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Man who stabbed police dog in Stoke-on-Trent jailed under new law Man who stabbed police dog in Stoke-on-Trent jailed under new law
(about 1 hour later)
A man who stabbed a police dog in the head has been jailed under new legislation to protect service animals. A man who stabbed a police dog in the head in a "gratuitous" attack while high on drugs has become the first person to be jailed under Finn's Law.
Daniel O'Sullivan, 29, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to Audi as his handler tried to make an arrest in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, on 1 July. Daniel O'Sullivan, 29, admitted attacking Audi as his handler tried to make an arrest in Stoke-on-Trent.
O'Sullivan, from the Litherland area of Liverpool, also admitted five counts of assaulting police officers and possessing offensive weapons. O'Sullivan, of Liverpool, was the first person charged under the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act 2019.
At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court he was jailed for 21 months. Judge Paul Glenn said the attack on 1 July was "plainly premeditated" and jailed O'Sullivan for 21 months.
Audi was stabbed twice by O'Sullivan, who was found wielding a knife in one hand and a glass bottle in the other during the attack in Town Road, Staffordshire Police said. O'Sullivan, from the Litherland area, also admitted five counts of assaulting police officers and possessing offensive weapons.
O'Sullivan also kicked an officer in the head and threw a bottle at him before being aggressive to hospital staff when he was taken for treatment, the force added. A member of the public called police after being concerned about O'Sullivan's behaviour near the Potteries shopping centre in Quadrant Road, Hanley town centre, at about 14:15 BST.
Several police officers arrived, including PC Karl Mander and Audi, and O'Sullivan was found with a 4in lock-knife in one hand and a glass bottle in the other.
The court heard O'Sullivan was high on monkey dust and cocaine at the time.
Officers ordered O'Sullivan to drop the knife, but he refused and threw a glass bottle at them, at which point the police dog was released.
O'Sullivan stabbed Audi near the eye and tried to stab him again, before being chased by officers, when he was tasered and fell to the floor.
In the scuffle he also kicked an officer in the head.
'Gratuitous attack'
Sentencing O'Sullivan Judge Glenn said he had been "screaming threats, including that [he] would stab the dog handler".
The judge said it had been called a "gratuitous" and "plainly premeditated" assault on Audi and O'Sullivan had gone on to be aggressive to hospital staff when he was admitted for treatment.
"O'Sullivan was out to seriously hurt PD Audi and it was lucky that he wasn't blinded or killed as a result of his injuries," Det Insp Stephen Ward said."O'Sullivan was out to seriously hurt PD Audi and it was lucky that he wasn't blinded or killed as a result of his injuries," Det Insp Stephen Ward said.
Audi has since returned to work with Staffordshire Police and has "recovered well", the force said.Audi has since returned to work with Staffordshire Police and has "recovered well", the force said.
His handler PC Karl Mander said last month Audi had had "lots of rest and TLC", adding there did not seem "to be any lasting damage to him". PC Mander said last month Audi had had "lots of rest and TLC", adding there did not seem "to be any lasting damage to him".
O'Sullivan was the first person to be charged under the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act 2019 since Finn's Law was introduced, police said.
Before the act was passed, attacks on police dogs were treated as criminal damage.
O'Sullivan was also charged with one count of affray, which he denied.O'Sullivan was also charged with one count of affray, which he denied.
O'Sullivan - who had previous convictions for attacking police, battery and affray - was the first person to be charged under the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act 2019 - also known as Finn's Law - since it was introduced.
Before the act was passed, attacks on police dogs were treated as criminal damage.
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