STEPHANIE CURWEN FROM LYTHAM ST ANNES SENTENCED AFTER DOG GOADS KITTEN TO DEATH IN LANCASTER
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Lytham St Annes Animal Abuser
In a disturbing incident that took place in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, Stephanie Kathleen Carol Curwen, born on January 12, 1991, was found guilty of deliberately provoking her dog to attack and kill a small feline. Curwen, who resides at Walter Avenue in Lytham St Annes with the postcode FY8 3DR, was involved in an incident that shocked her local community and drew the attention of animal welfare authorities.
According to court reports, the incident occurred in July 2014 when Curwen was captured on CCTV footage walking her dog, Duke, near her residence in St Annes. During the footage, a neighbor’s black cat named Regi appeared on the scene. Curwen, who had Duke on a lead at the time, was observed releasing him after watching him lunge toward the small cat. The footage shows her laughing as her dog chased after Regi, who was perched atop a gate at the time.
What followed was a brutal attack. Duke clawed Regi, causing him to fall from the top of the gate, and then carried him in his mouth. Witnesses nearby intervened in an attempt to rescue the injured cat. Despite efforts to save him, Regi succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack. The veterinarian’s post-mortem revealed that Regi died from two puncture wounds in the neck, one of which caused a pulmonary hemorrhage. The vet described the injuries as causing significant suffering and pain to the kitten.
During the court proceedings, the RSPCA prosecutor, Jonathan Fail, emphasized that Curwen made no effort to control her dog during the attack. He stated, “Throughout the whole of the attack, the female made no attempt to stop it. In effect, she seemed to be encouraging the whole incident.” Witnesses recounted that a man who saw the attack tried to intervene and save Regi after noticing him in Duke’s mouth. The dog was shaking the kitten, and after being forced to drop him, Regi only survived for a few more minutes.
Curwen’s response to the incident was notably indifferent. When questioned by RSPCA investigators, she claimed she had only had Duke for a week and was unfamiliar with his temperament. She also stated that after the attack, people had come to her home shouting and screaming at her. During her court appearance, she admitted to causing an animal to fight and inflicting unnecessary suffering but offered no genuine remorse.
Regi’s owner, Lesley-Anne Brockleburst, expressed her anger and disappointment outside the courtroom. She said she would have preferred to see Curwen imprisoned rather than merely banned from owning animals. “I’m happy about the ban but she should have gone to prison for what she did,” she said. “Hopefully then it might sink in what she did, and how cruel it was. She’s not sorry for her actions, she hasn’t gone out of her way to apologize to me and my family. She seemed to be getting a lot of pleasure out of it, so maybe it’s not the first time she’s done something like this.”
Mrs. Brockleburst also believed that the attack was encouraged by Curwen’s behavior rather than the dog’s natural disposition. She stated, “It was quite clear that it was only doing what it was told to do.” She expressed relief that Duke had been re-homed, clarifying that she never wanted the dog to be destroyed.
As for the legal consequences, Curwen received a 24-week jail sentence suspended for a period, along with a total of £280 in costs and charges. Additionally, she was handed a ten-year ban on owning any animals, which will remain in effect until May 2025.
According to court reports, the incident occurred in July 2014 when Curwen was captured on CCTV footage walking her dog, Duke, near her residence in St Annes. During the footage, a neighbor’s black cat named Regi appeared on the scene. Curwen, who had Duke on a lead at the time, was observed releasing him after watching him lunge toward the small cat. The footage shows her laughing as her dog chased after Regi, who was perched atop a gate at the time.
What followed was a brutal attack. Duke clawed Regi, causing him to fall from the top of the gate, and then carried him in his mouth. Witnesses nearby intervened in an attempt to rescue the injured cat. Despite efforts to save him, Regi succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack. The veterinarian’s post-mortem revealed that Regi died from two puncture wounds in the neck, one of which caused a pulmonary hemorrhage. The vet described the injuries as causing significant suffering and pain to the kitten.
During the court proceedings, the RSPCA prosecutor, Jonathan Fail, emphasized that Curwen made no effort to control her dog during the attack. He stated, “Throughout the whole of the attack, the female made no attempt to stop it. In effect, she seemed to be encouraging the whole incident.” Witnesses recounted that a man who saw the attack tried to intervene and save Regi after noticing him in Duke’s mouth. The dog was shaking the kitten, and after being forced to drop him, Regi only survived for a few more minutes.
Curwen’s response to the incident was notably indifferent. When questioned by RSPCA investigators, she claimed she had only had Duke for a week and was unfamiliar with his temperament. She also stated that after the attack, people had come to her home shouting and screaming at her. During her court appearance, she admitted to causing an animal to fight and inflicting unnecessary suffering but offered no genuine remorse.
Regi’s owner, Lesley-Anne Brockleburst, expressed her anger and disappointment outside the courtroom. She said she would have preferred to see Curwen imprisoned rather than merely banned from owning animals. “I’m happy about the ban but she should have gone to prison for what she did,” she said. “Hopefully then it might sink in what she did, and how cruel it was. She’s not sorry for her actions, she hasn’t gone out of her way to apologize to me and my family. She seemed to be getting a lot of pleasure out of it, so maybe it’s not the first time she’s done something like this.”
Mrs. Brockleburst also believed that the attack was encouraged by Curwen’s behavior rather than the dog’s natural disposition. She stated, “It was quite clear that it was only doing what it was told to do.” She expressed relief that Duke had been re-homed, clarifying that she never wanted the dog to be destroyed.
As for the legal consequences, Curwen received a 24-week jail sentence suspended for a period, along with a total of £280 in costs and charges. Additionally, she was handed a ten-year ban on owning any animals, which will remain in effect until May 2025.