Man caught in dash-cam footage punching dog in street and throwing it in car boot

Gregory Phillips, 40, ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work after abusing pet cocker spaniel

A dog owner has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work after dash-cam footage caught him beating his pet cocker spaniel in public.

Gregory Phillips, 40, was filmed violently handling and striking the dog in Glynneath, Neath, South Wales, in March this year.

Passers-by can be heard in footage honking a car’s horn and shouting at Phillips to stop as he attacked the dog outside a shop.

The cocker spaniel had left Phillips’s car as he went to load a crate of beer onto the back seat.

He responded by picking up the dog, punching it several times, then throwing it into the boot of the car alongside other dogs and continuing to strike the spaniel.

Phillips pleaded guilty to the Animal Welfare Act offence and was sentenced at Swansea Magistrates’ Court.

He was given a 12-month community order and told to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs and a £90 victim surcharge.

RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben said: “In broad daylight and with people all around, this poor dog was beaten by his owner – who clearly had no regard for his legal responsibilities towards his animal.

“Fortunately, the dash-cam footage helped us to identify this individual and ensure we could take action.

“Clearly, this is no way to treat an animal – and thankfully, the vast majority of people across South Wales and beyond will be shocked by this footage, and the beating this poor cocker spaniel was subjected to.”