A young puppy had to be euthanised after enduring what a judge described as 'sadistic' cruelty at the hands of its owner, who mutilated its toes and caused multiple broken bones.
Horrific Abuse Captured on Camera
Leon Kramolis, 25, admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to the Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, named Rex, while living in supported accommodation on Nicholls Street, West Bromwich, in late February last year. The court heard the dog was just eight to ten weeks old at the time.
Sarah Pratt, prosecuting for the RSPCA, explained that support workers initially found the puppy seeming happy and healthy. Their concern was only that Kramolis was feeding it inappropriate food like tomatoes and potatoes.
However, CCTV footage revealed a starkly different reality when staff were not present. Kramolis was seen slapping the puppy, wrapping a dish cloth around its head, placing a mug over its face and muzzle, and handling it violently.
Discovery of Severe Injuries and Mutilation
The situation escalated in the early hours of March 1. Kramolis was captured on camera fetching two knives from the kitchen. After he was evicted and left the property, the puppy was found concealed in his coat, motionless and breathing poorly.
When he placed the animal in a bed at his mother's home, the full extent of the injuries became apparent. "It had no toenails left, they had been cut down to the quick and beyond," Ms Pratt told Birmingham Crown Court. Some of the puppy's toes had been completely severed.
The dog was rushed to a vet in a comatose state. An examination also revealed it had a broken skull, jaw, and ribs, and had developed septicaemia from older, untreated wounds. Bloodstained sheets were later discovered in Kramolis's room.
Sentence and Judge's Remarks
With the puppy's injuries too severe, vets made the decision to put it to sleep. Kramolis offered no explanation other than claiming he had been cutting the dog's nails.
Defending, Thomas Duggan stated his client's actions were 'unspeakable' and occurred while he was using cocaine and heroin, but that he was now drug-free and remorseful.
At the sentencing hearing on Friday, December 12, Judge Simon Drew KC described the case as 'horrible'. He sentenced Kramolis to a two-year community order, including 42 days of rehabilitation activity, and banned him from keeping animals for life.
The judge noted Kramolis had already spent a substantial time in custody on remand, stating, "You have already suffered punishment." He emphasised the sentence was "primarily aimed at rehabilitation rather than punishment."
