HAMILTON – NEIL STRATFORD GETS SUSPENDED SENTENCE
The video shows clearly without one doubt what Neil Stratford did to Merlin on that hot summer day in 2023.
Multiple calls into Provincial Animal Welfare Services (AWS) and to Hamilton Police Service (HPS). They both failed so miserably on multiple counts.
Hamilton Crown Attorney (HCA) – Failed to charge appropriately
- Failure to respond – both AWS & HPS
- Failure to protect Merlin and get him seen by a vet by removing him immediately from Neil Stratford – AWS
- Failure to investigate – HPS
- AWS’s failure to reach out to HPS and indicate that the offence clearly meets the criminal code threshold
- HPS was well aware of the video and could have brought criminal charges – the CHOSE not to
- Hamilton Crown when presented with 3 Provincial Offence Act (POA) charges could have easily and should have upgraded those charges to Criminal Code Indictable Offences – the Crown CHOSE not to!