HE told police his rottweiler had to be euthanised after it was attacked by a pack of teenagers at Newcastle West, triggering widespread outrage and a $20,000 fundraiser to find those responsible.
But after a "significant" investigation, including retracing his steps and poring over hours of CCTV footage from numerous locations, police determined Phillip John Laughton, 42, had "entirely fabricated" the story.
There was no record of Laughton taking his nine-year-old dog Sasha with him on October 3 last year when he set off on a walk from his unit in Bar Beach to Marketown shopping centre.
There was no evidence he went past King Street McDonald's and was abused by a pack of about 30 teenagers.
There was no record he tied Sasha to a tree in the shade and returned 15 minutes later to find her "limping and whimpering".
And the woman he claims told him she witnessed Sasha being kicked by "several youths" never came forward.
In fact, no one did, despite the alleged attack occurring in the middle of the day on one of Newcastle's busiest streets.
And police reviewed the medical report from Animal Referral and Emergency Centre at Broadmeadow, which showed Sasha presented with severe hip dysplasia and other conditions common in older dogs.
They said that was why she was euthanised.
Laughton had pleaded not guilty to making a false representation to police, denying he made up the animal cruelty story.
He was expected to face a hearing in Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday, but changed his plea to guilty.
But there was one final twist in the saga that started with a vet visit and a police report, spawned widespread community outrage online and a "Justice for Sasha" movement and then ended with her owner being charged with making the whole thing up.
Laughton, through his lawyer, Samuel Oakley, claimed the incident did happen, Sasha was attacked by a group of teenagers, but he just couldn't remember precisely when.
Mr Oakley pointed to a brain injury and diagnosis of a cognitive impairment as a reason for Laughton's poor memory and why he had made the false report.
"We've been through far more CCTV than what the police have," he said.
"We can't locate it.
"His story remains consistent, it's just the date and time that he can't pin down."
He emphasised that Laughton had no role in the fundraiser and received no financial gain because of the false claim.
"That was established through the veterinary hospital and took off before he had a say in what happened," Mr Oakley said.
"He received no benefit.
"He had to be relocated to a different suburb because of the media coverage and people trying to stand over him because they thought he had thousands of dollars."
Mr Oakley said Laughton had suffered significant extra-curial punishment, "far more than what a court would be able to impose".
"It was a hot topic in the Newcastle area and he still receives abuse to this day," Mr Oakley said.
Mr Oakley said Laughton's cognitive impairment and the punishment he had suffered in the community meant he could avoid a conviction, but Judge Robert Stone disagreed.
Judge Stone said Laughton's claims that the incident with the teenagers occurred were almost a "withdrawal of his plea" and said it was inconsistent with what the veterinarian report said.
"If the dog has been assaulted to the degree that was suggested then that would have been evident," Judge Stone said.
And he said police had wasted a considerable amount of time and resources investigating Laughton's claim.
Judge Stone convicted Laughton and fined him $1500.
According to court documents, Laughton went into Newcastle police station on October 5 last year and reported that his rottweiler had been attacked by several youths next to a bus stop on Steel Street two days earlier.
He told the story about being abused by a group of teenagers, tying Sasha to a tree and then returning to find her injured.
He said an "elderly woman" told him she had witnessed several teenagers kicking Sasha.
Laughton said he took Sasha home, but her condition worsened and she had to be taken to the emergency vet where she was euthanised due to injuries suffered during the attack.
Police obtained CCTV that mapped Laughton's journey from his unit at Bar Beach to Marketown and back on October 3 and said at no time did he have his dog.
"At no time was the accused shown with Sasha or interacting with a group of youths on CCTV footage," police said in court documents.
"Police believe his account is entirely fabricated."
Laughton told the same version to the veterinarian, but the injuries she presented with related to chronic hip and osteoarthritic pain.
Police got Laughton to retrace his steps and afterwards he was cautioned that his story was not consistent with what was on CCTV.
To this, Laughton responded: "no comment".
Between news of the "dog attack" on October 5 and Laughton being charged with making it up on October 10, word spread quickly online.
Floral tributes were placed outside Marketown and people were left outraged and devastated that something like that could happen.
A fundraiser to provide a reward for information to find those responsible quickly reached $20,000, but none of the money made it to Laughton before he was charged.
