Man jailed after being caught on doorbell camera beating up puppy in Stoke-on-Trent

A man who was caught on a doorbell camera beating up his puppy, has been jailed.

Tyler Steele who's 28, was seen hitting the XL Bully puppy outside an address on Poundlock Avenue in Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent in 2023.

He was also captured on CCTV on a separate occasion throwing the animal from a stationary vehicle across a road in Berry Hill last year.

Steele admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, and has been been jailed for 18 weeks at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

Warning - this video contains footage which some may find upsetting

Prosecutor Joanne Fox said doorbell footage from the address in Hanley, captured Steele punching the puppy when it was not doing what he wanted it to.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."The dog is heard yelping in pain, with Steele then heard saying "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, from Tiverton Road in Berry Hill, also admitted aggravated vehicle taking by allowing himself to be carried on June 17 last year.

Stephen Vasey, mitigating, 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 has no recollection of throwing the dog from the car"

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 that it had been four-and-a-half years since he was last in court. 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."

Steele was disqualified from keeping animals for five years, banned from driving for a year, and ordered to pay a £154 surcharge.

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