A man who killed a 14-week-old kitten by drunkenly flinging it to the floor has been jailed for 24 weeks and banned from ever owning another animal.

Scaffolder Grant Hurlbert, 26, went out drinking with friends after an argument with his girlfriend, Gabrielle Delo, and returned to the flat later after drinking several pints of Stella lager.

Stella Williams, prosecuting, told Medway Magistrates Court on Monday his behaviour was "strange".

"He was naked and rolling around on the floor" she said, before describing how Hurlburt went into the kitchen and picked up the kitten, which had been given to him by his girlfriend as a present.

Gabrielle's brother Kristopher Delo went into the kitchen and saw Hurlbert "hold the kitten above his head with both hands and throw it hard on the floor".

The kitten, which later died, was seen to be twitching on the floor.

Hurlbert then assaulted Gabrielle's father, Laurent Allswoth, as he forced him out of the house - then wiped mucus on a police officer before trying to kick out the window of a police van. He was also found to be in possession of cannabis.

Hurlbert pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, possessing cannabis and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at an earlier hearing.

District judge Michael Kelly said drunkenness was no excuse for what was an act of "wanton cruelty".

Hurlbert was also banned from owning any animal for the rest of his life.