogs tied up outside the court in the rain while he appeared in the dock.Piers Restell, prosecuting, told magistrates there was an application to adjourn the case as further information had come in from police regarding Freeman’s dangerousness since he’d been interviewed by probation.A probation officer added: “We would request further time to carry out a risk assessment because of some information received from the police.“I am not comfortable with the new information received and he needs to be re-interviewed for a full risk analysis.”Magistrates agreed to the adjournment, and Freeman was granted conditional bail until his next appearance.He will return to the same court on March 5 to learn his fate.