puppy's tail "to alleviate its suffering''.

Jerkeyo Berkeley, of Alexandra Road, Devonshire admitted wilfully causing the suffering, pain and injury to a dog when he appeared in Magistrates' Court this week.

Several of his fellow students were also charged but were heard in Juvenile Court.

Prosecutor Sgt. John Dale told the Court that on May 16 people on Roberts Avenue heard the cries of a puppy coming from nearby the Devon Lane School.

They followed the sound and found several children trying to cut off a puppy's tail with a mattock.

"The puppy was whimpering and bleeding from the tail,'' said Sgt. Dale. "The people went to the school and told the principal.'' The puppy was taken to the Hannover Veterinary Hospital where the puppy's tail was amputated.

Duty counsel Ms Elizabeth Christopher said although Berkeley was at the scene, he was not the one who cut off the dog's tail.

"It was this young man's understanding that the tail was dead,'' she said.

"Some children had tied an elastic band around its tail and every time it moved it seemed to be in pain. It was an attempt to alleviate its suffering.'' She said the children were unable to cut off the tail with a knife so they got something sharper.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis ordered a social inquiry report and told Berkeley to return to court on July 8.