Prison for Stenhousemuir thug who set his Staffie on police

Chad Munnoch (25) picked up the angry animal and carried it "snarling and growling" towards a police officer who had gone to check a flat in Stenhousemuir.Munnoch told the dog, “get him", and advanced towards the officer with the animal in his arms.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard police had gone to the flat after receiving a phone call from a woman's "concerned family member".

Procurator fiscal depute Amy Sneddon said: "The accused answered the door. He was with a brown-coloured Staffordshire-type dog which was growling and barking."

Munnoch initially put the dog in a bedroom and invited police in, but when officers explained why there were there and searched the property, he quickly became "hostile and aggressive".He said: "You know what happens to police who try and lift me. I'll stab you in the neck."

Munnoch went into the bedroom where the dog was, picked up his mobile, and rang his solicitor. The lawyer told him he would need to go with the police.

Miss Sneddon said: "The accused then hung up the phone, picked up his dog, and shouted 'get him'. The dog was growling and snarling. The accused took a few steps towards police officers while in possession of the dog."

Miss Sneddon said that the officers retreated, believing the dog was posing a risk to them, and tried to close the bedroom door to shut Munnoch and the animal inside. However Munnoch shoved the door open,and "exited taking his dog with him".

Munnoch, of Cowdenbeath, Fife, pleaded guilty to statutory breach of the peace, which he committed on July 11, 2019.Appearing by video link from Glenochil Prison, where he is currently serving a 204-day sentence in relation to another matter, Munnoch told the court: "I admit I set the dog on the police but I never said nothing about stabbing them."

Solicitor Simon Hutchison, defending, said Munnoch had "a troubled background".

He said: "That's been reflected in his behaviour since. However, I think the court is left with very few alternatives. In fact, none."

Imposing the six-month jail term, Sheriff Derek Livingston said: "I'll not have people setting their dogs on the police."

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