A LONER let a 'mate' deliberately mutilate his weeks old Rottweiler pup by cutting off part of her tail with scissors after a drink and drugs session, a court heard.

John Meeks, 22, said to have learning difficulties, did not take the animal, which would have been in agony, for treatment to the horrific wound for 10 days.

When a vet examined the dog a portion of her tail was hanging off and bone was showing through, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Meeks, of Hart Street, Burnley, had earlier been convicted of permitting a dog to have part of its tail removed and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, by Reedley magistrates.

He had escaped with a five-year ban from owning or keeping dogs and no other penalty.

Meeks, who has two other dogs, appealed against the sentence to the higher court, but his bid was thrown out by a judge and two magistrates who upheld the order.

Meeks did not attend court, the appeal was heard in his absence and he must pay £200 costs.

Judge Philip Butler said Meeks did not have any great social life and was without support from others.

His only outlet was his dogs and the ban was a punishment to him.

He added: "The five years is not inappropriate.

"The RSPCA is now free to take the other dogs into their possession."

Brian Williams, for the RSPCA, said the puppy was deliberately mutilated.

Last August the RSPCA was called by a vet who told them Meeks had brought the puppy in the day before. He said it was severely injured.

The vet said Meeks had claimed he had tried to dock the dog's tail with an elastic band, but that clearly wasn't the case.

Mr Williams said Meeks was interviewed by the RSPCA, said he and a mate had been drinking and smoking weed and his mate had been messing about with scissors.

He said he had not made a deep cut, but it got infected and he had tried to fix it by washing it with water.

After 10 days he realised he couldn't.

Mr Williams continued: "There is concern about his ability to look after animals.

"The dog has now been rehoused. The appellant still has two dogs and in the lower court the order was suspended pending the outcome of this hearing."

Daniel Thomas, for Meeks, said he had escaped lightly at the magistrates court as he had not had to pay fines or costs.