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Harrowing footage of a bulldog called Baby being thrown down stairs, stamped upon and headbutted has seen two men avoid jail.

Andrew Frankish, 22, and Daniel Frankish, 19, both of Southampton Street, Redcar , appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court, charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

A number of mobile phone clips, filmed by the younger man, show Andrew Frankish picking the bulldog up at the top of some wooden stairs - on one occasion lifting her high over his head - before repeatedly throwing her down them.

The Gazette has decided not to show the footage, which shocked RSPCA inspectors say is the most distressing they’ve ever seen.

The footage only came to light more than two years after the offences because an SD card containing the horrific images was found on a supermarket floor.

RSPCA inspector Gemma Lynch said Baby - who was put down three months later after losing the use of her back legs - was “totally submissive throughout, not even making a noise when she lands on the stairs, bouncing to the foot of them where there is a baby gate which she crashes into before hitting the ground.”

She said: “Andrew Frankish is saying things like ‘One, two, three’ before hurling her down them. He is clearly enjoying himself - he’s laughing and smiling. The whole horrible ordeal seems to be for his and the younger man’s entertainment, for fun.

“Another clip shows him stamping on her neck repeatedly at the bottom of the stairs, then picking her up and throwing her to the ground with force over and over again. He’s laughing hysterically.

“Another clip shows him standing on Baby’s chest with his full body weight at the top of the stairs, before jumping up and down on her. This is the only time you hear her make a noise, and she is crying throughout.

“The younger man says “See if we can make it scream any more. We should throw it down the stairs by its ears” before Andrew picks her up against the wall and headbutts her twice, then throws her down the stairs again.

“Everyone who has seen the video says it’s the most distressing thing they’ve ever seen. These are people who have seen a lot of horrible things.”

In court, the men pleaded guilty to, on or about October 13, 2013, causing unnecessary suffering to Baby by subjecting her to unnecessary physical violence, an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. They were sentenced to 21 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, given a six months tagged curfew between the hours of 8pm-6am and ordered to pay £300 costs. They were banned from keeping animals for life with no appeal for 20 years.

Inspector Lynch attended Cleveland Police headquarters on February 1, 2016, in response to a call to assist them in relation to some dog beating footage.

A member of the public had found an SD card on the floor of a supermarket, and, recognising the people on it, handed it in to the police. The men were arrested later that day and interviewed by the RSPCA.

“We found out during the interview that Baby, who was a family pet, was put to sleep around three months after the video was recorded after losing the use of her back legs,” said Inspector Lynch.

“What happened to her will stay with me, and all of us who worked on this case, forever.”