heres the story as it appeared in the journal
Puppy\'s \'saviour\' arrested Sep 23 2004
By Kevin Donald, The Journal
A man who claimed youths in a North park had kicked a puppy to death was yesterday arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.
Paul Foreman, 31, told animal rescue staff in South Shields that he had rescued the puppy from thugs who were kicking it around \"like a football\" in the town\'s Temple Park.
But police yesterday said the dog\'s injuries had been caused in Mr Foreman\'s home and the story about the park was made up.
Police have released Mr Foreman without charge but have referred the case to the RSPCA.
Mr Foreman, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, posed as a caring good Samaritan when he handed the injured animal to staff at St Francis Animal Rescue, yards from his front door.
He said he had rescued the pup from a gang of yobs attacking it near the BMX track on Temple Park Fields, South Shields.
He told staff three young thugs were battering the tiny animal mercilessly, kicking it like a football and throwing her around \"like a rag doll\", which upset his four-year-old son terribly.
But a spokesman for Northumbria Police said yesterday: \"A 31-year-old man who originally brought the injured puppy into the authorities was arrested on suspicion of cruelty to an animal but was later released with no further action, although a file will be sent to the RSPCA.
\"The injuries to the dog appear to be the result of an incident in the man\'s home, rather than caused by youths at a local park.\"
For more than a week police scoured schools and public parks to root out the yobs.
Animal lovers from as far afield as Holland pledged more than £2,500 in reward money and donations to St Francis Animal Rescue.
Inspector Simon Charlton of South Shields Police said: \"I would like to stress that the children we have interviewed in relation to this matter were in no way involved in the attack on this dog.
\"I understand at least one person\'s home has been wrongly targeted because of this, but I can categorically state that these people had nothing to do with it.\"
The RSPCA is considering taking legal action. A spokesman said: \"We will be looking at the file and considering what, if any, action we are going to take.\"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
now hes identified its only a matter of time til he gets whats owing to him. i\'m a pretty easy going type of person but scum like this make my p**s boil. can\'t see him being able to stay living in that house, people have long memories, hope hes hounded out.
[Edited on 23/9/2004 by micky-quayle]