Two NI men jailed over fatal fire attack on family dog

Two men have been jailed in connection with a savage attack on a Northern

Ireland family’s dog.

Andrew Richard Stewart, who admitted setting fire to the pet in 2012, was handed a 20-month sentence at Belfast Crown Court, 10 months of which will be served in custody and the remaining 10 on licence.

The 23-year-old, from Meadowfield Court in Aghalee, Co Antrim, was also banned from keeping animals for 30 years.

Jamie Downey (23), from Chestnut Hall Avenue, Moira, Craigavon, Co Armagh, was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Cody, a three-year-old border collie, suffered serious injuries and had to be put to sleep two weeks after she was set alight in August 2012.

“This was a particularly appalling act on Stewart’s part. Cody was a much-loved pet, ” Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland said.

“Stewart savagely attacked her (Cody) in the most evil and vile fashion. It is beyond comprehension that any human being could act in such a manner towards a defenceless creature, which was posing no threat to him.”

They were cheers and clapping from the packed public gallery when Judge McFarland also banned Stewart from owning or looking after any animal for the next 30 years and also ordered him to pay Cody’s owners, Martin and Natalie Agnew, £2,600 compensation.

The Belfast judge said credit for Stewart’s unremorseful guilty plea was less given its lateness and that in his view, the expressions of regret “are merely evidence of self-pity”.

The case sparked widespread public revulsion and more than 60,000 people pledged support for the Justice for Cody Facebook campaign.

After the convictions last month, Ms Agnew said the past two years had been “very stressful” and urged the court to impose the maximum sentences.

She said: “It has been horrendous. The effect this has had on the children, let alone what they actually did to the poor dog.

“The effect it has had on my two boys is still ongoing. They have had to have counselling, sleepless nights, nightmares.

“It has been awful hard to come to terms with ourselves, and trying to explain to children - when we can’t understand or fathom it ourselves - is very hard. We are still dealing with those issues.”

An online fund set up by well-wishers in Cody's name has so far raised £30,000 (€38,000) for animal shelters in Northern Ireland and the Guide Dogs Association.

A guide dog has also been named in Cody's honour.

The Agnew family now have two new dogs.

Press Association