Who? Chris Dawson, 49-year-old partner at Colwyn Bay firm Humphrys & Co, which specialises in criminal law.

Why is he in the news? Represented Damien French, the 20-year-old unemployed man who was convicted of animal cruelty for throwing a live rabbit into the alligator pool at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay. The rabbit was picked up from the zoo's petting section and dropped into the nearby alligator pool, where Albert, a large male alligator, savaged it. Llandudno Magistrates Court sentenced Mr French to six months in custody, suspended for 12 months. He was also given a 12-month supervision order, which included treatment for alcohol abuse, and disqualified from keeping animals for ten years. The sentence also covered two offences of criminal damage.


Background: Law degree at Bristol University, followed by the legal practice course at Chester College of Law and a training contract at Buxton firm Cooper Hartley & Williams. He qualified in 1981 and joined the Crown Prosecution Service. In 1987, he moved into private practice and worked at Denbigh firm Kerfoot Owen and Lloyd Morgan in Colwyn Bay, before joining his current firm as a partner in 1991.


Route to the case: Duty solicitor.


Thoughts on the case: 'The issues in this case were straightforward, but it involved unusual circumstances. The difference between doing this case and doing any other case was the number of people who were in the court during the trial - it was full of reporters and others. I used to prosecute for the RSPCA, so it was a bit different acting for the defence. Mr French has always denied the offence and blamed his friend for throwing the rabbit into the pool. He continues to deny responsibility and is considering whether or not to pursue an appeal.'


Dealings with the media: 'The initial media contact was with a legal press agency, which I am used to dealing with, but because this case was a bit out of the ordinary, it attracted a lot of publicity. After the trial there was huge national press coverage, as well as local interest. Many people had very strong feelings about the unfortunate rabbit.'