A 35-year-old Lanarkshire woman facing one of the most disturbing animal-related charges to hit the Scottish courts in years is on the run after failing to turn to court.
Stephanie Watson, 35, of Lanark, was due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court over allegations that she engaged in an "unnatural connection" with an XL Bully-type dog. Instead, the accused was nowhere to be seen. Within minutes, Sheriff John Spier granted a full arrest warrant at the request of prosecutors.
The short hearing heard that Watson had made no contact with her own solicitor ahead of the case. Depute fiscal Sadia Bhatti told the court simply: "The accused is not present." Defence agent Stephen McQuillan confirmed he had received no instructions from his client.
The warrant was issued on the spot. Watson faces the serious allegation that between June and December 2024 she had an unnatural connection with a dog at an address in Bellshill. The case only came to light after members of the public reported graphic video footage circulating on social media.
Police Scotland launched an investigation and charged her in March 2026. It is claimed the alleged offences took place while she was already subject to four separate bail orders. At an earlier hearing, prosecutors revealed that statements and video footage, including a screen-recording of an online video were due to be disclosed.
Watson has so far entered no plea. This is far from her first brush with the law. Watson has a lengthy criminal record that includes a high-profile fraud case in which she used stolen credit cards to fund a £7,000 "designer ******" cosmetic procedure, followed by a spending spree. She was later jailed for ten months after admitting a brutal assault in which she repeatedly struck a woman with a bottle, leaving the victim with a permanent facial scar. She also has a previous conviction for possessing a small quantity of cocaine found in her car.
Tonight the warrant remains active. Watson has not been located. Anyone with information is being urged to contact police on 101. This case has already sparked widespread disgust across Scotland. Animal welfare campaigners have described the allegations as among the most serious of their kind, while the fact that the accused is now a wanted woman has only intensified public interest.
Stephanie Watson, 35, of Lanark, was due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court over allegations that she engaged in an "unnatural connection" with an XL Bully-type dog. Instead, the accused was nowhere to be seen. Within minutes, Sheriff John Spier granted a full arrest warrant at the request of prosecutors.
The short hearing heard that Watson had made no contact with her own solicitor ahead of the case. Depute fiscal Sadia Bhatti told the court simply: "The accused is not present." Defence agent Stephen McQuillan confirmed he had received no instructions from his client.
The warrant was issued on the spot. Watson faces the serious allegation that between June and December 2024 she had an unnatural connection with a dog at an address in Bellshill. The case only came to light after members of the public reported graphic video footage circulating on social media.
Police Scotland launched an investigation and charged her in March 2026. It is claimed the alleged offences took place while she was already subject to four separate bail orders. At an earlier hearing, prosecutors revealed that statements and video footage, including a screen-recording of an online video were due to be disclosed.
Watson has so far entered no plea. This is far from her first brush with the law. Watson has a lengthy criminal record that includes a high-profile fraud case in which she used stolen credit cards to fund a £7,000 "designer ******" cosmetic procedure, followed by a spending spree. She was later jailed for ten months after admitting a brutal assault in which she repeatedly struck a woman with a bottle, leaving the victim with a permanent facial scar. She also has a previous conviction for possessing a small quantity of cocaine found in her car.
Tonight the warrant remains active. Watson has not been located. Anyone with information is being urged to contact police on 101. This case has already sparked widespread disgust across Scotland. Animal welfare campaigners have described the allegations as among the most serious of their kind, while the fact that the accused is now a wanted woman has only intensified public interest.
