A 53-year-old man arrested for stealing his childhood friend's German Shepherd smeared faeces across a cell wall at West Bromwich police station, writing 'West Midlands Police scum' and costing the force £165 to clean up.
Matthew Raybould was arrested after he was spotted 'camping' in a churchyard in Dudley with the stolen dog. He later admitted burglary, assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Theft and assault
Raybould and his friend Mr Singh were living together in a property in Queens Street, Pensnett. On December 30 last year, Mr Singh returned home and noticed that £48 in cash and coins were 'missing', as well as keys. He called police to report a theft, believing that Raybould was to blame as he was the 'only person at the address', prosecutor Antonie Muller said.
As he waited for officers, the victim 'challenged' Raybould about the missing items, telling him: "You've taken my money." Raybould denied this and said: "You have lost it." When an officer arrived at about 2pm, Raybould said keys he had were for his bike lock but they 'did not fit' and did belong to Mr Singh, the court heard.
On January 29, 2026, Mr Singh was at home when there was a knock at the door at 9.50pm. He opened the door without looking to see who was there, Mr Muller said. Raybould pushed the victim, causing him to fall, before biting him on the finger during a 'melee' that then took place. The victim shouted at Raybould to 'get off him' during the incident.
Dog theft and arrest
When Mr Singh's dog came into the living room, Raybould pulled out a lead, attached it to the dog and 'made away in a hurry'. A friend of the victim later 'became aware that the defendant was out and about in Dudley town centre with the dog'. He 'went to investigate', with staff at a bank in High Street confirming a man with a German Shepherd had been there.
The friend was directed to St Thomas and St Luke where he spotted Raybould 'camped in the grounds' of the church. He pulled back the tarpaulin to find the thief and the dog before calling police. Raybould 'refused' to hand the dog over when an officer arrived and a 'messy arrest' followed in which PAVA spray was deployed. He then tried to bite the officer while being searched.
In his interview with police, Raybould claimed he left the property with the dog because Mr Singh had given the canine to him. He said Mr Singh had tried to attack him as he entered so he 'quickly got the dog and left'. Raybould insisted the dog belonged to him and denied attacking Mr Singh.
Cell vandalism and sentencing
When taken back to his cell, Raybould wrote 'West Midlands Police scum' in faeces on the wall which cost £165 to clean up. The court heard Raybould had five convictions for 16 offences, committed between 1991 and 2017. He was handed a community order in 2017 for 'illegal images and possession of prohibited images', Mr Muller said.
Sam Powis, defending, said Raybould committed the latest offences 'following a massive gap in his offending' because he relapsed. But he has made 'progress' in addressing his alcohol and drugs misuse, she said. Ms Powis went on to say that the 'unusual' offences were committed in 'circumstances that are unlikely to arise again'. Raybould has served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence while on remand, she added.
Sentencing, Judge Talog Davies said: "You took a lead with you so you were clearly planning to take the dog. I believe the only reason you went back to the house was to take the dog which you believed was yours." The judge said Raybould had shown 'genuine remorse and insight' into his offending, while he had prospects of rehabilitation.
Raybould was given an 18-month sentence, suspended for 18 months - which meant he could be immediately released from custody. The defendant was also handed a five-year restraining order, a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement on Thursday, August 27. Judge Davies told Raybould, of now fixed abode, he must register with Dudley Council's homeless team once released from jail.
