A JEALOUS partner beat his girlfriend’s chihuahua so viciously it had to be euthanised after becoming sick of the attention she gave it.

Henry Dearsley, 36, forced a twig down pet chihuahua Boris’ throat and left him with missing teeth and brain damage after his harrowing attack.

A report read to Colchester Magistrates’ Court revealed Dearsley continued to beat Boris after he knocked the dog unconscious overnight on April 3 last year.

It said the dog would have been in “fear, distress and pain for several minutes, possibly longer,” as the attack was carried out in Clacton.

Gazette: Poor thing - a stock image of a chihuahua after Boris was savagely attackedPoor thing - a stock image of a chihuahua after Boris was savagely attacked (Image: Pixabay)

District Judge Christopher Williams branded the incident an “evil” one, adding: “Boris suffered sustained and relentless violence.”

Dearsley, of Old School Close, St Osyth, was jailed for one year after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to protect its welfare.

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He was also banned from owning any animal for ten years.

Lauren Bond, prosecuting, said Dearsley’s partner woke up on the morning of April 3 and found her dog “floppy but alive”.

Gazette: Sentence - Dearsley appeared before Colchester Magistrates' CourtSentence - Dearsley appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

“She picked it up and its eyes were bulging, it had loose teeth and there was blood coming through the mouth,” said Ms Bond.

The prosecutor said blood was found on the carpet, on the sofa, on wet wipes in the bin and on Dearsley’s clothes.

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She continued: “Mr Dearsley would get jealous of the dog if [his girlfriend] paid it attention and he would throw it off the sofa.”

The court heard the dog was taken to the vets and euthanised due to the brain and head injuries he had suffered.

Gazette: Pet - a stock image of a chihuahuaPet - a stock image of a chihuahua (Image: Pixabay)

A post mortem examination showed evidence of Boris struggling in a fight and suffering a torn liver, with at least five incidents of sustained blunt force trauma.

Selena Dines, mitigating, said Dearsley was struggling with his mental health at the time and had not realised the impact self-medicating with cannabis was having on him.

But Judge Williams said he felt the defendant must serve time behind bars.

He said: “You did cause completely unnecessary suffering. You acted out of jealousy towards the dog.

“It was particularly nasty and evil what you did.”