A PLASTERER let his Staffordshire Bull Terrier savage a man's Dalmatian "for a laugh" before attacking him when he tried to protect his pet.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Robert O'Rourke, owner of Pickles the Dalmatian, got a pickaxe handle when the animals could not be separated.

But Michael Wood, 24, who has a record for violence, "saw red" and took it off him. He backed Mr O'Rourke into his house and hit him with it, knocking him to the ground and causing a wound that needed stitches.

Wood, of Fern Gore Avenue, Accrington, admitted unlawful wounding and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. He was banned from keeping a dog for five years.

Wood, who at first tried to set his dog on Mr O' Rourke, was given a two-year jail term, after a judge warned him the sentence could have been much longer.

Mr Recorder F P Davies said Wood professed to be an animal lover but had let his dog carry out a brutal attack on the Dalmatian and Mr O' Rourke was entitled to be protected.

Recorder Davies said Wood's conduct had been cruel, unprovoked and he ought to be thoroughly ashamed.

The court was told Wood had gone out with his dog, had met up with a friend and was chatting.

Wood's Staffordshire Bull Terrier was distracted by Pickles in the garden of his home and the defendant was then said to have let his dog into Mr O' Rourke's garden for a laugh.

The terrier attacked Pickles' back end, Mr O'Rourke came out of his house and both men tried to separate the animals.

Mr O'Rourke went into his home, came out with a pickaxe handle and Wood took it off him and attacked him. The victim needed stitches while a vet had to treat Pickles for bite marks and puncture wounds.

Mark Stuart, defending, urged the court to defer sentence. He said the defendant had turned over a new leaf and was trying to go on the straight and narrow and put his violent past behind him.