A MAN convicted of using a broom to batter a dog so badly that it was left with 24 fractures threatened an RSPCA inspector with violence as he was jailed yesterday (Tuesday, September 10).

Christopher Bowman Watson, 19, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison for causing unnecessary suffering to a small shitzu type dog, named Coco.

Magistrates heard that when found Coco was emaciated, soaked in urine, found it difficult to walk and was "extremely lucky to be allive" according to a report by vet Jacqui Paterson.

John Ellwood, for the RSPCA, said Watson was living at Dent Street, Hartlepool with the dog when a “kindly neighbour” alerted the RSPCA after seeing Coco being beaten on March 22.

“She saw the defendant take a handle of a broom and repeatedly strike the dog on its back with the weighted end," he said.

"On March 25 she saw the defendant repeatedly kicking the dog. An attempt was made to video this but all that can be seen is the dog apparently being kicked into the air.”

RSPCA inspector Aislinn Balderston called at the house but Watson became abusive and threatened violence to the person who had called the RSPCA.

She returned another day with police back-up. Watson, now of Shields Terrace, Hartlepool, ran off but was later found and charged.

Coco was found to have 17 fractures to her pelvis and seven to her ribs. She was housed with a foster family, renamed Maggie, and has made a full recovery.

Choi Cheng, mitigating, told Hartlepool magistrates that Watson, who pleaded guilty, recognised this was “a thoroughly shameful episode,” and both regretted and apologised for it.

He had been in care since he was six years old and was immature.

As he was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment for the first charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by subjecting it to physical violence, Watson swore at Inspector Balderston that he would “stamp all over her head.”

He was also sentenced to an 18 months suspended sentence for causing unnecessary suffering by failing to call a vet and not feeding the animal properly. He was banned from keeping an animal for life.