A man who attacked his pet dog with a hammer because it would not eat its tea has been jailed.

Paul Townsley, 41, has received death threats after neighbours saw him attacking his seven-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Bailey on July 2 last year.

He held the dog at chest height before beating it and fracturing the animal's skull.

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

Andrew Foreman, prosecuting, said: "The dog was being held off the ground at chest height. The defendant raised his arm to shoulder level at brought it down with force four times.

"Every time the defendant struck the dog he said, 'I am your master'."

The court heard Townsley, of Lodsworth Close, Whitehawk, Brighton, 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.

The animal sunk its teeth into Townsley's arm, who in retaliation launched a frenzied attack on his pet.

Police officers found Bailey cowering behind a chair in the corner of the room, covered in blood. The animal's skull was broken in two places.

Defending Townsley, Ray Pape said his client suffered from three to five serious epileptic fits every week and that he was in a psychotic trance at the time of the attack.

Townsley was also not on his medication at the time of the attack.

Mr Pape said: "He was angry and grabbed the first thing that was there. That was a hammer. He was unaware of the extent of the injuries to the dog. In fact he went back to cooking almost as if nothing had happened."

But District Judge Graham Parsons said he was certain Townsley knew exactly what he was doing.

He said: "You have been convicted of a most serious offence involving the systematic persistent and violent beating of a defenceless animal.

"Abandoned dogs probably don't get treated as this one was treated. He would have been better off abandoned - he would have had a better chance."

Townsley was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison. He will be released on licence after six weeks. He was also banned from keeping any animals for the rest of his life.

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

Inspector Tony Pritchard said outside court: "It was a fair result. He deserves to be put in prison for committing such a serious offence."