A Glynneath has been ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work after dash-cam footage caught him punching and beating his cocker spaniel in public.
Gregory Phillips, 40, was filmed violently handling and striking the dog on Pentre Street on 31 March.
Passers-by can be heard hooting the car horn and shouting at Phillips to stop as he attacked the dog outside a local convenience store.
The cocker spaniel exits the man’s car as he goes to load a crate of beer onto the back seat.
He responds by picking up the dog, punching him several times, then throwing him into the boot of the car alongside other dogs – where he proceeds to continue to strike the animal.
Gregory pleaded guilty to the Animal Welfare Act offence and was sentenced at Swansea Magistrates’ Court last Monday (August 24).
He was given a 12-month community order, and told to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs and a £90 victim surcharge.
RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben said: “In broad daylight and with people all around, this poor dog was beaten by his owner – who clearly had no regard for his legal responsibilities towards his animal.
“Fortunately, the dash-cam footage helped us to identify this individual and ensure we could take action.
“Clearly, this is no way to treat an animal – and thankfully, the vast majority of people across South Wales and beyond will be shocked by this footage, and the beating this poor cocker spaniel was subjected to.”
