TWO men who buried a dog alive after hammering a nail into its head thought they were “doing the right thing”, a court heard.

Close friends Michael Heathcock and Richard Finch decided to kill Heathcock’s pet terrier 'Scamp' after the elderly animal became incontinent, lost the use of its back legs and went deaf.

At Teesside Magistrates Court on Wednesday, the pair’s solicitor claimed the men had made a “naïve” decision to put the dog down themselves in a desperate bid to avoid expensive veterinary bills.

In what one vet called the worst case of animal cruelty he had ever seen, the two men then took the dog to Kirkleatham Woods, near Redcar and used a claw hammer to hit a nail into his skull.

The court heard that the dog could have been subjected to as many as six blows with a hammer and several with a hand before the pair left him for dead in an ivy-covered shallow grave with the five inch nail protruding from his head.

Dog walkers, who were alerted to the grave after hearing a noise, eventually uncovered Scamp and took him to a vet before calling the police.

Sadly, the 16-year-old dog’s injuries were so severe he had to be put down.

John Ellwood, prosecuting, said that Heathcock and Finch had handed themselves in following adverse publicity and outrage on social media.

He said Finch got the idea of using a nail to kill the dog after watching a TV show where an animal was killed with a bolt gun.

Mr Elwood said: “They thought they were doing the right thing and putting him out of his misery but it went wrong.

“[Finch] said he told [Heathcock] to get the dog put down and kept pressuring him but was told it cost £300 to put him to sleep.

“After saying they would do it themselves, they took him to Kirkleatham woods with Heathcock carrying him, they took a claw hammer and a nail.

“Heathcock would drive the nail through the dog’s skull, that was their plan.”

Mr Elwood said the pair had kept watch for some time after the savage attack, adding: “They said reason they kept a lookout was to make sure nobody saw them as people would think it was barbaric.”

The pair said “something had to be done” after Scamp began urinating around Heathcock’s house, causing a smell.

Redcar men Finch and Heathcock, 60 and 59 respectively, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty offences at Teesside Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Dominic Tate, mitigating for both defendants, said that the situation arose when the pair became concerned about the dog’s rapidly deteriorating health.

Mr Tate said: “This was not a case of treating a dog with malice, Heathcock had the dog for 16 years without any issues prior to this.

“They have been extremely naïve in their actions and how they went about this – clearly there were other methods available to them.

“They accept they had not thought through anything to the level they should have done.

“They are men of good character and this has been a situation that has generated headlines and they have been targeted.

“It was not their intention to cause Scamp unnecessary suffering.”

After the case, Finch said: “We buggered up so badly but it was never intentionally.

“People have got to know that this was not a question of grabbing a little dog to kill, we tried to put him to sleep and it did not work.”

Saying the court had heard “half of a story”, Finch claimed the dog’s incontinence was a factor in his and Heathcock’s cruel decision, saying Scamp would have “shown up” his owner.

Outside court, the pair were confronted by one man who told Finch they would “be tortured”.

Saying it had been too expensive to take the terrier to the vet, he added: “I did nothing, I was there for moral support.

“If I go to jail for going to support my mate who did this terrible thing, then I’m going to have to go to jail.”

Finch - of Geneva Drive, Redcar - pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the causing of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on October 19 2016.

Heathcock - of Ontario Crescent, Redcar – pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, reflecting the killing of Scamp and Heathcock’s failure to seek veterinary assistance prior to it.

Released on unconditional bail, they are expected to face sentencing on Wednesday, March 1.

Redcar MP Anna Turley, who is campaigning for tougher sentences for those convicted of animal cruelty, is expected to present a bill to Parliament on Friday.