Police dog handler convicted over deaths

Pc Mark Johnson, 39, was convicted at Nottingham Magistrates' Court of having unnecessarily confined his dogs "in an environment that was detrimental to their well-being".

Johnson, who denied the charge, said he was suffering from depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, leading to him forgetting about his dogs, 18-month-old Jay-Jay and Jet, seven, on June 30 last year.

Johnson was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay 2,500 costs.

Sentencing him, district judge Tim Devas said it was "sad and regrettable" that the two dogs had died.

He said: "This has been an extremely difficult case, not only for Pc Johnson and his family but it's also been difficult for me up here.

"Sometimes you feel you are doing society a service or providing justice, but I don't feel any of those things.

"I feel a police officer has been let down and this is for the benefit of the police: this is a dreadful error of judgment brought about by an illness way before it happened and Pc Johnson should have been given more help.

"It is a terribly sad indictment on the police force where you have an officer of his standing who is embarrassed to talk about his illness.

"I cannot believe that in the 21st century, depression and men crying is so abhorrent to an institution that nothing can be done about it.

"I have no doubt that had Pc Johnson received the help he needed then he wouldn't be standing before me here today."

The district judge added that he was satisfied that the police officer had no intention of causing any harm to his animals.

He said: "Pc Johnson, I hope you can rebuild your life and career at the end of this."