Pensioner's pet dog is stolen and thrown to death from 40ft viaduct

Gary Marshman, 27, was caught on CCTV snatching 12-year-old Jess after her owner had left her tethered outside a Tesco supermarket in West Yorkshire last January .

Owner Ron Bisby, 78, initially thought border collie Jess, who suffered from an arthritic back leg, would make her own way home after escaping - but her battered body was found three days later.

Following a search by police and the public, the elderly animal was found in a river with extensive injuries which a post-mortem revealed were consistent with a fall from a significant height - leading to the conclusion she was probably thrown in. Her collar and lead were found in bushes nearby.

Dewsbury Magistrates Court heard today that Ron and his wife Enid, 71, had been left traumatised after the horrific chain of events.

Marshman was found guilty of theft after a trial earlier this year but had given no reason to why he took the Bisbys' pet - who was described as the couple's chief interest in life.

Stephen Fox, prosecuting, told the court that Ron wasn't immediately concerned when he couldn't see Jess after leaving the supermarket in Cleckheaton, thinking she had just got free and would make her way home of her own accord.

But three days later the dog's body was found in the River Spen.

Marshman, who has a string of previous convictions including possession of a firearm and burglary under his belt, was caught by Tesco security cameras going in and out of the store at the time Jess was tied outside.

CCTV then tracked him going through the car park with Jess on a lead.

More security footage showed Marshman returning to a bail hostel to change his clothes - he had been living at the hostel since leaving prison a month before.

Having been been identified the criminal, who denied the offence throughout his trial, was picked up by police and arrested and examination of his clothes uncovered a single white hair on his jacket.

This small but damning piece of evidence was found to be a DNA match for the family pet.

At the time of their ordeal, former clothing worker Ron, of Cleckheaton, said: "It's been very traumatic, you come down in the morning and expect to see her in her basket, but she's not there.

"You find yourself stepping round the house so you don't trip over her but of course she isn't there any more.

"I've had to hide her toys, rubber ball and chew bone because it upsets my wife Enid too much.

"She didn't move fast these days unless it was for a cat but was in fairly good health and loved her food, especially if you were eating baked custard - she could smell it from 50 paces."

Mr Fox added today: "People their age should not have to put through this misery".

He also read out a statement from Ron, in which he said: "Due to this incident I have been unable to sleep properly, I feel numb and I miss my dog terribly.

"My wife feels she has aged 10 years and won't leave the house.

"I can't put a price on Jess - she is priceless to me."

Sentencing Marshman, of Bradford, chairman Vince Reynolds said: "The offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence is justified.

"This offence has been taken against vulnerable victims."

Mr Reynolds told the court hat he was also taking into account the psychological impact and the high levels of stress this theft will have caused the victims.

He also sentenced Marshman to 14 days imprisonment for previously failing to surrender to custody, to be served concurrently.

Paul Blanchard, mitigating, said that his client had been in and out of custody since 2003 and had become institutionalised, finding it hard to deal with the real world.

He added: "Nothing can detract from the fact that the Bisbys have lost their pet".