A MAN who beat one dog to death and seriously injured another has been warned he could be facing jail.

James Cooper had been due to stand trial after denying two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to two female whippet like animals.

But, when the matter was brought back before Swindon magistrates,, Cooper, 23, changed his pleas to guilty.

And after he was convicted the RSPCA dropped the charges against his girlfriend Katie Gardiner, also 23, who denied the allegations.

Now the Toothill man has been banned from being in sole care of an animal while he is on bail awaiting sentence.

He admitted mistreating Millie, who suffered blunt force trauma and went on to die as a result, months after hitting another whippet like dog, called Tinkerbell.

Cooper, of Truro Path, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the first animal between August 24 and September 10 last year.

And between May 6 and May 17 this year Millie suffered the injuries which led to her life.

Matthew Knight, prosecuting, said: “The RSPCA alleges non-accidental injury in both cases. We have two matters of causing non-accidental injury to two dogs.

"One, Tinkerbell was severely beaten and in a sorry state, the second, Millie, killed as a result of the actions of the defendant.”

Mr Knight said they would be seeking the new bail condition pointing out the offences were committed when 'he has been left in sole care of animals'.

He said the guidelines for sentence indicate a custodial period of between 12 and 26 weeks for the offences he has admitted.

Richard Williams, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned so a psychiatric report can be prepared on his client.

He said Cooper, who has no previous convictions, suffers from depression and has various issues in his background.

"He is at risk of immediate custody," he told the court.

District Judge Anthony Callaway adjourned the case to Tuesday, October 24, so a pre-sentence centre report can be prepared.

He told him: “Mr Cooper, I am adjourning this matter for a full report about you.

“Your co-operation is vital, your liberty will depend on what is said on that date and what is said on your behalf.

“You are on conditional bail with the single condition that reference has been made to.”