A DOG abuser has been banned from keeping animals after horrifying members of the public when he lashed out at his pet with his foot.

Shaun Cedric Hine, 51, of Ann Street, Dalton, was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after he was seen kicking his Patterdale terrier, Sky, in full view of members of the public.

Furness Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday how on March 23 Hine was walking through Dalton with his dog, when a member of the public witnessed him become angry, shout at his dog and lash out at it.

Mr Peter Kelly, prosecuting, read out a witness statement of the incident. They said: “There’s a man out there kicking the hell out of the dog.”

Hine kicked the dog in the ribs, only stopping when confronted by a passer-by. Mr Kelly said Hine then walked off “dragging” the dog with him. Hine turned a corner but continued to abuse the dog, shouting at it and banging it against a wall.

The abuse was reported to the police and five-year-old Sky was removed from Hine’s care.

Miss Karen Templeton, defending, said this behaviour was completely out of character. She brought with her several character references saying Hine was a loving dog owner.

She said: “He is someone who has never been in trouble for a long time and is devoted to his dog. He is someone who would never harm his dog, he couldn’t really remember what happened.”

Miss Templeton said that in December 2016 Hine was involved in a serious traffic accident, which had caused a certain degree of brain damage.

She said: “He had a brain injury, this brain injury has had a significant effect on him, he is still being seen every week [by specialists].”

A statement from Hine’s mother was read out to the court by Miss Templeton. It said: “Before his accident, wherever he went he took his dog. All he talked about in hospital was getting back Sky.”

District judge Gerald Chalk said it was a sad crime considering the love Hine claimed to have for his dog.

He said: “This has been a deliberate act of violence against your dog, whom you love, which makes it even sadder.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the offence and was given an 18-week community order, during which he will be kept under electronic curfew between the hours of 8pm to 6am every day.

Hine was disqualified from owning any kind of animal for a period of two years.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and court costs of £120.