Peter Lerwill, a man attired as a woman, has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for attempting to engage in sexual acts with a dog in a public setting.
Peter Lerwill, 30, of Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6, was apprehended by a local woman and subsequently detained before being freed on bail.
He appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to attempted sexual intercourse with an animal, resulting in a 12-week prison sentence.
Lerwill has been banned from owning or having control of a dog for five years and is also now a registered sex offender.
Following the incident, which took place in June, the dog was taken to the vet where they determined it had suffered no injuries. The dog was then returned to its proper owner.
Lead investigator with Sussex Police Oliver Robinson said: “This was an extremely upsetting case where Lerwill preyed on a defenceless animal. This was also a challenging case which relied on witness accounts rather than the victim, as in most cases.
“Thanks to the prompt reporting by the informant we were able to arrest Lerwill and complete forensic examinations within a timely manner which helped secure the conviction.
“The dog was able to be returned to its owner who can be confident that their dog and others cannot be targeted by Lerwill going forward.”
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