knife thug screamed as he chased dog and stabbed it 16 times
By Richard Smith
DRUNKEN Richard Kilcommons stabbed his pet labrador to death after chasing it, crying out: "Let's see how quick Bessy is!"
In a sickening attack Kilcommons, 41, plunged a 7in kitchen knife 16 times into the devoted animal's back and sides as she yelped in agony.
Four of the thrusts pierced the dog's lungs causing massive internal bleeding from which she died.
The boss, who claimed he loved eight-year-old Bessy, later said he was so drunk he could not remember his cruel frenzy.
Yesterday he was starting a 23-week jail term.
Police said: "The jail sentence shows just how traumatic and disturbing this case was. This was a despicable attack on a defenceless animal."
The RSPCA said: "This was a shocking attack of wanton cruelty. We welcome any action that deters such behaviour."
Kilcommons went berserk after turning up apparently drunk at his local pub, the Running Horse, in his home village of Littleton, Hants. His girlfriend, who worked at the bar, took him back to his house to sober up.
They found the property looking as if it had been burgled, with broken glass and drawers pulled out. Bizarrely, Kilcommons said they should turn off the lights to see if the police turned up.
Scared by his behaviour, the girl offered to take chocolate labrador Bessy out for a walk while Kilcommons calmed down.
Prosecutor James Burnham told Andover court: "At that stage the defendant took a large blade from a block of knives, and said 'Let's see how quick Bessy is!'
"He then walked towards the dog, who was lying on her side, and stabbed her in the back.
"The dog yelped and tried to run off. But he followed, repeatedly stabbing her." Vet Dr Morris Alan said the wounds were inflicted by a knife at least 15cm long in a "frenzied" attack.
Defending Kilcommons, Carolyn Lucocq said: "He was devoted to Bessy and had had her since she was seven weeks old. There was no more loved dog.
"This was an isolated incident that happened when he was so intoxicated he couldn't even remember what he'd done. To this day he still doesn't know what happened. He's distressed by what he did."
The lawyer said Kilcommons ran into £30,000 debt after his business selling second-hand printing machines failed to make a profit in two years.
Although his parents had paid off much of the debt, his real problems stemmed from alcohol abuse. He was now seeking treatment.
Kilcommons, who was led handcuffed from court, admitted animal cruelty. He was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
The case follows a spate of shocking acts of animal cruelty. Earlier this week drug-fuelled thug Peter Dibden, of Billingham, Teesside, was fined £900 for stabbing his giant bull mastiff to death with a two-metre samurai sword.
Damien French, who dropped a live rabbit into an alligator's mouth at a zoo in Colwyn Bay, faces jail. In January Adam Richards, 18, of Heamoor, Cornwall, was jailed for six months for stabbing and kicking to death a pregnant hedgehog.
By Richard Smith
DRUNKEN Richard Kilcommons stabbed his pet labrador to death after chasing it, crying out: "Let's see how quick Bessy is!"
In a sickening attack Kilcommons, 41, plunged a 7in kitchen knife 16 times into the devoted animal's back and sides as she yelped in agony.
Four of the thrusts pierced the dog's lungs causing massive internal bleeding from which she died.
The boss, who claimed he loved eight-year-old Bessy, later said he was so drunk he could not remember his cruel frenzy.
Yesterday he was starting a 23-week jail term.
Police said: "The jail sentence shows just how traumatic and disturbing this case was. This was a despicable attack on a defenceless animal."
The RSPCA said: "This was a shocking attack of wanton cruelty. We welcome any action that deters such behaviour."
Kilcommons went berserk after turning up apparently drunk at his local pub, the Running Horse, in his home village of Littleton, Hants. His girlfriend, who worked at the bar, took him back to his house to sober up.
They found the property looking as if it had been burgled, with broken glass and drawers pulled out. Bizarrely, Kilcommons said they should turn off the lights to see if the police turned up.
Scared by his behaviour, the girl offered to take chocolate labrador Bessy out for a walk while Kilcommons calmed down.
Prosecutor James Burnham told Andover court: "At that stage the defendant took a large blade from a block of knives, and said 'Let's see how quick Bessy is!'
"He then walked towards the dog, who was lying on her side, and stabbed her in the back.
"The dog yelped and tried to run off. But he followed, repeatedly stabbing her." Vet Dr Morris Alan said the wounds were inflicted by a knife at least 15cm long in a "frenzied" attack.
Defending Kilcommons, Carolyn Lucocq said: "He was devoted to Bessy and had had her since she was seven weeks old. There was no more loved dog.
"This was an isolated incident that happened when he was so intoxicated he couldn't even remember what he'd done. To this day he still doesn't know what happened. He's distressed by what he did."
The lawyer said Kilcommons ran into £30,000 debt after his business selling second-hand printing machines failed to make a profit in two years.
Although his parents had paid off much of the debt, his real problems stemmed from alcohol abuse. He was now seeking treatment.
Kilcommons, who was led handcuffed from court, admitted animal cruelty. He was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
The case follows a spate of shocking acts of animal cruelty. Earlier this week drug-fuelled thug Peter Dibden, of Billingham, Teesside, was fined £900 for stabbing his giant bull mastiff to death with a two-metre samurai sword.
Damien French, who dropped a live rabbit into an alligator's mouth at a zoo in Colwyn Bay, faces jail. In January Adam Richards, 18, of Heamoor, Cornwall, was jailed for six months for stabbing and kicking to death a pregnant hedgehog.
