Cruel thug filmed beating up XL Bully pup in Hanley jailed

Cruel thug Tyler Steele has been jailed after he was caught on camera beating up a dog. The 28-year-old sparked outrage across Stoke-on-Trent and the rest of the country after he was filmed hitting the XL Bully puppy in Hanley last year.

And on a separate occasion the cocaine user was captured on CCTV throwing the animal from a stationary vehicle across a road in Berry Hill. Now Steele - who admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal - has been jailed for 18 weeks at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

Prosecutor Joanne Fox said Steele threw the dog across the road from a car on May 2 last year. And on July 7 doorbell footage from an address in Poundlock Avenue, Hanley, captured him punching the pup when it was not doing what he wanted it to.

READ: Hanley dog beater caught on camera still waiting to find out if he'll be jailed Tyler Steele, 27, from Berry Hill, was back at North Staffordshire Justice Centre yesterday

READ: Coked-up thug who beat XL Bully pup and threw dog out of car told to expect jail Tyler Steele, 27, from Berry Hill, faces custody and a 'lengthy' ban from owning a dog

Miss Fox said: "He pulled and punched the dog and was swearing and shouting at it. He was annoyed that the dog was not as obedient as he would like.

"The other offence involved him throwing the dog from a vehicle when it was parked up. The dog was thrown with force across the road."

StokeonTrentLive viewed the footage which clearly shows the defendant striking the dog several times. The dog was heard yelping in pain. Steele was heard to say, 'I do not want it no more. He can **** off'.

Miss Fox added: "These were not slaps. These were punches. You can hear the dog yelping and crying."

She said the other incident involved the dog being 'thrown from the vehicle some distance across the road'. She added: "It is not unreasonable to conclude it would have suffered a substantial level of pain and discomfort."

The court heard RSPCA Inspector Ann Bennett was left upset after she watched the videos. She said: "A puppy was caused unnecessary suffering by a person responsible for him or her."

Steele, of Tiverton Road, Berry Hill, also admitted aggravated vehicle taking by allowing himself to be carried on June 17 last year.

Stephen Vasey, mitigating, conceded the two offences involving the dog were unpleasant. He said: "I would submit the incident on July 7, the slapping of the dog, four hits of the puppy, is not serious cruelty. It is cruel but not serious cruelty."

He said Steele throwing the dog was not sadistic behaviour. Mr Vasey said: "There is no evidence to say the dog suffered any injury as a result of the defendant's actions. One would have suspected some pain to have been caused by throwing the dog out the vehicle. There is no expert opinion to say that would have caused a substantial level of pain."

Mr Vasey said Steele showed a lack of maturity but it is four-and-a-half years since he last troubled the courts. He said: "He has to accept he was not mature enough to care for the puppy.

"The puppy just sat down. He dragged it towards him and, out of frustration, he would accept he is quick to temper, he hit the dog. Seconds later he carried the dog back to the house where he was staying at the time.

"He has no recollection of throwing the dog from the car. At the time he was using cocaine. This is a man who has never drunk alcohol. He is remorseful and he shows remorse.

"Quite perversely the dog gave him something of a lift in terms of his mental health. He knows there is going to be a period of disqualification from keeping animals."

Mr Vasey said Steele was a passenger in a car damaged in a police chase. He added: "He had no control of the vehicle."

Magistrates disqualified Steele from keeping animals for five years. He was banned from driving for 12 months. And he must pay a £154 surcharge.

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