Video: Owner who filmed dog attacking a deer while shouting encouragement sentenced

A man who let his dog chase and attack a deer has appeared in court. Sampson Richards was handed a 12-month community order after he admitted attempting to take, kill or injure a deer without lawful authority - an offence under the Deer Act 1991.

He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, as well as paying £400 costs and a £114 surcharge. The 28-year-old, who filmed the incident on his mobile phone, appeared before Bodmin Magistrates Court on March 21.

Richards, Lestraynes Lane, Penryn, Cornwall, was charged after the RSPCA was alerted to video clips posted on Facebook, showing a 13-month-old beige saluki cross lurcher named Butch chasing and bringing down a young deer.

Throughout the clip, Richards can be heard encouraging the attack, as a light is shone on the deer to help the dog see. Once Butch catches the animal, a voice is heard shouting "keep hold", before the deer screams.

Butch is then shown holding the deer in his mouth as Richards says "good boy". At the close of the video, a voice says, "It’s good for you to be able to see this".

A vet examined the footage as part of the RSPCA investigation. In a statement to the court, they said the video would not show the whole episode. "I expect that the footage was started after the person in the video had realised that his dog was in pursuit," they added.

"When the footage ended the deer was clearly still alive, we cannot say how long before the poor creature was put out of its pain, nor what method was used for this. Hence, the incident was probably far longer than the duration of the video.

"This extremely distressful video shows the illegal coursing of a deer by a lurcher. 'Lamping' refers to the usage of a specialised torch to enable the pursuit. Such a light was later found at the premises of Sampson Richards.

"The dog was actively encouraged and helped to chase and attack the deer and clearly praised for his activities by the person making the video. The deer was terrified and afraid and suffered great pain and distress. At no time did the person try to stop the chase.

"No attempt was made to pull the dog off the deer while the person was standing right over it. There was no evidence that the deer was to be swiftly and humanely dispatched, in the likelihood that it was too badly injured to be taken to a vet for first aid treatment.

"We have no idea how long the total chase went on for. We have no idea how long before the deer was euthanised? We have no idea whether the person making the video let the dog kill the dog, presumably by ripping its throat apart, or whether the person shot it or cut its throat himself?

"One thing that we can be sure of is that the deer suffered terribly. Unlike animals such as dogs, horses, cattle and sheep, deer do not vocalise under normal circumstances, only when they are terrified or in pain or during the mating season. Thankfully it is extremely unusual to hear a deer vocalise. It is without doubt that this deer suffered terribly."

As well as handing Richards the community order, magistrates ordered the forfeiture and confiscation of the lamping lamp. Butch was signed over into the care of the RSPCA for rehoming at an earlier court hearing.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: "We share our space with wildlife and need to show respect and kindness. Animals feel pain, just as we do, and we’re appealing to everyone to show care and consideration to all animals."