Grinning thug is caught on camera savagely beating puppy with a stick

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Council cleaner Richard Stewart, 36, stood over American bulldog Peggy

Attacked her with vacuum attachment after she accidentally soiled carpet

Friend filmed council cleaner from Middleton as dog aged 3 cried in pain



This is the grinning thug who avoided jail despite being filmed beating a defenceless dog 27 times with a hose from a vacuum cleaner.

Council cleaner Richard Stewart, 36, stood over Peggy - his three-year-old American bulldog - and set about her with the attachment after the animal accidentally soiled the living room carpet.

A friend filmed Stewart, of Middleton, Greater Manchester, on his mobile phone as the thug repeatedly beat the animal about the head and back as she yelped in pain and cowered by a door.

Scroll down for video



Brutal attack: Richard Stewart (left and right, outside court), 36, stood over Peggy - his three-year-old American bulldog - and set about her with the attachment after the animal accidentally soiled the living room carpet



Stewart was heard shouting ‘Dirty f****** b******, what's this?’ at the dog before he turned round and laughed at his friend, saying: ‘Is that enough?’ and throwing the attachment on the floor

The footage, filmed earlier this year, was later handed over to Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials - and Stewart was traced and confronted with evidence of his assault.

When the RSPCA went to rescue Peggy from her home, she was cowering on the floor and was said to ‘very submissive and very afraid of people.’ The dog is now being cared for in RSPCA kennels.

Details of the attack emerged at Bury Magistrates’ Court as Stewart admitted causing unnecessary suffering by inflicting multiple blunt force trauma. He was sentenced to eight weeks in jail.

Shocking: A friend filmed Stewart, of Middleton, Greater Manchester, on his mobile phone as the thug repeatedly beat the animal about the head and back as she yelped in pain and cowered by a door

But it was suspended for 18 months after a judge said Stewart was not ‘habitually cruel’ to animals. Earlier Stewart bowed in shame and put his head in his hands as the court was shown the recording.

'After the fifth blow the dog could be heard yelping and also after the 13th blow' Anna McDonald, RSPCA

Anna McDonald, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: ‘There were no injuries to the dog but the vet said having watched the DVD the attack did cause the dog to suffer unnecessarily and cause physical harm.

‘There were strikes across the head and when the vet viewed it, said there were 27 strikes to the dog. What the vet does say is after the fifth blow the dog could be heard yelping and also after the 13th blow.’

David Hewitt, defending, said: ‘He describes it as sickening in interview, and made admissions before it was seen. He is ashamed and disgusted with himself.

Thug: Stewart was heard shouting 'Dirty f****** b******, what's this?' at the dog before he turned round and laughed at his friend, saying: 'Is that enough?' and throwing the attachment on the floor

‘He has described his dog as his best friend. The dog was given to him by his father and he appears to have been regularly exercised fed and otherwise in good health.’

'He is ashamed and disgusted with himself. He has described his dog as his best friend' David Hewitt, defending

Stewart was banned from owning, keeping, dealing or transporting animals for five years but may apply to have the order lifted after a year. He must also pay £200 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.

Passing sentence, District Judge Jonathan Finestein told Stewart: ‘You have pleaded guilty to the most horrible attack. This isn't just one blow - it is a repeated attack on the animal 27 times.

‘It is brutal and it is of great irony the dog was said to be a great friend to you. It is significant that when she was seen by the vet she was in good health and was well looked after.

On camera: The footage, filmed earlier this year, was later handed over to Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials - and Stewart was traced and confronted with evidence of his assault

‘You are a young man and hard-working - that is to your credit, many in this court are not. This dog was a pet of yours.

'It is brutal and it is of great irony the dog was said to be a great friend to you' District Judge Jonathan Finestein

‘It was quite apparent when examined by the veterinary surgeon two days later, she was in good health and had a microchip. She was not undernourished and was well looked after.

‘On this day you obviously had too much to drink and you were showing off. You behaved in a brutal fashion, it is impossible not to view this without a sense of revulsion and feeling sickened.

‘It was plainly in distress and crying, it was certainly whimpering and seeing the DVD leaves anyone who has seen it with a sense of revulsion.

‘I have no doubt that repeated assaults like this with the use of a weapon-here 27 times and the brutality and force used does justify a prison sentence. But because of reasons indicated I'm prepared to suspend it.

Beaten: When the RSPCA went to rescue Peggy from her home, she was cowering on the floor and was said to 'very submissive and very afraid of people'. The dog is now being cared for in RSPCA kennels

‘But you and others must understand that people that own animals have a responsibility to them there is no way this can be allowed to mistreat them with brutal actions towards defenceless animals.

‘This was an isolated matter as grim as it was but there is no evidence you are habitually cruel to animals.’

After the case, Inspector Ben Strangwood of the RSPCA said: ‘It was a vicious, unnecessary and unprovoked attack on a very sweet natured dog.