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A MIDDLE-AGED Lietrim man has been branded a ‘sick and evil predator’ by his neighbours for grooming their 6-year-old dog into giving him the paw.

Mickey Reilly, 48, dodged getting a slap in the face after he admitted targeting the purebred boxer and coaxing her with lamb cutlets in exchange for ‘the paw’.

Yesterday the unemployed loner said he had ‘expected’ to be praised for his actions, which instead came across as sort of creepy by the dogs owner, Jimmy Cowman.

“I was just doing the dishes in the kitchen when I seen him creeping on my dog Lilly through the gap in our fence.” said Cowman. “I immediately burst out through the back door and confronted him.”

Reilly pleaded guilty to the charges of exploitation made by his neighbour but insisted he was only trying to teach the animal a new command.

He had also admitted having possession of lamb cutlets at the moment in question; to the distribution of the raw meat; and to interfering with the animals daily routine of peeing in the back yard.

In a series of shocking revelations, the neighbour confessed to grooming the vulnerable dog for the last six months and teaching her how to perform numerous ‘acts’.

Last night, Mr. Cowman’s wife, Julie, told WWN she suspected something was up with Lilly after she noticed the dog heeling on her hind legs and raising one paw every time she would see food.

“She was just acting out of character.” said the distraught daughter of two. “Her coat was all shiny and she appeared to have been groomed by someone.”

“God knows what else that sick bastard taught her.” she sobbed.