Man who had sex with dog avoids jail

Nicholas Saunders, 46, was caught in bed with Sasha by Kelly Thacker, mother of two of his children.

Saunders, of Lechlade, Gloucestershire, was convicted by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court in June of having intercourse with an animal.

Yesterday the court heard that Saunders continued to deny his guilt.

Recorder Stewart Patterson sentenced Saunders to a two-year community order, placed him on the sex offenders’ register for five years and ordered him to attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme.

He told Saunders: “It is quite clear your behaviour that night demonstrates a distorted sexualised thinking which needs to be addressed by you.

“Although you continue to deny the incident, I am heartened to see you are fully prepared to work with the Probation Service to address these issues.”

Saunders was also made the subject of a restraining order for four years, which bans him from any property where Ms Thacker and her children live unless he gets a court order or written permission from his ex-wife.

Ms Thacker told the court of her shock at the incident.

During the two-day trial in June, Ms Thacker, who has teenage twin girls with Saunders, told the court she rejected her ex-husband’s advances towards her after he had a fight with his bipolar girlfriend and sought comfort at her home.

It was soon afterwards that she found him having sex with Sasha.

The jury was told Saunders, a fencing contractor, and his ex-wife remained on good terms following their separation 13 years ago.

Saunders went to her house at around 1.45am.

The prosecution said he was looking for more than just comfort that night and when Ms Thacker spurned his advances he turned to the dog.

Saunders denied the charge 
and claimed his ex-wife had seen him merely “climbing over the dog” to get out of bed to use 
the toilet.