Friday, June 19, 2015
Cat reunited with family after being trapped inside futon mattress for two months
Moosie the 2-year-old grey tabby survived a 64-day journey, crossing thousands of miles while trapped inside a futon mattress packed away with the rest of his owners’ belongings.
Moosie’s owners, Kymberly and Jesse Chelf, thought they had lost him when they left El Paso, Texas, to move to Fairbanks, Alaska, two months ago. The family had to move when Jesse, who is in the United States Army, received a new assignment at Fort Wainwright.
It was early April, and everything was going fine. All the boxes had been packed and all that remained was for the loaders to get everything put into the moving truck. As the items were being loaded, however, the Chelfs realized they could no longer find Moosie. The cat had been there earlier that day, but somewhere along the line he had vanished.
The family searched for their cat everywhere they could think, but came up empty time after time.
They stayed in Texas for three days after the movers took their things. Several times each day they returned to the home and searched again. At first they thought he may have jumped into one of the moving boxes, but all the boxes had been packed and sealed before he went missing. Only the furniture had been left unpacked for the loaders. “We just assumed he had run away, which was very unlike Moosie,” Kymberly said. “He’s just a very loyal, loving cat.” They put out the word to all their friends and neighbours. They activated his microchip in case anyone found him and reluctantly left. “We have so many good friends down there that were constantly looking for him. We had a really good support down there,” Kymberly said. “We had a plan (for) when we found Moose,” she said, “’cause we were confident we would find him.” A friend in El Paso had offered to pick Moosie up from whatever veterinarian or animal shelter at which his microchip might be scanned.
So they were ready in case he showed back up at home. What they didn’t expect, according to Kymberly, was to find Moosie in Fairbanks. When the family’s furniture arrived in Fairbanks on Thursday, they unpacked everything from the moving truck - the large futon was one of the last things to be unpacked. The mattress seemed as inanimate as any of their other household items until the movers had unwrapped it and carried it halfway up the stairs. Moosie broke his long silence and came out with a meow Kymberly will never forget. “He’d given it everything he had to let us know he was in there,” she said. “It just broke my heart.” Kymberly ran to the garage to tell her husband the shocking news - they had found Moosie, and he was alive. They looked up Fairbanks veterinarians and were able to rush him to Mount McKinley Animal Hospital. There, Dr. Hayden Nevill was able to rehydrate Moosie and nurse him back to relative health.
YouTube link.
It wasn’t Moosie’s first brush with tight spaces or near death. As a newborn kitten, Moosie and his siblings were rescued from a wall of a home owned by one of the Chelf’s neighbours. The mother of the litter had become tangled in some wires and died, but the Chelfs were able to rescue Moosie and adopt him into their family. Since she was just three weeks old, Moosie received care and attention from Kymberly. “I’m pretty much mama to him,” she said. “Bottle feeding a kitten, they really do become attached to you.” Now, the family is doing everything it can to make sure Moosie’s marathon survival wasn’t for naught. They’ve spent several thousand dollars in veterinarian bills to get him back toward full health. After hours of surgery, a blood transfusion and nearly a week in the hospital, Moosie may be nearly ready to return home, Kymberly said. “It’s unbelievable, but we are so glad to have him alive, and we can’t wait for him to come home,” she said. “It’s a long road to recovery for him, but we’re looking forward to having him back and getting him nice and fat again.”
You can read more about Moosie the miracle cat at his Facebook page.
They stayed in Texas for three days after the movers took their things. Several times each day they returned to the home and searched again. At first they thought he may have jumped into one of the moving boxes, but all the boxes had been packed and sealed before he went missing. Only the furniture had been left unpacked for the loaders. “We just assumed he had run away, which was very unlike Moosie,” Kymberly said. “He’s just a very loyal, loving cat.” They put out the word to all their friends and neighbours. They activated his microchip in case anyone found him and reluctantly left. “We have so many good friends down there that were constantly looking for him. We had a really good support down there,” Kymberly said. “We had a plan (for) when we found Moose,” she said, “’cause we were confident we would find him.” A friend in El Paso had offered to pick Moosie up from whatever veterinarian or animal shelter at which his microchip might be scanned.
So they were ready in case he showed back up at home. What they didn’t expect, according to Kymberly, was to find Moosie in Fairbanks. When the family’s furniture arrived in Fairbanks on Thursday, they unpacked everything from the moving truck - the large futon was one of the last things to be unpacked. The mattress seemed as inanimate as any of their other household items until the movers had unwrapped it and carried it halfway up the stairs. Moosie broke his long silence and came out with a meow Kymberly will never forget. “He’d given it everything he had to let us know he was in there,” she said. “It just broke my heart.” Kymberly ran to the garage to tell her husband the shocking news - they had found Moosie, and he was alive. They looked up Fairbanks veterinarians and were able to rush him to Mount McKinley Animal Hospital. There, Dr. Hayden Nevill was able to rehydrate Moosie and nurse him back to relative health.
YouTube link.
It wasn’t Moosie’s first brush with tight spaces or near death. As a newborn kitten, Moosie and his siblings were rescued from a wall of a home owned by one of the Chelf’s neighbours. The mother of the litter had become tangled in some wires and died, but the Chelfs were able to rescue Moosie and adopt him into their family. Since she was just three weeks old, Moosie received care and attention from Kymberly. “I’m pretty much mama to him,” she said. “Bottle feeding a kitten, they really do become attached to you.” Now, the family is doing everything it can to make sure Moosie’s marathon survival wasn’t for naught. They’ve spent several thousand dollars in veterinarian bills to get him back toward full health. After hours of surgery, a blood transfusion and nearly a week in the hospital, Moosie may be nearly ready to return home, Kymberly said. “It’s unbelievable, but we are so glad to have him alive, and we can’t wait for him to come home,” she said. “It’s a long road to recovery for him, but we’re looking forward to having him back and getting him nice and fat again.”
You can read more about Moosie the miracle cat at his Facebook page.
Firefighters rescued cat's owner from tree
A woman from Presque Isle, Maine, intent on rescuing her pet cat that she thought was stuck in a 75-foot tree on Monday afternoon, successfully climbed all the way to the top but then had to call the Presque Isle Fire Department to be rescued herself.
Richard Wark, deputy fire chief in Presque Isle, said that the woman, who was in her 60s, had been trying to coax the black cat out of the tree for a while but was unsuccessful. Fearing it would go hungry or thirsty, she decided to climb the tree.
“She got all the way up the tree to the very high tiny branches in the top of the tree,” Wark said.
“And then she looked down and realized how high she was. She had a cellphone with her, thankfully. When she called us (at about 2pm) and we got there, we could hardly believe that she climbed all the way to the top of the tree. It took us a few minutes to find her in the leaves and branches.” The woman had a duffel bag with her, intending to force the hesitant cat into the bag and then climb down. When the firefighters got the ladder up to her, however, Wark said, the woman was adamant she was not coming down without the cat.
“Even though the cat was frightened and hissing and clawing at her, she wanted that cat to come down with her,” he said. “We tried to convince her that it would come down on its own, but she would not go without the cat.” Eventually, Wark said, the firefighters told her that they would get her down first, and then go back and try to get the cat down. Once they got the woman out of the tree and slowly down the ladder with a safety harness, she was exhausted and was taken to The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle to be examined, he said. Wark said he expected she would be fine. Under medical privacy regulations, Wark said he could not release the woman’s name.
The firefighters kept their promise, he said, and tried using the ladder again to get the cat come down. The cat refused, but it came down on its own a short time later. Wark said that the fire department encourages people not to climb trees after animals, and that cats normally will come out of trees when they get hungry. He also said that firefighters do not normally answer calls to rescue cats or other animals from trees or obstacles because of their other job duties and complaints from the public about it being a waste of resources, but he said that since they already were getting the woman from the tree, they felt it would not hurt to take another shot at trying to get her cat.
“And then she looked down and realized how high she was. She had a cellphone with her, thankfully. When she called us (at about 2pm) and we got there, we could hardly believe that she climbed all the way to the top of the tree. It took us a few minutes to find her in the leaves and branches.” The woman had a duffel bag with her, intending to force the hesitant cat into the bag and then climb down. When the firefighters got the ladder up to her, however, Wark said, the woman was adamant she was not coming down without the cat.
“Even though the cat was frightened and hissing and clawing at her, she wanted that cat to come down with her,” he said. “We tried to convince her that it would come down on its own, but she would not go without the cat.” Eventually, Wark said, the firefighters told her that they would get her down first, and then go back and try to get the cat down. Once they got the woman out of the tree and slowly down the ladder with a safety harness, she was exhausted and was taken to The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle to be examined, he said. Wark said he expected she would be fine. Under medical privacy regulations, Wark said he could not release the woman’s name.
The firefighters kept their promise, he said, and tried using the ladder again to get the cat come down. The cat refused, but it came down on its own a short time later. Wark said that the fire department encourages people not to climb trees after animals, and that cats normally will come out of trees when they get hungry. He also said that firefighters do not normally answer calls to rescue cats or other animals from trees or obstacles because of their other job duties and complaints from the public about it being a waste of resources, but he said that since they already were getting the woman from the tree, they felt it would not hurt to take another shot at trying to get her cat.
Flamingo finding its feet with new prosthetic leg
A flamingo at a Brazilian zoo is learning to get around on a new prosthetic leg.
The bird was given the specially-made prosthesis after a fracture of its left leg resulted in the bottom portion of the leg needing to be amputated to prevent an infection.
The flamingo is being held at the Sorocaba zoo in the municipality of Sorocaba, located in Sao Paulo state. Though still limping a bit, the Chilean flamingo is becoming more comfortable with the new leg, according to the zookeepers.
In fact, the flamingo has already mastered the curious flamingo speciality of standing on one foot while tucking the prosthetic leg up tight under its body. Veterinarians at the zoo say once the flamingo has mastered hobbling around on its new leg, it will be reintroduced to its group on the zoo grounds.
YouTube link.
"[The flamingo] is slowly getting physically rehabilitated and the muscles in the legs getting stronger so it can join the group," zoo veterinarian Andre Costa, said. The lightweight, 18cm (7 inch) prosthesis is made of carbon fibre with silicone ends where the prosthetic attached to the remaining part of the bird's leg. The leg was made by a local orthopaedics office located just west of the city of Sao Paulo.
The flamingo is being held at the Sorocaba zoo in the municipality of Sorocaba, located in Sao Paulo state. Though still limping a bit, the Chilean flamingo is becoming more comfortable with the new leg, according to the zookeepers.
In fact, the flamingo has already mastered the curious flamingo speciality of standing on one foot while tucking the prosthetic leg up tight under its body. Veterinarians at the zoo say once the flamingo has mastered hobbling around on its new leg, it will be reintroduced to its group on the zoo grounds.
YouTube link.
"[The flamingo] is slowly getting physically rehabilitated and the muscles in the legs getting stronger so it can join the group," zoo veterinarian Andre Costa, said. The lightweight, 18cm (7 inch) prosthesis is made of carbon fibre with silicone ends where the prosthetic attached to the remaining part of the bird's leg. The leg was made by a local orthopaedics office located just west of the city of Sao Paulo.
Diplomatic row over stray Venezuelan golf balls landing in Switzerland
A dispute has been teed off between Switzerland's ambassador to Venezuela and a neighbouring elite golf club, after a banner appeared at the diplomat's residence warning that golf balls injuring or killing anyone inside would violate the Vienna Convention.
The large placard, located on the residence's fence near the third of the Caracas Country Club's 18 holes, begins by explaining that the residence is considered Swiss territory. "Launching balls into this residence is a danger to whoever is within Swiss territory and a violation of the Vienna Convention if a golf ball injures or kills anyone on Swiss soil."
Ambassador Sabine Ulmann said she had nothing to say on the matter. Her residence is located in a wealthy area of Caracas, alongside the official residences of many other European nations. The private Caracas Country Club itself is one of Venezuela's most elite hangouts. It was derided by late President Hugo Chavez, who described golf as a "bourgeois" sport.
The Venezuelan Federation of Golf said in a statement that it had read the sign with "astonishment." "We have no fear whatsoever that we are attacking Swiss territory should a golf ball land in embassy premises," the statement read. It added that the sign appeared a "strange overreaction." Article 30 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states: "The private residence of a diplomatic agent shall enjoy the same inviolability and protection as the premises of the mission."
The large placard, located on the residence's fence near the third of the Caracas Country Club's 18 holes, begins by explaining that the residence is considered Swiss territory. "Launching balls into this residence is a danger to whoever is within Swiss territory and a violation of the Vienna Convention if a golf ball injures or kills anyone on Swiss soil."
Ambassador Sabine Ulmann said she had nothing to say on the matter. Her residence is located in a wealthy area of Caracas, alongside the official residences of many other European nations. The private Caracas Country Club itself is one of Venezuela's most elite hangouts. It was derided by late President Hugo Chavez, who described golf as a "bourgeois" sport.
The Venezuelan Federation of Golf said in a statement that it had read the sign with "astonishment." "We have no fear whatsoever that we are attacking Swiss territory should a golf ball land in embassy premises," the statement read. It added that the sign appeared a "strange overreaction." Article 30 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states: "The private residence of a diplomatic agent shall enjoy the same inviolability and protection as the premises of the mission."
Judge has banned mother from breastfeeding because she got a tattoo
A judge in Australia has banned a mother from breastfeeding because she got a tattoo, ruling the woman's decision to get it four weeks earlier exposed her 11-month-old baby to an unacceptable risk of harm.
Federal Circuit Court Judge Matthew Myers' decision to grant an injunction to stop the woman from breastfeeding her son comes despite the mother recording negative results on hepatitis and HIV tests.
Judge Myers said there was still an unacceptable risk to the baby because the tests were not conclusive.
The case came before the court because the baby's father raised concerns about the mother's tattoo during a bitter parenting dispute.
The decision has shocked breastfeeding advocates like Dr Karleen Gribble from the University of Western Sydney.
"I think if it were reasonable then we would have very, very many women in Australia who would be quite horrified and perhaps child protection authorities should be taking action because many mothers who are breastfeeding get tattoos - very often of their children's names," she said. In making the ruling, Judge Myers relied on material published by the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Chief executive officer Rebecca Naylor said she is worried a dangerous precedent could be set. "Tattooing is a regulated industry, so if you go to a tattoo parlour that is reputable then the chances [of contracting an infection] are very low," she said. "I think unless there's evidence that she has contracted an infection as a result of that tattoo, then it is unreasonable.
"Tattooing in and of itself, as long as it's done in reputable way and that the infection control procedures are followed, the risk is low and so no, we would absolutely encourage women who have had tattoos to breastfeed their babies for as long as they choose to." Ms Naylor also flagged broader concerns about the wider implications of the ruling, saying it raised questions about a judge's right to control the risk taking behaviours of women. "Does that mean that women who expose themselves to any sort of risks around the contraction of a blood-borne virus... shouldn't be allowed to breast feed?" she said. "Of course we have to consider the risk to babies, and I'm not in any way dismissing that. Women do need to be careful.
"They're feeding a child, it's going to be their main source of nutrition up until they're 12 months of age, so you do have to be careful. But it doesn't mean that you have to wrap yourself in glad wrap." Dr Gribble said she had never seen a case like this before. "I'm only aware of one case where somebody contracted HIV from tattooing and that was somebody who'd got a tattoo in Bali, not somebody who'd gotten it in Australia," she said. "I think when it comes to mothers and breastfeeding, we need to consider that mothers are people, they do things. Sometimes there's a risk associated with what they do, but we generally think that they don't need to protect their children from all risk and it [comes down to] considering, is this a reasonable risk? Most people consider that the risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis from using a tattoo parlour, and particularly if they've been careful about checking it out, is infinitesimally small." A full bench of the Family Court has agreed to hear an urgent appeal against the ruling in Sydney.
Update: The Family Court have now overturned the decision.
"I think if it were reasonable then we would have very, very many women in Australia who would be quite horrified and perhaps child protection authorities should be taking action because many mothers who are breastfeeding get tattoos - very often of their children's names," she said. In making the ruling, Judge Myers relied on material published by the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Chief executive officer Rebecca Naylor said she is worried a dangerous precedent could be set. "Tattooing is a regulated industry, so if you go to a tattoo parlour that is reputable then the chances [of contracting an infection] are very low," she said. "I think unless there's evidence that she has contracted an infection as a result of that tattoo, then it is unreasonable.
"Tattooing in and of itself, as long as it's done in reputable way and that the infection control procedures are followed, the risk is low and so no, we would absolutely encourage women who have had tattoos to breastfeed their babies for as long as they choose to." Ms Naylor also flagged broader concerns about the wider implications of the ruling, saying it raised questions about a judge's right to control the risk taking behaviours of women. "Does that mean that women who expose themselves to any sort of risks around the contraction of a blood-borne virus... shouldn't be allowed to breast feed?" she said. "Of course we have to consider the risk to babies, and I'm not in any way dismissing that. Women do need to be careful.
"They're feeding a child, it's going to be their main source of nutrition up until they're 12 months of age, so you do have to be careful. But it doesn't mean that you have to wrap yourself in glad wrap." Dr Gribble said she had never seen a case like this before. "I'm only aware of one case where somebody contracted HIV from tattooing and that was somebody who'd got a tattoo in Bali, not somebody who'd gotten it in Australia," she said. "I think when it comes to mothers and breastfeeding, we need to consider that mothers are people, they do things. Sometimes there's a risk associated with what they do, but we generally think that they don't need to protect their children from all risk and it [comes down to] considering, is this a reasonable risk? Most people consider that the risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis from using a tattoo parlour, and particularly if they've been careful about checking it out, is infinitesimally small." A full bench of the Family Court has agreed to hear an urgent appeal against the ruling in Sydney.
Update: The Family Court have now overturned the decision.
Town bans bananas in preparation for boat festival
A ban on bananas has been imposed in a small Scottish town ahead of its traditional boat festival.
Superstitious seafarers regard bananas as bad luck on board boats and festival organisers have come up with the unusual move to ward off any potential misfortune to the North-east’s biggest maritime celebration, which takes place in Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, on July 4 and 5.
Banana ban signs have been posted, a banana amnesty has been introduced and local businesses have come out in support of the action, with Portsoy Ice Cream removing banana flavoured ices from its range until after the event. Roger Goodyear, chairman of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, says: “Bananas may be a delicious fruit but they are considered bad luck on boats.
“We want to do everything possible to make sure our 2015 festival is a success and we don’t want to take any chances.Our ban on bananas is a tongue-in-cheek nod to our seafaring heritage and is a reminder that the ocean can be a mystical, but dangerous, place and as such there are many traditional superstitions among fisher people.” There are several theories on why people believe bananas are bad luck for a boat.
One is that back in the early days of the banana trade, crews would overload the banana boats when leaving the tropics, resulting in the boats capsizing in bad weather. Another is that wooden sailing boats involved in the Caribbean trade of the 1700s had to move so quickly to deliver bananas before they spoiled that the crew had a hard job catching fish. It has also been suggested that it's because bananas harboured dangerous spiders whose bite could be painful or even fatal.
Banana ban signs have been posted, a banana amnesty has been introduced and local businesses have come out in support of the action, with Portsoy Ice Cream removing banana flavoured ices from its range until after the event. Roger Goodyear, chairman of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, says: “Bananas may be a delicious fruit but they are considered bad luck on boats.
“We want to do everything possible to make sure our 2015 festival is a success and we don’t want to take any chances.Our ban on bananas is a tongue-in-cheek nod to our seafaring heritage and is a reminder that the ocean can be a mystical, but dangerous, place and as such there are many traditional superstitions among fisher people.” There are several theories on why people believe bananas are bad luck for a boat.
One is that back in the early days of the banana trade, crews would overload the banana boats when leaving the tropics, resulting in the boats capsizing in bad weather. Another is that wooden sailing boats involved in the Caribbean trade of the 1700s had to move so quickly to deliver bananas before they spoiled that the crew had a hard job catching fish. It has also been suggested that it's because bananas harboured dangerous spiders whose bite could be painful or even fatal.
Leading pianist forced to pull out of concerts after injuring finger in seagull attack
An internationally-renowned pianist has been forced to pull out of concerts after a swooping seagull caused him to injure himself.
Paul Lewis was leaving rehearsals with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra when he was startled, causing him to fall and sprain a finger. The 43-year-old musician had been due to play in two performances but has had to pull out, the orchestra confirmed.
A spokesperson said they wished him "a speedy recovery". Head of communications Jayne Garrity said: "Unfortunately, Paul Lewis has had to withdraw from his concerts this week with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
"On leaving rehearsals with the orchestra earlier this week, Paul sustained an injury, spraining one of the fingers on his right hand, after a seagull which had been nesting close by, swooped close to his head, causing him to stumble." Mr Lewis was born in Liverpool, where seagulls are a common sight.
Paul Lewis was leaving rehearsals with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra when he was startled, causing him to fall and sprain a finger. The 43-year-old musician had been due to play in two performances but has had to pull out, the orchestra confirmed.
A spokesperson said they wished him "a speedy recovery". Head of communications Jayne Garrity said: "Unfortunately, Paul Lewis has had to withdraw from his concerts this week with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
"On leaving rehearsals with the orchestra earlier this week, Paul sustained an injury, spraining one of the fingers on his right hand, after a seagull which had been nesting close by, swooped close to his head, causing him to stumble." Mr Lewis was born in Liverpool, where seagulls are a common sight.
Barber jailed after violent attack on rival hairdresser following row over a comb
A barber who bit a rival in a violent attack following a row over a comb has been jailed for 18 weeks.
Gary Hatto, 48, sank his teeth into the thumb of former employee Mike Harford after attacking him on his own doorstep, leaving his face covered in blood.
And Hatto, who has a chain of eight shops bearing his name, also rained punches on his victim in the terrifying Sunday morning attack.
Hatto, of South Wraxall, Wiltshire, pleaded not guilty to common assault but was convicted by magistrates following a trial last month.
He said he had not started the fight and had only gone to the house in Devizes, to apologise.
The men had been friends in the past with Harford doing his apprenticeship with his attacker but they fell out 11 years later when he branched out on his own.
The justices heard how the incident started on Saturday, June 21, last year when one of Hatto's staff had gone to Mr Harford's shop to borrow a specialist flat-top comb. Mr Harford was not at work that day as he was at home looking after his three children while his wife was away and his employee refused to loan the tool. Later that day, when Hatto got wind of the snub, he bombarded his victim with text messages before turning up on his doorstep at 9.30am the following day. Nick Barr, prosecuting, told the court: "Mr Harford asked him to leave as he had his three young children inside. But Mr Hatto became angry and, five or six times, punched him to the head.
"Mr Harford got him a headlock to try and stop the punches and they fell to the ground. Hatto then bit him on the thumb causing excruciating pain." The two men were locked together on the ground in the front garden until Hatto's employee Yvonne Tallis, who had been sitting outside in a van, tried to split them up. After Hatto had gone, Mr Harford was taken to Chippenham hospital and was treated for injuries to his face and thumb. Miss Tallis, who gave evidence in defence of her boss, said they were travelling to Hatto's Marlborough shop and he decided to stop so he could apologise for the texts. She said Hatto stepped back a couple of metres after knocking on the door and it was Mr Harford who launched himself at Hatto and tried to strangle him before they fell to the ground.
However the magistrates said they believed Mr Harford's version of events and found Hatto, who has four previous convictions for violence and was jailed for 12 weeks in 2010, guilty. In 2007 a judge branded him 'arrogant' when he partially upheld his appeal against a community order for a violent attack. In that incident, again at about 9am, he laid into a dog walker in a local park pushing a woman and then punching her husband. He was under the misapprehension his then fiancée was being attacked when in reality she was crouching down trying to put one of his bulldogs back on its lead. Mr Harford said: "I’m glad justice has been served and it’s all over. I don’t want to rake it up again by saying any more than that.”
The justices heard how the incident started on Saturday, June 21, last year when one of Hatto's staff had gone to Mr Harford's shop to borrow a specialist flat-top comb. Mr Harford was not at work that day as he was at home looking after his three children while his wife was away and his employee refused to loan the tool. Later that day, when Hatto got wind of the snub, he bombarded his victim with text messages before turning up on his doorstep at 9.30am the following day. Nick Barr, prosecuting, told the court: "Mr Harford asked him to leave as he had his three young children inside. But Mr Hatto became angry and, five or six times, punched him to the head.
"Mr Harford got him a headlock to try and stop the punches and they fell to the ground. Hatto then bit him on the thumb causing excruciating pain." The two men were locked together on the ground in the front garden until Hatto's employee Yvonne Tallis, who had been sitting outside in a van, tried to split them up. After Hatto had gone, Mr Harford was taken to Chippenham hospital and was treated for injuries to his face and thumb. Miss Tallis, who gave evidence in defence of her boss, said they were travelling to Hatto's Marlborough shop and he decided to stop so he could apologise for the texts. She said Hatto stepped back a couple of metres after knocking on the door and it was Mr Harford who launched himself at Hatto and tried to strangle him before they fell to the ground.
However the magistrates said they believed Mr Harford's version of events and found Hatto, who has four previous convictions for violence and was jailed for 12 weeks in 2010, guilty. In 2007 a judge branded him 'arrogant' when he partially upheld his appeal against a community order for a violent attack. In that incident, again at about 9am, he laid into a dog walker in a local park pushing a woman and then punching her husband. He was under the misapprehension his then fiancée was being attacked when in reality she was crouching down trying to put one of his bulldogs back on its lead. Mr Harford said: "I’m glad justice has been served and it’s all over. I don’t want to rake it up again by saying any more than that.”
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