Tourist left dog in hot locker so she could explore castle, say police
The alleged incident, which police confirmed on Sunday, unfolded at the picture-postcard castle, which is famed for its surging turrets and its setting in the Alps near the Austrian border.
It is one of Germany's top tourist attractions.
Despite it being a hot summer's day and the locker already being half-filled by a pram, the woman allegedly proceeded to lock her pet inside the small space.
She then left to tour the castle, according to a statement from police in the nearby town of Fuessen. The dog was subsequently freed from its confinement.
Security staff were alerted and freed the dog, they added.
"The dog was fortunately unharmed but visibly glad when it was rescued from the already hot locker," the police statement said, adding that officers deployed to the scene took him back to the police station.
The police did not specify what breed the dog was but said it was of "medium" size and about 60 cm (two feet) tall at the shoulder. An officer on duty at Fuessen police station contacted by telephone said the dog was a mongrel.
Police said they had initiated criminal proceedings against the owner on suspicion of breaking Germany's animal welfare law.
Neuschwanstein Castle is one of Germany's most-visited attractions, with more than 1.3 million people passing through its halls each year.
Visitor numbers reach as many as 6,000 per day in the summer months.
It was built as a private residence for King Ludwig II of Bavaria and opened in the late 1800s shortly after his death.
It features Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine architecture and was designed to mimic German castles from the Middle Ages.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
More than a dozen people killed in Kenya during anti-government protests, human rights group says
Sixteen people have died and hundreds of others have been injured in nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya, a human rights charity has said. It comes a year after deadly demonstrations against a tax bill resulted in the storming of parliament. Most were killed by police, the head of Amnesty Kenya said. Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets on Wednesday to commemorate last year's protests, in which more than 60 people died. Police used water cannons and fired tear gas to disperse demonstrations in Nairobi. Amnesty Kenya's executive director Irungu Houghton told Reuters that 16 people had been "verified as dead". "Most were killed by police," he added, saying at least five people had been shot dead. Mr Houghton said the number of deaths had been verified by the global rights watchdog and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). In a statement posted on X, the government-funded KNCHR earlier said eight deaths had been reported from across Kenya, all "allegedly from gunshot wounds". "Over 400 casualties have been reported, including demonstrators, police officers and journalists," it said. The watchdog noted heavy police deployment and "allegations of excessive use of force, including rubber bullets, live ammunition and water cannons, resulting in numerous injuries". Kenyan police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga declined to comment on the statements. An official at the capital's main Kenyatta National Hospital said it had admitted 107 injured people, "most with gunshot wounds" from either rubber bullets or live rounds. Large crowds were seen heading in the direction of the president's official residence in Nairobi, which had been barricaded with razor wire. The scenes were broadcast by Kenyan channel NTV before it and another were pulled off air after defying an order to stop showing the demonstrations live. Isolated clashes were reported in the port city of Mombasa by NTV, with protests also taking place in towns including Kitengela, Kisii, Matuu and Nyeri. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority, a state-funded body, said in a statement that at least 61 people were arrested during the protests. Protests in June 2024 saw demonstrators shot dead and fires started inside the Kenyan parliament after politicians voted in favour of a controversial tax bill. Protests faded after President William Ruto withdrew the bill, but public anger has remained over police brutality and the rising cost of living.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
PC said force used during mental health crisis was proportionate
An officer involved in the detainment and restraint of a 26-year-old man during a mental health crisis has told an inquest the force used was "proportionate". Kaine Fletcher died at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham on the morning of 3 July 2022, hours after he was detained under the Mental Health Act. Nottingham Coroner's Court heard how the father of two, who had not been accused of a crime, was placed in handcuffs, leg restraints and a spit guard, and restrained on a pavement during the Hannah Bodle, who used emergency powers to detain him, told the inquest "every decision that was made at that time was made in the best interests" of Mr Fletcher. The jury inquest began on 30 June and has heard Mr Fletcher had been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder in 2020. He had also struggled with a drug addiction for several years. Nottinghamshire Police officers attended the young people's charity YMCA, where Mr Fletcher was staying on 3 July, after a family member called 999 over concerns he might be at risk of court heard there was an eight-hour wait for an ambulance that night, so police were asked to attend to carry out a welfare check. In her evidence, PC Bodle said the 26-year-old's room was "in disarray" and described him as "erratic, difficult to understand" and said he "appeared distressed". After initially agreeing to go with the two officers to hospital for a mental assessment, he left the accommodation and got into their police car. However, moments later, Mr Fletcher no longer believed the pair were police officers and became more distressed, the court heard. Her colleague's body-worn camera footage showed PC Bodle used her warrant card to prove her identity, but 23 seconds later, while Mr Fletcher was still unconvinced, she detained him under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act. Section 136 gives police emergency powers that allow them to remove a person to a place of safety if they believe it is necessary. Mr Fletcher resisted being detained, and the inquest heard how a number of other officers attended shortly after. Mr Fletcher was restrained in the police car for 10 minutes with handcuffs and leg restraints. After hitting his head on the inside of the police car, he was removed and further restrained on the pavement, the court heard. Mr Fletcher was eventually lifted into a police van by officers but began hitting his head against the inside of the was then decided he could not be transported to hospital "in that manner".The court heard Mr Fletcher said he was struggling to breathe on two occasions and at one point asked to be taken to Bodle told the inquest Mr Fletcher's physical condition was monitored "throughout" the period of restraint. When asked by coroner Alexandra Pountey whether she would agree the involvement of more officers was likely to "escalate the situation", PC Bodle said "you could argue that". PC Bodle said she believed trying to "contain" Mr Fletcher, who she said was "clearly in a mental health crisis", was the right thing to do to ensure he did not abscond and potentially bring harm to himself."The force that was used was proportionate, I believe," she said. The court heard PC Bodle did not put on her body-worn camera until after the incident had escalated. At one point during his detainment outside the accommodation, the court heard PC Bodle "struck him on the legs" which she did not include in her initial "use of force report", a form used to document physical force used by police against an individual. She told the court: "It was done after a very tiresome, emotional incident - if it wasn't on there it wasn't done deliberately."The inquest you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Jury shown CCTV of alleged assault on police at Manchester airport
CCTV footage of the alleged assault of three police officers at Manchester Airport has been played to Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have struck out after police were called to respond to an incident at the Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2 arrivals on July 23 last is said to have headbutted a customer before four police officers approached the defendants at the pay station in the terminal's car park.A jury at Liverpool Crown Court watched airport camera footage from opposite angles which captured what prosecutors say was a "high level of violence" used by the defendants towards the officers. Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden and PC Ward, causing them actual bodily harm, and to have assaulted PC Cook, and the earlier assault of a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, at 26, is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations. PC Zachary Marsden and PC Ellie Cook were both armed, while PC Lydia Ward was unarmed as they approached the defendants in the car prosecution says Amaaz resisted as police tried to move him away from the payment machine to arrest him, and then his brother counsel Adam Birkby said Amaaz threw 10 punches, including a punch to the face of PC Ward that knocked her to the floor, and that Amaad aimed six punches at firearms officer PC is also said to have kicked PC Marsden and twice struck firearms officer PC Cook with his is said to have punched PC Marsden from behind and then had hold of him before PC Cook discharged her Taser had his arm around PC Marsden's neck as both fell to the floor, Mr Birkby said, before the officer got to his Birkby said "Mr Amaaz, while prone, lifts his head towards the officers. PC Marsden kicks Mr Amaaz around the head area."PC Marsden stamps his foot towards the crown of Mr Amaaz's head area but doesn't appear to connect with Mr Amaaz." Giving evidence, PC Marsden told the court he approached the paystation with the intention of taking "immediate control" and escorting the suspect from the crowd and to arrest him outside where he would have radio said: "I wanted to prevent his escape or any opportunity to escape, but also to give me control of someone who had allegedly been violent towards a member of the public."He said he placed his hands on Amaaz's left arm, but said he was "met with immediate resistance" and that he felt the suspect "clench his fists".PC Marsden said: "I recall leaning in and saying to him words along the lines of, 'come on mate, we are not doing that here'."He said he did not feel it was necessary to tell the suspect he was a police officer because he was wearing full uniform with a Marsden said he realised a change in plan was needed so decided to attempt to handcuff Amaaz, the man wearing the light blue said he struggled to get Amaaz's hands behind his back, so tried to get control of his head by pushing his body forwards. 'All directions' PC Marsden told the court: "The information I had was that he used his head as a weapon. I was in close proximity and I didn't want to be headbutted."The officer said he then felt an "immense weight of pressure" to his right side and felt his Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol move across his leg and around his Marsden said: "My initial fear is that someone is trying to get my gun. If someone gained my firearm it would pose an immediate lethal threat to anyone in the vicinity."The risk of my firearm being taken from me did not stop until we gained control."There was more than one person involved here - the aggressor I was trying to arrest and possibly an accomplice who was a much bigger physical build than me and much taller."He told prosecutor Paul Greaney KC he started to receive "blows from all directions" from the second Greaney asked: "What level of force was being used?"PC Marsden replied: "I can confidently say they were the hardest I have ever felt in my life."He said his glasses were knocked off his face and without them he could only see at arm's said he was unaware where his two colleagues were during the alleged Marsden said: "I felt they were not in a position to help or they were preoccupied."Mr Greaney said: "Had any other person, a member of the public, intervened in any way to help you?"The officer replied: "No members of the public in that room tried to help."In the aftermath when I managed to get back on my feet and shout for help, I scanned the room and saw people watching and recording on phones." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
