The BBC's Kate Williams: Handlers were encouraged to kick dogs in abdomen

Inspector Graham Curtis, 43, Sergeant Andrew White, 37, PC Kenneth Boorman, 45, and PC Graham Hopkins, 42, who were all based at the Essex police dog training unit, deny cruelty.

Dog handler instructors PCs Boorman and Hopkins used a method of correcting police dogs which amounted to a breach of the Protection of Animals Act, Chelmsford Magistrates Court in Essex heard.

Sgt White, who was head of the instructors at the training unit in Sandon, near Chelmsford, encouraged the cruel training method and Curtis, who was in charge of the dog unit, approved of it, the prosecution alleged.

Liver damage

Prosecutor Peter Wain told the court that handlers were instructed to hang their dogs over a six-feet wall by their leads, then kick and punch them in the stomach.

He said dog handlers would tell the court of seven occasions on which this had happened in November and September last year.

Mr Wain said on six of those occasions the beatings had been carried out on the instructions of PC Boorman, and on one occasion on the orders of PC Hopkins.

The seven allegations related to beatings of five German Shepherd police dogs.

After one such beating one of the dogs, named Acer, had died on the training field at Sandon.

Post mortem examinations had revealed that the dog had suffered internal haemorrhaging and liver damage.

Officers' distaste known

Mr Wain said police dog handlers did not like being instructed to chastise their dogs in such a fashion.

One had left the unit as a result of his unhappiness with the beatings and another had asked to leave the unit, said Mr Wain.

He said officers under instruction had made their distaste known to the instructors and to Sergeant White.

Mr Wain said when questioned by investigating officers Sgt White and PCs Boorman and Hopkins had maintained that the method of chastisement was an accepted way of dealing with a dog that had attacked a handler.

Inspector Curtis had said he knew nothing of the method and had no responsibility because his role at the centre was administrative.