A DOG owner caught on CCTV violently attacking his puppy in the middle of a busy road has been banned from keeping animals for three years.

Martin Jones pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog when he appeared before Wirral Magistrates.

The court heard how on March 7 in Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, Jones, 42, was reportedly seen beating his golden labrador puppy called Millie by two members of the public.

They reported the matter to the RSPCA and from an investigation, led by inspector Anthony Joynes, the animal welfare charity was able to find CCTV from a local shopping centre showing a sustained attack on the dog.

Jones, from Ellesmere Port, can be seen chasing Millie, who had broken free while on her lead, before grabbing her and punching her numerous times in the middle of a road as cars slow down behind the incident.

A veterinary surgeon who viewed the footage and later examined Mille said the attack would have caused unnecessary suffering to the dog.

Inspector Joynes said: "The two members of the public who reported the matter to us actually saw an attack on the dog by Jones a few minutes after this incident was caught on CCTV.

"It was because of them contacting us that we uncovered this video which formed an important part of our case.

"I would like to thank them for reporting the matter as without people like them the RSPCA would struggle to bring prosecutions and more importantly we would not be able to re-home abused animals like Millie.

"There is never an excuse to use violence on any animal. Sometimes people use training as an excuse but training should never be physical - it should be about positive reinforcement and be reward-based."

As well as the three-year ban on keeping animals, Jones was ordered to pay £700 costs, a £140 fine and a £30 victim surcharge.

Millie has spent seven months in the care of the RSPCA Wirral and Chester branch but following Jones' guilty plea she can now be rehomed.