A teenager has been ordered to do community service after he was convicted of punching a four-month-old kitten and trying to drown it in a bath.

Worthing Youth Court was told the 16-year-old boy beat the pet so hard that he broke its jaw and nearly knocked its eye out of its socket.

He was convicted of cruelty to animals.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was on bail for burglary when he was accused of attacking the kitten at his home in Shoreham earlier this year.

The court was told he took the pet to the bathroom where he punched it repeatedly and forced it into a bath of cold water.

Downstairs his older brother heard the kitten’s screams and rushed to its rescue.

But when he tried to save the pet, his younger brother attacked him and the police were called.

The kitten was found with extensive facial injuries, a broken jaw and a protruding eye.

It was taken to a vet where it was feared to have suffered permanent brain damage.

After the discovery of the abuse, the RSPCA prosecuted the boy on animal cruelty charges.

RSPCA spokeswoman Klare Kennett said the attack had been “brutal”.

She said: “We will not hesitate to bring prosecutions against anyone who displays cruelty towards animals.

“It is unbelievable that someone would cause this kind of suffering to a helpless animal.

“Incredibly the kitten has recovered reasonably well. It has now been taken away and has found a new loving home.”

At court the boy was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, failing to ensure the welfare of an animal and two counts of failing to surrender to custody.

He was given a youth rehabilitation order for nine months with a supervised curfew and was told he would be tagged for eight weeks.

He was also disqualified from keeping all animals for 12 months, given 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £200 costs at £5 a week.

The boy is appealing against his conviction but no date has yet been set.