A drunken homeless man relentlessly kicked and punched a Staffy, dangling it by its collar and slamming it on the ground during a sick attack.

Lee John Wright wept in court as he was shown the shocking footage which sees him viciously thumping and kicking the dog, dragging the animal from behind a bench as it tries to hide from him.

During the horrifying attack, which lasted more than seven minutes, the 36-year-old relentlessly attacks the animal, violently beating it after it nipped him while he was goading the animal in Chester city centre.

Two of his friends look on unemotionally as drunken Wright launches the vicious attack, punching and kicking the Staffy before sitting down to inspect the nip on his hand - he then jumps up and drags the dog from behind the bench and kicks it again.

Throughout the despicable attack Wright, who is currently living in homeless accommodation in Nicholas Street, stops to look at the small wound before searching for the dog - punching it at least eight times through a gap in the bench.

Then, in a sick twist which left staff at Chester Magistrates Court horrified, Wright drags the dog out from its hiding place, dangles it in the air by its collar before slamming it to the ground, leaving the animal sprawling on the floor.

Wright said “it is shocking” as he watched the footage from the dock before asking if his friend could have his dog back during the hearing at the court yesterday (Thursday, August 21).

The dog, believed to belong to a friend who is no longer speaking to Wright, is described as being surprisingly unhurt following the attack which happened moments after it was seen excitedly jumping around being goaded by the homeless men, close to Mecca Bingo on July 9.

The dog, which is not named, is still in a kennel under police care and District Judge Michael Abelson, who slated the owner as “irresponsible” for letting it be cared for by three drunken men, warned that it should never be allowed to return to him.

“What was the dog was doing in the possession of a bunch of drunks? If the owner leads this sort of lifestyle he is anything but reliable,” said District Judge Abelson.

“I wouldn’t want him to get the dog back. It must have been frightening for the animal.”

Wright, who has a long criminal record for offences of shoplifting, possession of an offensive weapon, and possession of drugs, spoke unreservedly from the dock about his 20 year battle with drugs, describing watching the CCTV as a “sobering moment”.

“I am drug free, I have done my own detox and gone cold turkey,” said Wright, who said he didn’t think he had a problem with alcohol until he watched the footage.

“I am not an alcoholic. But since this has happened it has really hit home, the fact that I have led the life that I lead.”

Wright, who pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, said he broke down in tears when he saw the footage of him battering the animal.

Banning Wright from owning or keeping an animal for the next 10 years, and disallowing him from applying for the order to be lifted for at least five years, District Judge Abelson said: “This made you realise how low you have sunk.

“I see the story of a man who got himself involved in drink and drugs from a very early age. It is an absolute tragedy. It has meant that your life has been very lonely, travelling from one place to another getting involved in low level offending.

“The dog was excited, you behaved appallingly to a dog which just nipped you. You are a man who should never be allowed to have dogs yourself.”

Wright was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for two years, as the judge claimed that placing him behind bars would achieve nothing.

He was also made subject to an alcohol treatment requirement, with District Judge Abelson adding: “You have reached the stage in your life where you realise it is now or never.

“I have to think of the protection of the public and of the treatment for you.”