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A man who stabbed a police dog in the head with a knife has been jailed in a landmark prosecution

Daniel O’Sullivan, 29, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal when he appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, earlier today.

He also pleaded guilty to five counts of assault and two charges of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

The two-year-old German shepherd dog, PD Audi, was attacked after he and his handler PC Karl Mander responded to reports of a man with a knife on Town Road, Hanley, on July 1, 2019.

When they arrived, O’Sullivan, who is from Bowland Drive in Liverpool, was found holding a glass bottle in one hand and a knife in the other and threatened to stab them if approached. When O'Sullivan refused to put down the knife, PC Mander sent in PD Audi.

The dog was stabbed twice in the head and had to have emergency medical treatment.

Another officer, who arrived at the scene, was kicked in the face and head and had a bottle thrown at him by O’Sullivan.

(Image: Staffordshire Police)

O'Sullivan was taken by ambulance to the Royal Stoke University Hospital for assessment and while there, he became aggressive and unpredictable towards hospital staff. He also spat at four officers and kicked one of them to the head.

Detective Inspector Stephen Ward said after the case: "O'Sullivan presented a significant danger to anyone who was nearby and we cannot allow the public to be put at risk.

"He assaulted five officers, spitting at four of them, which is a degrading experience for the officers concerned and can present a health risk.

"O'Sullivan was out to seriously hurt PD Audi and it was lucky that he wasn't blinded or killed as a result of his injuries. Aside from the sheer cruelty of his actions, it takes a great deal of time, energy and expense to train a police dog and an experience like that could have ended his career. Fortunately, Audi has recovered well and is back at work."

O’Sullivan was sentenced to a total of 21 months, with three months to be served for injuring a police dog.

The prosecution for the attack against PD Audi is the first under the new Animal Welfare (Emergency Services) Act. Known as Finn's Law, it now recognises police dogs as public servants and not just police property. The maximum sentence is currently six months.

What the police and crime commission had to say

Staffordshire Commissioner Matthew Ellis has welcomed today’s sentencing. He said: “Police dogs are not only incredible and beautiful animals but are also there to protect and serve the public.

“It is absolutely right that there is a strong deterrent to harming not just police officers, but police dogs as well. I’m delighted that PD Audi has recovered well and is back at work.”