A Cruella de Vil lookalike snatched and kidnapped a puppy after its owner refused to sell.
Mum-of-three Jessica Gerrard grabbed the Pomeranian dog after Zsuzsanna Szilagyi refused her £300 offer.
Gerrard, 24, handed the pup to her accomplice Adam Conway, who was sat in a waiting car with their baby.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that he slammed the car door on Miss Szilagyi’s hand as she tried to stop their escape – dragging her into the road as they sped away.
Conway, 22, and Gerrard – whose black and white hair bears a resemblance to the Disney baddie – were today blasted by a judge for the “nasty” offence.
Adam Conway (22) and Jessica Gerrard (24) leave Liverpool Crown Court
Judge Andrew Menary, QC, said: “Any decent human being, especially a dog lover, would be horrified to read what happened.
“This was a nasty, sneak offence.”
The court heard that Miss Szilagyi and her partner Robert Pinter had advertised puppies for sale on the website Gumtree.
Gerrard, of Alder Close, Prescot , and Conway, of East Prescot Road, Dovecot , visited their home on Sunday, May 10, when Mr Pinter was at work.
Edmund Haygarth, prosecuting, said Gerrard offered £300 for a puppy, which was priced at £550.
Miss Szilagyi rejected the low offer and Conway returned to the car, before Gerrard snatched the dog and fled.
The victim followed “hot on their heels” but said Conway hit her to prevent her grabbing the puppy and told Gerrard to lock the car doors.
She was holding the panel between two doors when Conway slammed his door onto her hand and drove off.
Mr Haygarth said: “Miss Szilagyi describes being dragged into the middle of the road into oncoming traffic.”
A neighbour took down the car’s registration and called police.
Miss Szilagyi said she was affected “physically and emotionally” by the incident.
Pomeranian Dog
She said: “I was in shock and I felt pain in my heart. It was as if they had stolen my child.
“Every day I fed them, looked after them, and became emotionally attached to them.”
Miss Szilagyi said the puppy was ”very hungry and thin” when it was later returned by police.
Judge Menary accepted Conway did not intend to slam the door on the victim, but was guilty of “recklessly assaulting her”.
The judge said he doubted whether they ever intended to pay for a dog, adding that they caused the victim “very real upset and distress”.
He said: “She describes it in graphic terms as the dog being kidnapped. That is essentially what you did.
“Since then you have told a pack of lies to try and cover up what you did.
“Both of you should be thoroughly ashamed.”
Cruella de Vil from Disney’s “101 DALMATIANS.”
Gerrard admitted theft while Conway admitted theft and assault.
Both defendants were handed 12-month community orders, curfews and told to pay compensation to their victim.
Jonathan Duffy, defending, said Gerrard was a registered carer for “vulnerable” Conway, who has Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder.
He said they have three children together but are no longer a couple and regret the incident.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/