A MAN has been sentenced to 26 weeks in prison after being convicted of carrying out a “sustained, brutal and horrific” attack on a pet dog.

Andrew Summerfield, 44, of Defoe Crescent, Colchester, was found guilty in his absence of two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at an earlier trial.

He shot Barney 17 times with an air gun, hacked at his head with a meat cleaver and left him for dead at the side of the A12. A tight noose was found cutting into his neck.

Despite the best efforts of the RSPCA, which brought the prosecution, and vets, Barney was too badly hurt and had to be put down.

There was a crowd of protesters outside Colchester Magistrates’ Court for today’s sentencing, chanting “justice for Barney”.

Sentencing Summerfield, magistrate David Druitt said: “This was a sustained, brutal and horrific attack on an animal with a clear intent to kill. Two separate weapons were used and you left the animal, assuming it was dead. This is the most serious attack that could be imagined.”

Summerfield gave no reaction when the sentence was read out.

The court had earlier been told that he was a single parent of two children who relied on him for help.

RSPCA inspector Steve Craddock said it was one of the “more extreme” cases he had dealt with and that he was pleased that Summerfield had been given the toughest possible sentence the law allows.