24/06/2026
Woman previously convicted of animal cruelty when dead dog was found hanging on blind cord denies new offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog
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ALESHIA MCLAVERTY previously in court in connection with animal cruelty after a dead dog was found hanging on the cord of a set of blinds at a flat in Antrim town, has pleaded not guilty to a new case accusing her of causing unnecessary suffering to another dog.
Aleshia McLaverty had previously been at court in 2015 in relation to a dog left abandoned at an address at Firmount Drive in the Greystone estate.
She had received a suspended prison term and a five year ban on keeping animals at the 2015 court.
After receiving a report from a member of the public about a dead dog at a property, welfare officers entered the Firmount address in April 2014 to be met with a "pungent" smell and a house full of flies with floors covered with dog faeces.
The emaciated Labrador-cross type dog was found hanging up-side down from a blind cord with maggots on its body.
There was no food and the toilet bowl was dry, suggesting the dog had drunk from it, and scratch marks on packets of food consistent with the animal trying to find something to eat.
A postmortem revealed it died of dehydration and starvation.
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council had taken the case after being alerted by a neighbour.
A council report had said: "Closer examination of the property revealed empty food packets and dishes that had teeth marks in them and the toilet in the house had no water in it concluding that the dog had drank all the water from the toilet as there was no other water source available to the dog within the property.
"The dog was subsequently submitted for postmortem to determine the cause of death, which was later confirmed to be malnutrition and dehydration."
At the time, a judge said images of the dog were "the worst photos I have ever seen of cruelty to an animal".
Now, in a new case, McLaverty (34) and Jason Gallagher, whose age was listed as unknown, are charged with causing unnecessary suffering to dog in Antrim town. They are contesting the case.
Their addresses were given as the same address at Islandbawn Drive - which is in the Greystone estate.
The charge is that on July 18 last year they caused unnecessary suffering to an 'adult terrier-cross dog' at the address.
Gallagher is also charged with that being the keeper of an adult terrier-cross dog, 'failed to take steps to ensure the needs of the animal'.
Neither accused were present at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
A defence barrister said the defendants are pleading not guilty.
He said the defendants' defence case is a "factual dispute".
Full details of the background to the allegations have yet to be outlined to the court.
The cases were adjourned to July to fix a date for a contest.
* Pictured: Aleshia McLaverty pictured after a previous court appearance in 2015.
