Dog death pair jailed

Two men from the West Midlands have been jailed for beating a dog to death.

Magistrates heard the Jack Russell terrier's skull had been split open with an axe during the attack last November which lasted up to 15 minutes.

On Thursday, Jonathan Jacobs, 20, and Alan Bytheway, 24, were sentenced to six and four months respectively for killing Deano the dog, which belonged to Bytheway's mother Denise Salt.

The court had heard Jacobs, of Nursery Road, Bloxwich, Walsall, and Bytheway, of Buxton Close, Little Bloxwich, had consumed three litres of cider and four cans of strong lager between them before attacking Deano.

Split skull

They used an axe, a garden rake, a spade and a clothes pole.

A veterinary expert told the court Deano had been hit with a clothes line pole which caused a "shockingly deep" cut.

We are at a loss to understand how two young people can descend to such depths Magistrate Anthony Taylor

Its face had been punctured by the teeth of a garden rake and its skull split open.

However the court was told the fatal blow had been struck when the clothes pole was forced into Deano's mouth, between his cheek and jaw, severing his windpipe and the main artery to his head.

Bytheway had admitted the charges and Jacobs was found guilty on 8 July.

Passing sentence, magistrate Anthony Taylor said it had been the "worst case of animal cruelty" he could remember.

"The savagery and inhumanity are beyond belief," he added.

"They plumbed the depths of depravity. We are at a loss to understand how two young people can descend to such depths."

As well as being jailed, Jacobs and Bytheway were also banned from keeping animals for 15 years.

Outside court, Bytheway's mother, said she was "sickened" by their behaviour and had disowned her son.

The RSPCA said it was pleased with the disqualifications.