The man who was caught on camera mistreating a dog on Pebbles Beach last September has admitted to animal cruelty, four months after pleading not guilty when he was first hauled before the court.
Davino Shakell Howard, 28, pleaded guilty to the animal cruelty charge after being sentenced for two other offences related to the highly-publicised incident. He will learn next week what punishment he will face for that crime.
Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Friday placed the landscaper from Bullens Avenue, Dalkeith Road, St Michael on 12 months of probation, in addition to counselling deemed necessary by authorities, on two charges he pleaded guilty to on his first appearance in court late last year – owning a dog over the age of six months without obtaining a licence and withholding information requested by Sergeant of Police Cecil Taylor.
Those two offences were committed on September 16, 2023.
The probation had been recommended in a presentencing report the magistrate ordered when Howard pleaded guilty.
“Any coverage that is given in relation to this should assist the public in understanding that these matters are all serious even though it does not involve a human being,” Magistrate Weekes said.
“I have no doubt that . . . the authorities in relation to the facts [have] other measures they may wish to take . . . but as long as you are counselled . . . I am sure that the public would have benefited from the whole issue of this sentence,” he told the young man.
Howard then asked the magistrate whether he could “take back” his not-guilty plea on the charge of wantonly ill-treating and causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on September 13, 2022.
Some of what occurred that day had been caught on video and widely circulated on social media.
In response to Howard’s change of heart, Magistrate Weekes advised him to “process” the direction in which he was going.
“I do not run fast food courts. You should plead to this matter if you are satisfied that is what you should do. We are not doing fast food justice. Don’t be coerced or figure that you are under duress to change your plea,” he said.
But Howard maintained: “I pleading guilty, Sir.”
The matter was then adjourned until Tuesday, January 17 when the prosecutor will outline the facts of the case.
Chief Magistrate Weekes is expected to sentence Howard on that day.
Read our ePaper. Fast. Factual. Free.
Sign up and stay up to date with Barbados' FREE latest news.
Barbados Today firmly discourages any commentary or statements that are libelous, disruptive in nature or incites others to violate our Terms of Use. Any submissions made on our comment section, are solely the views of the individual and not Barbados Today.