A THUG held his head in his hands when magistrates told him he was facing jail for an attack that left a puppy lame.

Jonathan Nicholls, 29, was close to tears when magistrates said they would consider a three-month prison sentence for the attack on Staffordshire bull terrier Buster.

The seven-month-old male pup was unable to stand up and his injured leg was 'at an unusual angle'.

He was also found to have suffered several injuries, including a broken elbow and swelling to the top of the skull.

Father-of-two Nicholls, of Timperley Road, Ashton under Lyne, said he grabbed the dog and threw it across the room after it bared its teeth at his youngest son in April.

At Tameside Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering.

A female neighbour raised the alarm when she saw Buster unable to walk.

When she confronted Nicholls he said 'you should have seen him two days ago'.

Sick

He said Buster had been sick in the house. Nicholls said the dog couldn't move because he had hit it. He told the woman she would have done the same before adding 'You're lucky I didn't smash its head in with a hammer. I could have killed it'.

An RSPCA inspector who visited the house to examine Buster was filmed for the BBC documentary series Animal 24:7. The court was shown a two-minute clip from the programme. Nicholls watched the footage with his head bowed.

Mark Harper, prosecuting, said Buster had a number of injuries but showed no sign of aggression, even when his hurt legs were handled by a vet.

Chris Squibbs, defending, said Nicholls had been through a 'highly distressing' split with his partner, leaving him to care for his two young sons and Buster.

Mr Squibbs said: "He acted totally inappropriately. No way was this an intentional or planned act. He accepts the situation was highly wrong."

Magistrates asked for a probation service report and said all sentencing options, including the maximum 12-week jail term, remained open. Nicholls will be sentenced next month.