Man denies having sex with mastiff

A man rejected by his ex-wife went on to have sex with her bull mastiff dog, a court has heard.

Kelly Thacker claims to have found her ex-husband Nicholas Saunders, with whom she has two children, in her bed having sex with the animal on Jan 15 last year. The 46-year-old denies the charge, but accepts he was naked in the bed with the dog.

Gloucester Crown Court heard Mr Saunders had been kicked out of his house following an argument with his girlfriend and had sought out sympathy at his ex-wife’s home.

The pair had remained on friendly terms following their separation and Mr Saunders had visited Ms Thacker and stayed overnight at her house in the past. However, the prosecution said, Mr Saunders was looking for more than just comfort that night and, when Ms Thacker made it that he did not have a chance with her, he turned to the large dog, named Sasha.

Frank Abbott told the jury that Mr Saunders had got undressed and climbed into Ms Thacker’s bed while she went downstairs to sleep.

“A little later, the dogs — one of which is a bull mastiff, a large dog — came upstairs and laid on the bed,” said Mr Abbott. “He said to the dog ‘You’ve just ruined my chances’.

“Meanwhile, downstairs in the lounge, Mrs Thacker could hear things going on upstairs.

“Sasha, the dog, got onto the bed. Mrs Thacker became curious and she went upstairs. She saw him, naked, the dog on the far side of the bed facing away from the defendant and that he was clearly trying to put his penis into the dog’s vagina.”

Saunders claims he was in the bed with the dog, but denies trying to have sex with it.

The trial continues.