Man Jailed for Attempted Sexual Assault on Dog

Peter Lerwill, 30, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to attempted intercourse with an animal. The incident occurred in June in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, where Lerwill was caught in the act by a passerby.

Lerwill, who was dressed as a woman at the time, was initially arrested and released on bail. He appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, where he admitted to the offense.

In addition to the prison sentence, Lerwill was banned from owning or controlling a dog for five years and has been placed on the sex offenders register.

Following the incident, the dog was taken to a vet for examination. Fortunately, no injuries were found, and the dog was returned to its owner.

Lead investigator Oliver Robinson of Sussex Police stated: "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."