Judge tells burglar bitten by police dog: 'Good, I hope it hurt'
On being told that the 8 year old German Shepherd Zak had sunk his teeth into a thief's buttock, Judge Julian Lambert exclaimed "Good! I hope it hurt. Well done Zak!"
Last month Judge Lambert spoke out against the current 'soft' sentencing guidelines which prevented him jailing a burglar in Bristol.
He said the guidelines which suggested a community order for the burglar were 'wet' and he added "We live in soft times."
But sitting at Gloucester Crown court today the judge had no hesitation in locking up persistent thief John Davies for nine months.
Davies, 35, of Summerfield Gardens, Evesham, had admitted trying to steal a £3,000 bronze statue from a park in Cheltenham, Glos, on the night of 4th August last year.
His efforts were foiled by a couple walking through Sandford Park who spotted him and raised the alarm.
Davies fled when he saw police arriving but Zak was unleashed and sent after him.
"The dog followed the scent to a nearby courtyard where the defendant was hiding," said prosecutor George Threlfall. "Zak detained him by by biting his left buttock."
Jailing Davies, the judge publicly commended the couple who had spotted the theft and called the police. He ordered that they should receive rewards of £100 each from the Sheriff of Gloucestershire.
Mr Threlfall had told the court that the couple, Jean Green and Timothy Smith, were walking through the park late at night when they saw two men by the bronze statue called 'Weathered Man', which was lying on its side.
"The statue was commissioned by the Environment Agency in 2005 at a cost of £3,000 and it cost £500 to install," Mr Threlfall said.
"It was designed to last and to be in the park for some 30-40 years."
He said Mr Smith and Ms Green saw a 4x4 vehicle being driven up to the statue and they realised it was about to be stolen. They telephoned police, who arrived quickly.
Davies was seen to jump over a fence near where the couple were watching from a hiding place. The couple told police where he had gone and Zak was sent after him.
Mr Threlfall said Davies has made 19 previous court appearances for 45 offences, mainly of dishonesty.
At the time of the statue offence he was subject to two suspended sentences totalling 12 weeks which had been imposed in Worcester for burglary and handling stolen goods.
Alan Bell, defending, asked the court to read three letters of reference including one from Davies' employer.
"My client has gained nothing from this offence save perhaps a bite from police dog Zak," he said.
"He accepts it was an idiotic thing to do and largely on the spur of the moment."
Judge Lambert sentenced Davies to six months jail for the attempted statue theft and three months consecutively for breaching his suspended sentences.
"You deserve no further chances," he said. "You will now see the inside of a prison cell yet again."
Ordering rewards for Mr Smith and Ms Green the judge said "I commend their public spirited actions in observing a criminal trying to steal bronze at the dead of night. They were public spirited enough to observe him and report him to the police
"They deserve proper recognition in circumstances such as these because they might have put themselves at risk."
After the hearing Zak's handler Pc Rich Hunt said it had been the dog's last bite in the course of duty because he has since retired.
"It was his last bite out on the street before he retired in December. In fact, he probably had the most bites in the section," said Pc Hunt.
"Zak was born to be a police dog and knew when to switch it on and off."
"He's now living a quieter life with me in Cheltenham and is perfect with children and families."
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