Publishing boss fined after leaving dogs to die in hot car while he went to the pub in Brill

The Pheasant in Brill where the incident took place

Rupert Turnbull, 48 whose previously worked for the Conde Naste publishing group, and currently lists his job as VP EMEA at Time Inc on his Facebook page, was prosecuted by the RSPCA.

He admitted two animal cruelty offences, and Milton Keynes Magistrates Court hearing heard at Mr Turnbull had been 'visibly upset and teary eyed' when speaking to an RSPCA officer about the incident.

Turnbull had left his two terriers inside his vehicle outside a pub on a day when temperatures reached more than 30 degrees centigrade.

Tilly and Monty had been left in a vehicle parked outside The Pheasant public house in Brill on Sunday 25 August - on a day Met Office records showed a peak of 31.6 degrees.

RSPCA inspector Jaime Godfrey, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: “Mr Turnbull explained one of his dogs, a 10-year-old Parson Russell terrier named Tilly, had passed away in the car and had been buried in the garden.

“At various points during the interview, in particular when Mr Turnbull spoke of having left his two dogs in his car and of the death of Tilly, he became visibly upset and teary-eyed.

“Many owners don't realise that their dogs are at risk of dying in a hot car and people think something like this will never happen to them so we hope this saddening case reminds people that the risk to the lives of animals is so high.”

Turnbull was fined £1,600 by Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court when he appeared on Friday 1 November.