A MAN who killed his girlfriend’s dog has been jailed for 15 weeks and disqualified from keeping animals for 20 years.

Bruce John Elliot, 32, of Lordenshaw, Newcastle, was locked up for causing the death of Smudge, an eight-year-old Jack Russell.

He appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

He admitted causing unnecessary suffering by inflicting blunt force trauma leading to her death and failing to provide prompt veterinary attention for her injuries.

The incident happened at his home on October 26, when his then girlfriend was not there.

RSPCA inspector Helen Bestwick said: “He told the court that Smudge wasn’t allowed upstairs but had gone up there and urinated on the bed.

“He said he chased her downstairs and a mountain bike, which was at the bottom of them, fell on top of her, then he kicked her outside.

“We’ll never know exactly what happened but when Smudge was found by a neighbour around 300 metres away on a patch of grass between the local social club and supermarket she was collapsed.”

Smudge had been owned by Franchesca Jones since being a puppy and was a much-loved family pet.

Speaking after the hearing, Ms Jones, who was pregnant at the time of the incident, said: “I feel like today we’ve finally got a bit of justice for her. It won’t bring her back of course but the fact that this man is going to be outed as the person he is makes a difference.”