According to police, a mixed-breed dog belonging to Sonny Bates, 50, of Turner Crescent, and his family went missing in the last week of March.

The dog was found by the victim in the victim’s front yard, but it could not be identified so after making inquiries online they took it to a vet clinic.  

However, on April 1, Bates yelled at the victim, “I know you got me dog, that was me pig dog”. 

Solicitor Neil Jones said Bates was approached by the neighbour but he did respond to the neighbour. 

Despite being told where the dog was, Bates was quoted as saying, “No. One of your mates has it, your’re nothing but a thieving dog. My son is in jail for stabbing someone, he gets out in September, he is coming after you”. 

He was also later quoted as saying, “you will wanna give my dog back or bad things will happen”.

Police were contacted following another incident between the families and police said the victims were so fearful for their safety they left their house for at least that night.

Magistrate David Day said the intimidation didn’t require full-time custody but it required a custodial sentence so he gave Bates a 12-month supervised intensive correction order.

“The intimidation was words but they were strongly expressed and when one looks at the context of the words there may be aggravating circumstances” he said.