A BIRKENHEAD man who saw his jail term for viciously assaulting the mother of his newborn son extended for snapping his puppy’s legs is set to appeal his sentence this week.

Stefan McCormick, of Devonshire Road, was on bail for the brutal attack on his four-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier “Ty” when he breached a non-molestation order and attacked his 17-year-old former partner.

The 23-year-old was jailed for 20 months in October last year for the alcohol-fuelled assault in Hoylake, in which he repeatedly punched and kicked her, before dragging her along the pavement.

A week later he appeared via video link at Wirral magistrates court after previously pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Ty.

The court heard that the injuries were so severe that when vets attempted to examine it, the dog “screamed” out in pain before it “knuckled” over onto its forelimbs, collapsing head-first onto the table.

Vets were left with no option but to put poor Ty down.

McCormick was handed a sixth-month jail sentence to run consecutively with the one he was already serving.

He later launched an appeal against the sentence for the animal cruelty, due to be heard at Liverpool Crown Court tomorrow, Friday, arguing that the sentence should not have been consecutive.

During the animal cruelty hearing, Chris Murphy – prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA – told magistrates animal welfare officers had been called to McCormick’s home in December 2013 after a report of a dog being hit by a car.

Ty was found on a couch inside the flat covered in a blanket soaked in urine. McCormick initially said he had brought the dog inside after finding it by the roadside.

Mr Murphy said: “The vet said that in her opinion the dog’s injuries were not consistent with a dog fight or a road traffic collision.

“Both legs would have needed to be pulled apart with a great deal of force at the same time to cause the injuries.

“Falling off a couch or sofa would not have caused such injuries.”

Magistrates heard how poor Ty would have been unable to walk following the incident and had to be euthanised due to the severity of his injuries.

Sarah Ferguson, defending, said McCormick had no recollection of the events of December 29, 2013, and had consumed a quantity of alcohol.