A pet owner kicked his bull mastiff so hard it went flying into a wall, a court heard.

Christopher Stock was today found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after he kicked his dog - a mastiff bitch - outside a pub.

But a second charge of failing to ensure the welfare of an animal remains undetermined, after he failed to appear in Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court.

The court heard Stock, of Tunbridge Wells, was outside the Guinea Butt pub in Calverley Road in the town on May 14 when the incident occurred.

Assistant manager Rhys Yellow-Lees spotted the crime when he was watching CCTV from the pub's system.

He saw Stock kicking his dog Sandy with enough force she went flying into the wall about a yard away.

Andrew Kirby from the RSPCA visited the 24-year-old two days later at his home in Wiltshire Way.

Prosecuting for the RSCPA, Andrew Wiles, said that Stock told Mr Kirby he was 'off his head' and lost his temper, but knew it didn't excuse him kicking the dog.

Mr Kirby said: “There is no doubt that the defendant caused a lot of unnecessary suffering to this poor dog.

“He kicked her very hard on her side and the force was strong enough to knock the 33kg dog off her feet and send her flying across the floor.

“She visibly flinched and ran off in distress.”

The mastiff was later taken for examination by a local vet, Jason Hadley. He was shown the CCTV footage, and said the animal was 'clearly kicked hard'.

“He kicked her very hard on her side and the force was strong enough to knock the 33kg dog off her feet and send her flying across the floor" - Andrew Kirby, RSPCA...

The dog was recorded as weighing 32.7kgs and Mr Wiles said Mr Hadley believes 'considerable force' would have been used to kick it approximately a yard.

Mr Wiles said the when examined by the vet, the animal could be seen to be in pain from what was described as a 'blunt trauma' to its right side consistent with a kick, and that injuries could have been far worse.

He said the mastiff could have possibly suffered from 'mental injuries' for days after the incident.

The court heard that Stock has had previous convictions for violence, but none involving animals.

The dog has been placed in boarding kennels with Stock 'declining to relinquish' her and a warrant has been issued for him to appear in court for sentencing.