A man has been jailed for beating a cat so hard with a mop handle that it died from its injuries.

Sajad Hussain was also put behind bars along with his co-defendant, Michael Mullin, for possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

In respect of the drugs offences, Preston Crown Court heard how Hussain, 51, and Mullin, 37, were seen by police in a car in West Park Road, Blackburn, on January 21, 2021, carrying out what they believed to be a drugs transaction.

Lancashire Telegraph: Michael Mullin and Sajad HussainMichael Mullin and Sajad Hussain (Image: Lancs Police)

The Ford Focus, which was being driven by Hussain, was stopped by officers, who then carried out a search of the vehicle and found 15 wraps of heroin with a street value of £150, and 15 wraps of cocaine, also with a street value of £150.

Prosecuting, Michael Molloy said the two defendants told police it was their first time doing anything like this, and they had been asked to carry out mobile drug dealing on behalf of a well-known Blackburn drugs line to feed their own drug habit.

Both men pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine.

Mullin, of Rothesay Road, Blackburn, has 17 convictions for 24 offences. He was jailed for 32 months.

Hussain, of Ripon Street Blackburn, has four convictions for five offences, including a manslaughter charge in Denmark committed in 1997, believed to be related to an honour killing.

He was jailed for 35 months in respect of the drugs crimes and a further five months for the animal cruelty charge, plus two weeks for a bail act offence, totalling 40 months and two weeks in prison.

The court heard how on December 26, 2021, Hussain had been in the property of his ex-partner Nicola Shoreham.

While Ms Shoreham was in the bathroom, for an unknown reason, Hussain began to hit her six month old cat with a mop handle, causing it severe injuries.

The beating was so bad Ms Shoreham could hear the bangs and also hear her cat screaming out in pain.

The court heard as she came out of the bathroom and made her way to the bedroom, Ms Shoreham could see her cat bleeding on the bed, with blood coming from its head, legs and back.

Hussain prevented his ex-partner from taking the cat to a vets and it died from her injuries the following day.

The RSPCA were called and the cat was taken to Greater Manchester animal hospital where it was found it had multiple skull fractures, fractures to three ribs and bleeding under the skin.

Hussain pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the cat at a magistrates hearing last July.

As well as a prison sentence, he was banned from keeping animals for the rest of his life.