A MAN who was captured on CCTV in Dulverton kicking and ill-treating his dog, has been banned from keeping animals for six years.

Derek Raymond Wallace, 48, of Brompton Regis, was disqualified from owning animals after pleading guilty to an animal welfare offence at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court last week, following a prosecution by the RSPCA.

Wallace was also ordered to pay nearly £700 costs and subjected to a six-month daily curfew.

He was prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act for causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by blunt force, physical violence and inappropriate handling.

The court was shown CCTV footage in which Wallace was seen kicking his seven-year-old terrier Darby and dropping him on to the ground.

The footage showed Wallace carrying Darby across a car park at night before dropping the dog and kicking him violently twice on the right hand side of his head and neck.

RSPCA Inspector Jo Daniel, who investigated the case for the charity, told the court: “A vet who watched the footage confirmed that the actions of Wallace would have caused Darby to suffer, both by causing pain and potential injury, and also by causing fear and distress.”

Admitting the offence, Wallace told the court it was an isolated incident and he had been drinking alcohol, with which he has issues, at the time of the offence.

He was sentenced to a six-month daily curfew order between 6pm and 6am and ordered to pay £600 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

An RSPCA spokeswoman told the Free Press that Darby had been put in the care of the charity at the time of the investigation into the offence. He has since been found a new home, thanks to the team at RSPCA Little Valley Animal Shelter, and is now leading a happy life.