A helpless pet puppy was left with broken bones and bruises because of the brutal training regime of its thug owner.

Matthew Hawksworth started out biting his new pet but soon, he was also punching her, kicking her with steel-capped boots and throwing her across the room.

Suspecting he was training the dog, his girlfriend became so disturbed by Hawksworth’s behaviour, she reported him to a vet, who in turn told the RSPCA.

Appearing before Manchester magistrates, Hawksworth, 21, of Cornishway, Wythenshawe, was warned he may face jail after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to a dog.

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Prosecuting, Nicholas Smart told the court how he and his girlfiend bought the eight-week-old puppy when they moved in together in Woodhouse Park last July.

But Hawksworth was soon seen biting the black-and-white Staffordshire bull terrier puppy they had named Skyler.

Mr Smart said: “He told his girlfiend he had owned dogs previously and it was a form of chastisement and she let it pass.”

But during the following months, she said she witnessed further violence.

This included kicking and punching the puppy - on one occasion wearing steel-capped boots.

Hawksworth was also seen to pick Skyler up and throw her at the window, which she bounced off and landed on the sofa.

Mr Smart added; “She felt fearful of this man and she did not want to question what he was doing.”

Eventually the pair took SKyler, who had bite marks, and was by now limping and struggling to stay on her feet, to the vet’s.

She was given antibiotics and painkillers and began to improve - but Hawksworth’s girlfriend later returned to tell the vet of Skyler’s ill treatment - and X-rays revealed multiple fractures, bruising and ‘significant trauma’.

In police interview Hawksworth denied the attacks - claiming he had laid hands on the puppy just once, ‘smacking its backside’ for being naughty.

But he changed his plea on the day of a scheduled trial.

Defending, Dominic Walker said Hawksworth had a history of depression and self-harm. Kin Cheng, chairman of the bench, adjourned the case for an ‘all options’ probation report - meaning he could face prison. Hawksworth was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing on August 29. Skyler has now been re-homed and is said to be ‘making progress’.