Aussie man beats partner's dog to death

MELBOURNE - A man who sought revenge on his de facto partner by violently bashing her Staffordshire terrier so badly it had to be put down, has been jailed for more than a year.

Storm Oxburgh, 31, of Reservoir, pleaded guilty in the Heidelberg Magistrates' Court to aggravated cruelty causing death to an animal and failing to provide veterinary or other treatment.

The court heard Oxburgh went to the home of his partner Vanessa Hansen on September 9, 2007 and took the black-and-white dog belonging to her and her deaf, 10-year-old son Bayley.

Oxburgh returned to his home with the dog and at about 11pm he took it outside and beat it repeatedly over the head with a baseball bat.

Police called to the scene found the dog with severe head injuries and barely breathing and made the decision to euthanase it.

In the summary read to the court, police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Wood said Oxburgh's explanation for beating the dog was that he wanted to get back at his de facto and her son.

Snr Const Wood said that on the same day Oxburgh made 82 calls to Ms Hansen which she failed to answer.

Oxburgh also left a text message on Ms Hansen's phone in which he threatened to kill the dog unless she returned his calls.

Magistrate Jenny Grubissa said Oxburgh's crime was abhorrent.

She jailed Oxburgh for 14 months with a non-parole period of eight months.

But Oxburgh immediately lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentence and was granted bail until his next hearing on August 18.

Outside court Ms Hansen said her son still asks about his dead dog Rocco.

"Bayley will never get over Rocco, never," Ms Hansen said.

- AAP