Egremont woman who helps dogs in need hurled abuse at man in street

Mackenzie Leder, 30, went to the home address of Harold Armstrong in Egremont on July 6 following a visit from the animal welfare charity about his dog.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting at Workington Magistrates’ Court, said Leder had called Mr Armstrong a ‘bad man’ and a ‘f*****g b*****d’.

Mr Armstrong felt ‘distressed’ and ‘shaken’, the court heard.

Leder had videoed the exchange and posted it on Facebook. The matter was then reported to the police.

The defendant was invited to attend a voluntary interview by police but failed to attend. A police officer attended her home address and attempted to arrange an interview.

Leder said she was refusing and told the officer, ‘arrest me then’. The officer then arrested her.

The RSPCA officer said Leder had approached him with two other people as he was leaving Mr Armstrong’s property and was ‘screaming in his face’.

The video Leder had recorded and posted on Facebook was played to the court.

Leder was heard confronting the RSPCA officer, asking him what he was doing about Mr Armstrong’s dog. The defendant then aggressively shouts at Mr Armstrong calling him, ‘a horrible, fat b*****d’ and asking if he thinks it alright to neglect a dog.

A statement from Mr Armstrong said Leder had previously shouted ‘dog killer’ at him while he was shopping in Whitehaven Tesco.

Mr Armstrong said he feared there would be further incidents with Leder and her associates if she wasn’t prosecuted. He said he was ‘tired’ of it and wanted it to stop.

Leder, of The Ferns, Egremont, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

John Cooper, defending, said Leder was known across west Cumbria for rescuing dogs and helping people with dogs that are lost or thought to have been neglected.

He said Leder had been helping Mr Armstrong and one of his dogs had been taken by police and destroyed.

Harold Armstrong's other dog which was taken by police and put to sleep (Image: MacKenzie Leder)

Leder then believed the RSPCA was going to seize Mr Armstrong’s other dog.

Mr Cooper told the court: “It’s an ongoing matter, going on for several months. She doesn’t accept what he says about the supermarket.

“He has gone to her for help in the past. It’s only when there’s been this argument, he has gone to the police.

“When she found out police were involved she felt wronged that police hadn’t done anything with the dog.

“She had best intentions at the start but unfortunately, it’s gone horribly wrong.”

Passing sentence, Charlotte Wood, chair of the magistrates, said: “I appreciate it started off with the best intentions but you see where it’s got you.

“You can’t go round screaming and shouting at people in the street. It’s not acceptable behaviour.

“I appreciate what you are doing. It’s really commendable. You are just going to have to be a bit more sensible about it.”

Leder was fined £120. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.