A man repeatedly stabbed and slashed open the side of a pet sausage dog in a revenge attack against his former partner.

A court heard how Kevin Richard Hambley, 51, left the Dachshund called Lacey tied to his ex-partner’s garden fence in a pool of blood.

Hambley, of The Terrace, Penryn, was jailed by magistrates in Truro after admitting to the attack.

He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by stabbing Lacey eight times.

Prosecutor Paul Gallagher said Hambley and his ex-partner had been in the Kings Arms pub in Penryn during the evening of July 7. Lacey had been left at Hambley’s house.

He said the pair had been drinking heavily and were joined by three others while playing pool. He said there had been an argument between the group and the court was told later that Hambley had been knocked out during the incident.

Mr Gallagher said Hambley left the pub and when his ex-partner was later walking home in the early hours, she saw him coming along the street away from her house in the opposite direction.

A Dachshund or sausage dog similar to Lacey who was injured in the attack

He said: “He passed her without speaking and she continued to walk towards her house. Upon her arrival, she located her dog tied up on the garden fence by its lead. It had quite obvious stab wounds and lacerations and was bleeding heavily.”

She called the police and a vet was immediately sent to the property at 1.30am. Lacey was found to have eight stab wounds to the neck, legs and abdomen, including one cut three-quarters of the length of its body which exposed the ribs.

Mr Gallagher said emergency surgery saved Lacey’s life. The dog underwent a further six weeks of treatment.

He added that Hambley was arrested and at first denied any wrongdoing. He later called 999 in a drunken state, he added, and said Hambley told the call handler: "I stabbed a dog for crying out loud."

A forensic test later revealed a splash of Lacey’s blood on Hambley’s shoe.

Paul Simons, representing Hambley, commended the medical staff for saving Lacey’s life and added: “Mr Hambley would like to thank them for what they did, despite his actions.”

He said Hambley acknowledged he was an alcoholic and had been drinking heavily that night. Hambley had been knocked unconscious during the incident at the pub, he added, and he did not remember the attack on the dog.

Hambley was jailed for 17 weeks.

He was also given a restraining order not to contact his ex-partner for the next 10 years and banned for life from keeping animals. He may apply to a court to review the ban no sooner than 10 years’ time.

He must also pay £135 court costs, £115 victim surcharge and £2,699.09 in compensation for the emergency vet’s fees on his release from prison.