Man sentenced for breaching ban on keeping animals

Owen Rippon was arrested at his flat on 2 January

A man banned from keeping animals has been sentenced after two dogs and seven puppies were found in his flat in Nottingham.

Owen Rippon, 20, was given a lifetime ban to keep animals in April 2023 after a video shared on social media showed him punching a dog 40 times and deliberately feeding it chocolate.

Rippon was arrested on 2 January as the animals, which he did not own, were staying in his flat in Annesley Grove, Radford, which breached the court order.

He was sentenced to six weeks in a young offender institution after appearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Friday, when he pleaded guilty to breaching a disqualification imposed after conviction.

'Extremely disappointing'

Rippon was given a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, in 2023 after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Rippon was also disqualified from owning animals, keeping animals, participating in the keeping of animals and from being party to an arrangement under which he is entitled to control or influence the way in which animals are kept.

One of the dogs found in Rippon's flat in January was an XL bully and was seized by officers as it was not registered, as per UK law.

The second dog was assessed and not classed as a dangerous dog so was returned to its owner with the puppies, said police.

Sgt Karl Browne said: "It was made clear to him that he was not to have any involvement with animals for the rest of his life.

"It was therefore extremely disappointing that we received reports of him being around dogs so soon after the order was issued.

"As outlined in the court proceedings, he breached the order with no respect or regard for the police or courts and so I'm pleased he's now been punished with a custodial sentence."