Burglary left OAP's pet dog blinded (From Dudley News)

Burglary left OAP's pet dog blinded

1:00pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News

A CALLOUS Dudley crook has been jailed for 22 months for a break-in which left a collie dog blind in one eye.

Kiri the eight-year-old dog was alone in the Bromsgrove home she shared with her 86-year-old owner when Daniel Senior used a brick to smash his way through a glass door.

Senior, who got away with two purses containing a total of £220, is now behind bars for the burglary, which police say has left mental as well as physical scars.

Insp Ed Slough, from West Mercia Police, said: “This was a particularly nasty incident, which left the dog blind in one eye.

“When burglaries like this happen they can have a deep and long-lasting impact on victims, who are often left feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable in their own homes.

“The dog is a constant companion to the owner and the incident has left her nervous about going out and leaving the dog alone.”

Rhydian James, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Cour t Kiri’s owner was at church when Senior, formerly of Wealdstone Drive, Dudley, broke in.

Mr James told the court she returned home to find a lot of blood and Kiri curled up on the kitchen floor seriously injured.

Kiri needed a £700 operation to remove the eye and her owner was said to be heartbroken.

Senior was identified by a trace of blood he left at the house and arrested.

While on bail he was arrested again for possession of drugs with intent to supply.

The 21-year-old was spotted by police at an address in Milking Bank, getting into a car carrying a sports bag.

After smelling cannabis, officers stopped the car and discovered 27 grams of cannabis in the bag along with dealer bags and a set of scales.

The drugs were worth up to £280 at street value.

Kevin Grego, defending, said his client had a dysfunctional home background but was an intelligent 21-year-old man with 11 GCSEs.

On the night of the burglary, he had been visiting an address nearby when he had a row with his girlfriend and walked off.

As he passed the house, he decided on the spur of the moment to break in to see if he could ease his financial difficulties.

He was selling drugs only to fund his own use, as he had been smoking cannabis regularly for six years.

Judge Toby Hooper said Senior had not intended to hurt the dog but had been reckless when he broke in.

He said the dog had most likely been hurt by a shard of glass either flying from the broken door or by crashing into it.

He gave Senior, now of Greenfields Road, Kingswinford, 16 months in custody for the burglary and six months for the drugs offence.