A decorator who stabbed his dog to death in a brutal attack in a park has been jailed for 26 weeks.

Patrick Walker, 36, used a hunting knife to stab his dog, Paddy, 55 times after it attacked his partner's teenage daughter.

Walker, who killed his American bull terrier in Wild Park, Brighton, was also banned from keeping animals for the rest of his life.

The unemployed painter and decorator was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal after a three-day trial at Brighton Magistrates Court earlier this month.

The court heard Walker, who denied the charge, was given the dog by a neighbour and there had been no problems until October 3 last year when his partner's 17-year-old daughter Catherine Stevenson took Paddy for a walk in the park.

Walker, of Newick Road, Brighton, went to the park after hearing Catherine had been attacked by the dog.

He returned home to collect the knife before heading back and stabbing it to death.

But the court heard the dog had been under control by the time Walker returned to the park.

A vet told the court despite the number of wounds, the dog's death had not been instant or pain free. One of the blows was delivered with such force it broke a rib.

Sentence had been adjourned for probation reports and Walker had been warned he faced a prison sentence because of the seriousness of the crime.

Jailing him, magistrate Chris Bell told Walker: "This was a sustained and vicious attack on a dog with a hunting knife."

During the trial Walker, who has no previous convictions, told the court he had only been trying to protect his partner's daughter and did not believe he had any other option after it had mauled the teenager.

He said: "I didn't want to do it. He was a beautiful dog. But I didn't want him attacking anyone else.

"I was gutted afterwards. I don't think my actions caused Paddy to suffer. I was just trying to kill him as fast as I could."

At today's hearing, Richard Marsh, defending, said Walker had acted on impulse. He said: "At the time he believed it was the right thing to do. He does accept responsibility for what he did. He is remorseful.

"He is ashamed and embarrassed and clearly regrets what happened that day."

Walker was prosecuted by the RSCPA, which spent more than £9,000 on bringing the case to court.

After the hearing RSPCA Inspector Tony Pritchard welcomed the sentence, which was the maximum penalty the magistrates could have imposed under sentencing guidelines.

He said: "The seriousness of the offence is reflected in the sentence. This was the most brutal attack on an animal I have had to deal with. It was completely unnecessary. He had the dog under reasonable control at the time. He decided to kill it but he could have taken it to a vet. He didn't need to stab the dog 55 times."

Mr Pritchard said there were plans to put up a memorial plaque to Paddy at the animal charity's centre at Patcham.