A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a man who "drop-kicked" a Staffie in a Crewe street.

Jordan Odom was spotted by a passerby manhandling the dog, called Angel, by "repeatedly throwing her" on Walthall Street, South Cheshire Magistrates' Court was told.

Ellen Kirkham was out walking her dog when she clocked the act of abuse. The Staffordshire bull terrier was said to have been thrown up in the air on the impact of a kick.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Kevin Worthington, told the hearing the eye witness saw Odom throwing the dog by its collar two or three times before appearing to drop kick her.

Odom later told RSPCA officers he had not kicked his pet.

But after denying two animal cruelty charges at a previous hearing he failed to appear in the Crewe court for his trial on Friday (March 19) and magistrates found him guilty in his absence.

Angel required veterinary treatment after suffering bruising to her eyes, while blood tests revealed enzymes associated with muscle trauma.

She is being cared for by vets and will be rehomed after the magistrates have made a deprivation order upon Odom.

Odom, 24, formerly of Crewe, but now living at The Lloyds Hotel in Brook Street, Chester, pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on July 2 last year. He also denied failing to avoid using harsh, potentially painful or frightening disciplinary, training or control measures on the dog.

Those not guilty pleas were entered at a hearing on December 15 last year, but after he failed to show up in court this time magistrates found Odom guilty of both offences in his absence and issued a warrant for his arrest, which they said was not backed by bail.