Dog hit and killed by police car after she chased thieves stealing her puppies

A dog was accidentally hit and killed by a police car after she tried to chase down thieves who had stolen her puppies.

Jordan Brown and Aaron Conlon were both jailed at Leeds Crown Court for the callous snatch of the young Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies.

It was heard they were worth £3,500 each, with one later being sold online for just £200.

Prosecuting the case for the Crown, Miah Nath said the Brown and Conlon had gone to the woman’s address in Armley in the early hours of January 29.

They knew her and she let them in after they asked to use her phone. She later told police that Brown looked “off his head”.

After around 20 minutes she asked them to leave. Brown picked up one of the five-month-old puppies and pushed the woman causing her to fall backwards.

The puppies’ mother then chased after him as Conlon picked up another young dog and left.

The woman chased him outside but Conlon pulled her to the ground and wrestled with her before getting away.

The mother dog was then struck by an arriving police car and killed when the dog chased a car that Brown had got into.

One of the puppies was retrieved the next morning and the other was found on Facebook two days later sold for just £200.

Both 31-year-old Brown and 29-year-old Conlon appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where they have been held on remand.

Both admitted theft, with Conlon admitting assault of the woman.

Brown, of Upper Commercial Street, Batley, has 47 previous convictions including violence and multiple thefts.

Mitigating, Craig Sutcliffe said Brown had been estranged from his family and “suffering the effects of drug use”.

Conlon, of no fixed address, has 38 previous convictions for thefts and violence also.

Mitigating, Andrew Espley said Conlon had “grave difficulties” with drugs over the years. He said he grew up in care and later became addicted to crack cocaine.

The judge, Recorder Simon Jackson KC, acknowledged that neither defendant was directly involved in the adult dog’s death, but did point out that it was a consequence of their actions.

He told them: “It was a group activity and a planned activity.

“The woman was alone and vulnerable and force was used to effect this theft.”