A HAMPSHIRE MAN KICKED A PUPPY AROUND A GARDEN "LIKE A FOOTBALL",
A HAMPSHIRE man kicked a puppy around a garden "like a football", a court heard.Leon Coombes, 39, also repeatedly punched Rosie, a black and white Staffordshire bull terrier owned by girlfriend Lorraine Watson-Paul.
The incident took place in the garden of Miss Watson-Paul's home in Woodlands Way, Bursledon, where Coombes was living at the time.
He was convicted of a charge of deliberate ill-treatment.
He failed to attend the hearing, forcing sentencing to be adjourned until October 26.
Bradley Albuery, prosecuting at Southampton Magistrates' Court, read out statements from Miss Watson-Paul's neighbours who described their horror at witnessing the attack on the then seven-month-old pup around 9pm on May 17.
One neighbour, Tim Chalk, said: "I saw Mr Coombes repeatedly kicking Rosie like a football.
Then I saw the dog lifted off the ground and thrown into a fence.
He even punched it 15 to 20 times.
"After seeing what happened I ran home and phoned the RSPCA." The court heard how Miss Watson-Paul, 24, had left her home with her son around 6.30pm that day after returning from work to find Coombes in a rage.
She returned between 9 and 10pm when she was said to have been greeted by neighbours shouting that her dog had been "killed" by Mr Coombes.
Police arrived at the same time to question Coombes but he had left the property.
In a statement read out in court, Miss Watson-Paul said: "When I saw the police I just said 'what have you done Leon'?
Then I saw Rosie and felt terrible.
Leon seemed agitated earlier on but I never thought he would do anything to hurt my dog." Mr Albuery said the vet examining Rosie said she was "psychologically traumatised" and "extremely submissive" when handled.
The puppy has since been rehomed and has recovered from the attack.
In a statement to RSPCA Chief Insp Judith Palmer, Coombes said he had committed a cowardly act on what was his partner's loving and loyal friend.
He added: "I'm extremely sad about what happened to Rosie and I know that Lorraine will never forgive me."
