A thug who was recorded on CCTV 'sickeningly' beating a terrified dog in a lift has been jailed for 20 weeks.

The CCTV operator watched on in horror as Besmur Idrizi, 27, violently kicks and stamps on his girlfriend's Staffordshire bull terrier, Sugar.

Taking place on March 10 last year, the harrowing footage shows Idrizi attacking Sugar, leaving her with bruises and a blood-shot eye, while another dog cowers in the corner of the lift inside a block of flats in Grays, Essex.

Idrizi, of East Tilbury, Essex, pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog at Basildon Magistrates' Court on March 18.

The attack on the dog, who was owned by Idrizi's girlfriend, led to his distraught partner ending her relationship with the animal beater.

Following Friday's prison sentence, RSPCA inspector Adam Jones said: 'The CCTV operator was horrified by what she saw and contacted us immediately.

'The footage is sickening and the beating inflicted on this poor dog is unbelievable

'The video shows Idrizi get into the lift with two dogs. He then starts kicking and stamping on Sugar as the other dog cowers in the corner. He clearly intended to hurt her.

'Her eye was blood-shot and she was covered in bruises after the attack.

'The dogs' owner ended the relationship after she found out what Idrizi had done.'

The two dogs were seen cowering in the corner of the lift in Grays, Essex, before Idrizi's attack

Defenceless Sugar looks on helpless just before the thug begins to kick her repeatedly

Sickening: A CCTV operator looked on in horror as Besmur Idrizi unleashed the brutal attack on the dog

Idrizi carrying out the attack that got him jailed for 20 weeks following a case at Basildon Magistrates' Court

Inspector Jones added: 'Idrizi told the court, via an interpreter, that he had had an argument with his girlfriend and was angry.

'Clearly, this is no excuse for treating these dogs like this. There is absolutely no reason to ever treat a dog - or any other animal - with such aggression or violence. It is completely unjustifiable.'