Dog case thrown out

| 05/05/2010

(CNS): Acting Magistrate John Furniss said he was “appalled” that the case against Sandra Catron for theft had reached the courts as he handed down his decision of no case to answer. Furniss told the court that the matter should have been sorted out between the parties long before it came there. Catron was facing theft charges in connection with a dog which she claimed she had found and rescued, believing the animal to have been abandoned. When the original owner turned up Catron asked to be reimbursed expenses she had incurred before she would return it. The owner refused and called the police and Catron was eventually arrested for theft.

Acting Magistrate Furniss however, threw the case out on Wednesday morning as he made it plain he did not believe the prosecution had made a criminal case of theft and that the whole thing should never have reached as far as it did and ordered that the dog be returned to the original owner.
“”I am appalled that this case has come before the courts and taken up so much time,” Furniss said. “This should have been agreed between the two parties.”
Following the magistrates ruling Catron said it was a “bittersweet victory” as even though the charges of theft against her had been thrown out she had serious concerns about the future welfare of the dog in question. “The judge made it clear he believed it was a civil matter and I must consider that aspect of the case relating to my expenses. I missed being able to take ownership of the dog by one day under the animal law and now possession of the dog has been returned to its original owners.”
Catron said as far as she was concerned the case was never about theft and always about the welfare of the dog which she had named Precious but the original owners knew as Delilah. The dog which is a Shih Tzu has been housed at the department of agriculture pound since Catron was arrested in March. The owners were not in court today however, to hear that the dog had been ordered to be returned to them.  
Catron maintained that when she found the dog it had been neglected and was in a poor state of health. She added that the expenses she incurred were as a result of treating the animal for a number of medical conditions.
Furniss made his decision following a submission by Catron, who defended herself, that there was no case to answer at the end of the crown’s evidence.
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  1. Ex-Lobsta Hunta - till Decemba says:

    Sandra Catron is Cayman’s top celebrity and I bet she’s reading all these nim-rod comments and laughing her bum-bum off!.. I would.

     

  2. Anonymous says:

    Sandra – if you really want to "save" a dog why not go to the "Humane Society" and "adopt" a "Caymanian" dog instead of claiming to have saved this "pure breed" from the "streets"

  3. Anonymous says:

    Any other result would have been ruff justice, after all the police never had a lead in the first place. But the the RCIP machine never runs smoothly – there’s always a spaniel in the works.

     

    I’ll get my coat.

  4. Shepherd says:

    The dog was not neglected, it was not found in a neglected condition.

    This is true, the facts are known by those in the know.

  5. Anonymous says:

    I’m glad the dog is back in its home.

    I hope the bigger question of the welfare of the dog is looked at.

    And yes I wholeheartedly agree, Sandra if you want to help a dog, please go to the Humane Society or Agriculture pound and adopt or foster.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Now lets see if SC is all over FB about the other charge of theft against her related to another matter !!!

    • Anonymous says:

      You obviously don’t know Sandra very well. All of FB knew when she was arrested in relation to that landlord issue as well. As she was in the Police station she was updating us on her phone.

      One thing I must say about her (unlike other public figures) she does not hide anything – right or wrong.

      People will call her a media wh— because she exposes all and you trying to pretend like she’s hiding up. Make up your minds because you can’t have it both ways!

      XXXXX

    • Anonymous says:

      She done on there inviting friends to come court and watch her.  The woman is always looking for her 15 minutes of fame.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I’m glad someone cared to take the little dog

  8. Anonymous says:

    Maybe the reason for pushing this all the way to the courts is that I have heard of another case where the dog was "found" by some people who then contacted the owners and demanded a small amount of money (I believe $400) for the care of the dog and a new lead etc. Frankly it is small scale extortion.

    Personally I would have told them to keep the dog but then I would not have one ion the first place as I cant stand any pets.

    • Anonymous says:

      There is something fundamentally (and mentally for that matter) wrong with people who have no compassion for animals.

      • Anonymous says:

        I said I cant stand pets not that I dont have compassion for animals. In what way does that something wrong with me

  9. Anonymous says:

    Yay!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!! 

    Delilah is home where she belongs, so happy for the family!

     

  10. Anonymous says:

    Seems to me this whole farce is not even that big a news story…do we have any other petty theft cases covered as through as this has been?  no….the secret is that the person involved knows how the media game…

  11. Anonymous says:

    That what she get behave yourself leave people things alone .Now if you want a dog go to the shelter and rescue 1or 2 of them pretty dogs they have there .They always looking for more homes for them.

  12. Beachboi says:

    The person that made the decision that ultimately landed this case before the magistrates should be relieved of his/her duties.  Or better yet they should be made to pay all of the expenses out of pocket.  How idiotic!!!!!!

  13. peter milburn says:

    Should NEVER have gotten to this stage in the first place.Waste of courts time and MONEY(but we do have so much to throw away right?)Happy for you Sandra.Keep on chugging along.

  14. NorthSideSue says:

    Glad it worked out in your favor, Sandra!

    • British Bulldog says:

      Sandra, thanks for your kindness. Can I have Delilah’s home address? She looks hot!

  15. Anonymous says:

    Glad to see the right outcome thanks to the learned Magistrate but yet again… the Police AND the Crown Prosecution Service should be reprimanded for wasting government time and money…

    The cases that need to be brought before the Courts are routinely done with poor preparation and the cases that should never be brought before the courts are rightly thrown out!

    The RCIPS and the CPS are all clowns!

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree. How can the Police not sort out a basic civil dispute like this? And how can the Legal Department recommend a charge? Truly appalling and scary.
      I wonder what other things they could have been dealing with while they spent time on this?

    • Who ya know! says:

      This silly case, which was a big waste of money, unjustly ended up in court and I can guarantee that two recently more serious cases of high profile status that should end up being prosecuted, will be swept under the carpet by the "legal department".

      It’s "who ya know!" and who you connected with!

  16. Anonymous says:

    I always believed in Miss Catron.

    I’m not sure why this lovely lady had to go through this foolish ideal.

    Continue to do your good acts Sandra.

  17. Rover says:

    Are these people all barking mad?

  18. Anonymous says:

     shih-tzu**

  19. Anonymous says:

    Why, why, why, Delilah?

    • Anonymous says:

      Ha ha! good one…….. at break of day when the owners drove away I was waiting. I crossed the street to her house and she offered her paw….. sheeeeee stood there barking. I took her home and the neighbours – they laughed no more……

  20. Anonymous says:

    There was a clear attempt to discredit Catron by the powers that be to allow this prosecution to proceed. Given the serious crime within the country it discredits the judicial system that this foolishness exists.

    Once again if you speak up and rock the boat the crabs in the bucket mentality will bite you.

    • Anonymous says:

      Good for you Sandra! Never mind those who seek to cut you down – people who dare to stand up and defend themselves while doing what is right will always get this kind of reaction.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Complete waste of the courts time.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yea that’s normal;  for one, the police don’t do their job and investigate cases (most cases) properly or try to resolve civil matters, it’s all about sending a file to legal for a decision.  Stripes Stripes Stripes is all I can say;  our police need to be trained and be taught ethics and legal need to stop wasting governments time and money! 

      • Anonymous says:

        wasted court time…But they (police) had no problem telling me when a teacher from gvt school tore the skin off my child’s face they saw no reason to presue the case.