A Greater Manchester Police officer has been sacked after admitting an animal cruelty offence, following a video that showed him punching a puppy.
Police Sergeant Martin Dunn admitted gross misconduct at an independent disciplinary panel and has been dismissed without notice.
The sickening video shared by the Manchester Evening News shows him approaching the puppy, a five-month-old Springer Spaniel called Frank, in a garden after the young dog had defecated in the house.
After shouting ‘you b****rd’, Dunn is then seen to punch the puppy several times, while the dog yelps and cries.
The horrible incident in March 2021 was filmed by a neighbour and reported to the police.
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He had pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary harm to an animal contrary to the Animal Welfare Act at Leeds Magistrates’ Court in April 2021.
Martin Dunn has been sacked after a video emerged of him punching a puppy. Credit: Facebook
Dunn received a sentence that included a community order requiring 120 hours of unpaid work and a ban from keeping animals for five years.
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Since the incident was reported and investigated by West Yorkshire Police, he had been on restricted duties.
More than 20,000 people had signed a petition calling for Dunn to be sacked from the force.
Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, Head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, said: “Greater Manchester Police expects the highest standards of conduct from its officers, both on and off duty, and Dunn’s actions clearly fell far short of these standards.
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“The vast majority of police officers and staff fulfil their duties in serving the public to the highest standard and demonstrate exemplary behaviour in their private lives.
“Public trust and confidence in the police is vital and GMP does not underestimate the importance of officers and staff demonstrating the highest standards of professional behaviour towards not only members of the public but also to animals.
“Having a criminal conviction for animal cruelty makes Dunn wholly unsuitable to continue serving as a police officer and his cruelty towards Frank the dog is ultimately why he has lost his job.
#DISMISSED | GMP officer dismissed for animal cruelty offence. Police Sergeant Martin Dunn admitted gross misconduct at an independent disciplinary panel at GMP Force Headquarters on 2 May 2023 and was dismissed without notice.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) May 3, 2023
“Dunn’s actions, which have rightly been condemned by the public and his colleagues, bring the profession into disrepute and damage the confidence the public has in police officers.
“I would like to thank West Yorkshire Police, who investigated this case criminally, and, working with the Crown Prosecution Service, secured the conviction at criminal court.
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“GMP’s Professional Standards Branch has a responsibility to hold policing to account, taking action where misconduct is identified, and under new management this work is now accelerating, focusing both on legacy cases and new reports.”
Martin Dunn’s defence said he ‘unreservedly accepted the allegations’ and that it was an isolated incident.
Paul Forster, the chairman of the independent panel, said the decision had been reached to ‘maintain public confidence in the police service’.
He added: “Hearings like this are about the individual but also about much more, with bigger and wider considerations in play.
“Therefore, the most appropriate outcome is dismissal without notice.”
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How to report animal cruelty
If you see, or suspect, that a person may be treating an animal badly, whether this is physical violence, neglect or any other form of cruelty, they should be reported to the RSPCA at www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/contactus/reportcruelty.
Reports can be made to 0300 1234 999. The call will cost the same as any call to a UK landline number.
PinkPantheress named the youngest ever recipient of the BRIT Awards 2026 Producer of the Year Award
Clementine Hall
The BRIT Awards 2026 has announced that multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress is the recipient of this year’s Producer of the Year Award.
The award is decided by a group of expert judges from the music production sector, and has previously been presented to an incredibly selection of British producers including Paul Epworth, Calvin Harris, Fred again.., and last year’s winner, A. G. Cook.
At just 24 years old, PinkPantheress will be the youngest ever recipient of this coveted award, which recognises the excellence of her work in music production.
She is also the first woman to be presented with the honour.
As well as taking home Producer of the Year, PinkPantheress is also nominated for two further awards, for Artist of the Year and Dance Act.
The BRIT Awards are coming to Manchester for the first time in its history in 2026 / Credit: ITV / BRITs / Co-op Live
PinkPantheress spoke about winning the award: “As the first woman to win this award, I’m grateful to be recognised. My music production is the thing I’m proudest of, and I’ve worked really hard at it, so I hope this inspires others to pursue their passion.”
Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK said: “PinkPantheress is both an inventive and instinctive voice in British pop right now. As a producer, she’s precise and playful, building bold, boundary expanding sounds that travel beyond the UK.
“She’s quietly reshaping what modern pop can be, and in doing so, opening the door for a new wave of female producers to step forward. Celebrating her at the BRITs is both timely and significant.”
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28 February from Manchester’s Co-op Live, and audiences at home can watch on ITV live or stream later on ITVX.
Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will return to presenting duties in 2026 – his sixth time hosting the show.
This year’s incredible line-up of artists include Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, ROSALÍA, Alex Warren and SOMBR.
Acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar named one of UK’s best quietly closes its doors
Emily Sergeant
An acclaimed Manchester cocktail bar that was formerly named one of the best in the UK has quietly closed its doors for good.
Tucked away beneath the former set of Coronation Street in the Old Granada Studios complex, and hidden in the basement of Manchester‘s historic 1800s Bonded Warehouse at St. John’s, Project Halcyon Distillery officially opened its doors in 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic delays – with the intimate venue going on to become a city favourite.
The acclaimed, Speakeasy-style bar drew inspiration from Prohibition-era Chicago, focusing on ‘halcyon days’ of calm and luxury.
It included an on-site distillery used to create bespoke ingredients for its seasonal menu, and beyond cocktails, even featured a so-called ‘Stillroom’ for masterclasses and had private, curtained room dedicated to absinthe, with traditional fountains, called ‘Salon Vert’.
Project Halcyon has quietly closed its doors for good / Credit: Project Halcyon | The Manc Group
But despite its success over the years, and even earning a place in the coveted Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK list on several occasions, Project Halcyon has officially – but somewhat quietly – now closed its doors for good.
“It was with sincere regret that due to unexpected challenges at the ownership level we must close our doors for the foreseeable. Though we say goodbye, the memories live on.
“Thank you to everyone who shared in our craft, our community, and our story.”
After the news broke on social media, Project Halcyon’s Instagram post was flooded with dozens of comments showing support for staff members, and remembering the venue as one of their favourite cocktail bars in the city centre.
The nature of some of the comments also prompted Project Halcyon to issue a follow-up statement below addressing concerns over money owed to workers and other partners, adding: “We sincerely hope that anyone who may be owed by the owners of Project Halcyon – past and present team included – receives what they are owed.
“We are not deleting comments and have no interest in doing so. We also cannot control how Instagram manages comment threads. This page is run by the team, not the owners.”
Daisy Jackson -
3rd May 2023 
