A man angry that his pet dog would not eat its dinner has admitted beating it on the head with a hammer.

Paul Townsley, 41, of Lodsworth Close, Whitehawk, Brighton, was seen by neighbours on July 2 last year kicking his seven-year old Staffordshire bull terrier Bailey as well as attacking the pet with a hammer.

Brighton Magistrates' Court was told Townsley had provoked the dog into biting him prior to the hammer blows by slapping the dog and pulling its tail because it would not eat its food.

He entered a guilty plea to the charge of cruelty to an animal and was told by magistrates he could face prison.

Prosecuting solicitor Andrew Foreman said: "When he went home that afternoon and the dog wouldn't eat his dinner that made him quite angry." Magistrates were told that Townsley had kicked and chased the dog out on to his balcony where the animal growled at him.

He then grabbed the dog's tail and pulled it.

T o w n s l e y , through statements read out in court, admitted that he wanted to punish the animal for not eating its dinner.

The dog reacted to the tail-pulling by sinking its teeth into Townsley's forearm for which he retaliated by attacking Bailey with a hammer and striking him three to four times.

Defending him, solicitor Ray Pape argued against a prison sentence.

He said: "The bottom line is that the Crown has alleged the defendant struck his dog three to four times and as a result of that injuries were sustained. We do not dispute that.

"The question is how unwell he may have been and how much that affected his behaviour at the time."

The court was told Townsley had suffered from mental health issues in the past with the defence solicitor drawing on a psychiatric report of his defendant and said it was completely out of his character to carry out such an attack.

Police and the RSPCA were called by neighbours who saw the attack and when they arrived at Townsley's home they found Bailey severely injured with a fractured skull and suffering from blunt trauma.

The dog was treated for a fractured skull and is now being cared for at Patcham Animal Centre.

The case was adjourned until April 1 when Townsley will be sentenced following presentence probationary reports.

The RSPCA, which has nursed Bailey back to health at Patcham Animal Centre is appealing for a new home for the animal.