A thug headbutted his ex-girlfriend after taking her American bulldog and threatening to kill the animal unless he was paid £5,000. Declan Pitman, 24, attacked the woman after she turned up at his address to take the dog back.
The defendant was described as "jealous" during his relationship with his former partner and would accuse her of being unfaithful, which led to the end of the relationship. Following the break-up she moved to her mother's address but kept the dog at her home and would go there in the day to attend to him.
But on March 8, she went to her flat and discovered the dog had been taken. She then started to receive messages, with one demanding £5,000 or the dog would be killed.
