A MAN who told his girlfriend to hang herself and ‘tormented’ her by strangling and kicking her dog has been jailed for 20 weeks.

David Joseph Semple, of Napier Street, Dalton, was found guilty of tying a lead round the Jack Russell’s neck and tightening it before kicking the dog in the street during a row with his girlfriend of four years, Lily Pearson.

The 26-year-old admitted harassing Miss Pearson on August 12 when he appeared at Furness Magistrates’ Court. He denied hurting the dog, but was found guilty of animal cruelty following a trial last Friday.

Peter Kelly, prosecuting, told the court Semple and Ms Pearson’s relationship ended on July 26 and he had gone on to ‘terrorise’ her for three days by taking her dog, Stanley, bombarding her with visits, texts and calls. The court heard he had called her 85 times in the space of four hours.

Mr Kelly said that in one call Semple told Miss Pearson she was ‘vile’ and ‘disgusting’ and he had cheated on her, adding: “You may as well hang yourself, because by the time I finish with you, you’ll want to anyway.”

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On July 29, Semple arrived at Miss Pearson’s house and sat outside with Stanley at around 8.15pm.

In a victim statement read out in court, she said: “He said talk to me or I’ll kill the dog.”

The pair went inside the house where Semple wrapped a lead round Stanley’s neck and pulled it tightly before going outside where he kicked it, the court heard.

Care worker Kayleigh Hanson, who witnessed Semple kick the dog while sat outside in her car, said she heard the dog ‘squeal’ as it was choked and described the incident as ‘awful’.

Probation worker Jane Tunn said Semple was ‘hot-headed’ and his previous custodial sentences had not stopped him re-offending.

Chairman of the bench Jackie Sharpe said: “You have a significant record of violence and bad behaviour. You used the dog simply to torment the victim.”

Semple was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for harassment without violence and a consecutive four weeks for animal cruelty.

Semple was also ban-ned from having a dog for five years and is unable to apply for the order to be removed for three years.