A MAN threw a dog across a room before slamming a door on her after flying into a rage when the animal relieved herself on his sofa.

Russell Winstone, of Church Road, Long Hanborough, had already admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Oxford Magistrates' Court heard at his sentencing hearing yesterday how the 38-year old had been looking after the Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog, named Bella, during each the two incidents of violence.

On each incident the dog suffered 'blunt force trauma' at an address at Tarrant Avenue, Witney, on April 14 and 19.

In footage shown to the court of one of the incidents Bella was seen to be hurled across the room in a rage and Winstone later slammed a door into it causing injuries.

The court heard that when seen by a vet Bella - who was owned by Winstone's cousin, was found to have suffered injuries to her skull as well as an oral hematoma and a number of lacerations.

Winstone was arrested after the incident and told police, the court heard, that he had thrown the dog across the room because he was angry that she had weed on his sofa.

He explained that he had shut the door on the animal because he was 'frustrated', the court heard.

Unrepresented, magistrates' instead heard a written report from the national probation service who interviewed him ahead of the sentencing which claimed he had shown 'no remorse' at what he had done.

The report read: "He indicated that the trigger for his behaviour was that the dog had peed on his sofa, he became frustrated with the dog and acted in the way described.

"The dog was not his responsibility as it was his cousin's and he indicated that it was wired and out of control.

"He says he was not sorry that the dog was now gone and he shows little remorse or empathy for the dog and seems to try and justify his behaviour."

The court also heard that he had previously suffered psychosis but had been managing his condition with medication and had not experienced an episode in some years.

Magistrates' asked Winstone if he would like to say anything ahead of his sentence to which he replied simply 'no'.

Winstone was given a community order for the two offences to include a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within the community.

He must also carry out a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days and was disqualified from owning, keeping, dealing or transporting animals for the next 10 years.

Court costs of £200 were also ordered as well as a victim surcharge of £85.