A MAN at the centre of the 96-mile prison van fiasco yesterday walked into court to deny throwing a dog to its death.

Last month, Oliver Thomas, of Middleton Road, Banbury, was driven 60 yards to the town’s magistrates’ court by a prison van summoned from Southampton, amid claims it would have infringed his human rights to walk handcuffed.

Yesterday, Thomas, 27, denied causing unnecessary suffering to a white Bichon Frise dog.

He was ordered to return for a trial on March 2.