A MAN has been locked up and banned for life from having contact with animals after pleading guilty to performing sex acts on his pet dog.

Gareth Francis Owen confessed to his sickening crimes to a probation officer who was preparing a pre-sentence report as he awaited sentencing for downloading child pornography.

Owen, 22, of Bruntoft Avenue, Hartlepool, was sentenced to five months in custody after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to his golden labrador, Andrex, between July 20 and September 20 last year.

Teesside Magistrates Court heard that when the 14-month-old dog was taken to the vets it reacted nervously when it was being examined around its genital area.

Prosecutor Lynne Dalton said Owen admitted interfering with a number of family pets and horses from the age of 14.

She said: "The defendant revealed that he was 14 when there had been his first sexual contact with a friends dog. There had also been indecent contact with two previous dogs owned by him as well as horses.

"He also declared his sexual activity with his current pet Andrex when it was 14 months old. He didnt start to show any interest until the dog was sexually mature and he admitted that he had sexual contact on five or six occasions during the period that the charge covers.''

Salina Akhtar, mitigating, told the court Owen had a troublesome upbringing. He didnt have much of an education due to bullying, which at times resulted in him being hospitalised, and he left school without any qualifications.

The only reason this is before court is that he admitted it, she said. "If he had not done that it is unlikely that he would have been here. It's not something that could have been discovered because he had never disclosed his behaviour to anyone.

"He explained that he was having a relationship with his dog, which he accepts was not right.''

Owen, who only spoke to confirm his name, age, address and plead guilty, showed no emotion when he was sentenced to five months custody and banned from owning or taking care of any animal for the rest of his life.

He remains in custody while he awaits sentence for downloading child pornography. He is due to appear at Teesside Crown Court on January 18.