Update: Appeal for missing dog after Sutton man charged with burglary
Concerns have arisen for a homeless dog after a man was charged with burglary, as the dog is now listed as missing on Petlog, the country's largest database for microchipped pets.
Fifty-six-year-old John Laughton, who currently resides on Co-operative Street in Sutton, has been charged with two counts of burglary and one count of fraud by false representation.
Your Chad first met John in September 2024 when covering a story about residents raising funds to help him and his dog, Blue, get off the streets.
In just two months, over £3,000 was raised to purchase a van for John, with the intention of helping him start his own business and work toward rebuilding his life.
The fundraising remains online and open.
However, in November, troubling news surfaced: John and Blue had left the area.
This was particularly concerning as Blue had been assessed by animal charity, Beauty’s Legacy, which identified several health issues affecting the elderly dog.
The media coverage surrounding this situation garnered public interest and concern for both John and Blue.
Months later, John appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday, March 14, and was remanded in custody.
In a separate hearing, John was later released on conditional bail to appear at Nottingham Crown Court for a plea and direction hearing scheduled for April 22.
As part of his bail conditions, John must reside at specific accommodation and is prohibited from entering Unwin Road in Sutton or Stirling Avenue in Mansfield, where the alleged offences occurred.
Nottinghamshire Police is aware of ongoing concerns for Blue and has assigned an incident reference number to the case.
But in a series of comments on social media, John’s family claim they know Blue is ‘safe’, though these claims remain unverified at this time.
Both Nottinghamshire Police and Beauty's Legacy have urged anyone who has information or confirmation about Blue’s whereabouts to contact the police, incident CR1671_19032025, as Blue is still logged as ‘missing’ on www.petlog.org.uk.