Locations
Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6
Description
A man who was dressed as a woman has been jailed for 12 weeks after trying to have sex with a dog in public.
Peter Lerwill, 30, was caught in the act by a woman in his hometown in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, and was initially arrested before being released on bail.
He appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday and plead guilty to attempted intercourse with an animal, resulting in a 12-week prison sentence.
Lerwill has been banned from owning or having control of a dog for five years and is also now a registered sex offender.
Following the incident, which took place in June, the dog was taken to the vet where they determined it had suffered no injuries. The dog was then returned to its proper owner.
Lead investigator with Sussex Police Oliver Robinson said: “This was an extremely upsetting case where Lerwill preyed on a defenceless animal. This was also a challenging case which relied on witness accounts rather than the victim, as in most cases.
“Thanks to the prompt reporting by the informant we were able to arrest Lerwill and complete forensic examinations within a timely manner which helped secure the conviction.
“The dog was able to be returned to its owner who can be confident that their dog and others cannot be targeted by Lerwill going forward.”