A MAN has been sent to prison for an attack on his dog, which left the animal with a puncture wound 10cm long.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins described Joshua Norman’s attack on a Labrador-cross called Simba as 'very serious'.

In the early hours of March 5, Norman, of Lowless Close, Pembroke, contacted his ex-partner, saying he was going to kill himself.

When she came round to his flat to check he was ok, she described how the premise 'looked like it had been hit by a bomb'.

She said windows were smashed, curtains were pulled down, beer cans were strewn everywhere, 'but what was most disturbing was the amount of blood on the walls'.

Norman’s ex-partner then found Simba lying on the bathroom floor, shaking in a puddle of blood.

She took the dog to the vet, where on examination Simba had suffered from among other injuries extensive bruising and swelling above the right eye.

Areas of his skin were damaged where the blows to the animal were so hard the blood supply had been cut off.

There was also a puncture wound on Simba’s shoulder measuring 10cm long and 2cm deep.

Norman’s ex-partner contacted the police, who arrested the 24-year-old.

He claimed the blood on the walls came from his knuckles, however this did not account for the amount of blood.

In custody, Norman refused to look at the photos of the injuries he had inflicted on Simba.

At the time of the attack Norman was heavily intoxicated. having consumed a bottle of vodka, a half bottle of gin and cans of lager. The police also found cannabis in the property.

In mitigation, it was revealed that Norman had been in the army but was discharged after failing a drugs test and going AWOL.

Norman’s defence said Norman would not look at the photos of Simba’s injuries out of remorse, and he did not want to see the harm he had caused. Norman said he had little or no memory of what had happened.

On sentencing, Judge Jenkins described the attack as cowardly and gratuitous against a defenceless animal.

“The vet examined Simba and found a puncture wound sustained by a knife, swelling and multiple injuries around Simba’s head. This was unlikely to be caused by a single blow.

“You have refused to look at the photos, but I have. This is a very serious example of how someone can mistreat an animal. There were multiple injuries caused in a multiple of ways and the dog was left in a pool of blood cowering and whimpering.”

Having originally pleaded guilty Norman, present at Swansea Crown Court on April 21, was sentenced for three charges.

One of criminal damage for which he got one month in prison, one for possession of cannabis for which he got one month in prison, and one of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal for which he was sentenced to ten months in custody.

The sentences will run concurrent and Norman will be released on condition after serving half his time in prison.

Norman was also banned from owning any form of domestic animal for a period of five years.