Sam Andrews stamped on his pet pooch, beat it with a chain and terrorised it with a lighter during the sickening assault in the town’s Glasgow Road.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that he set upon the Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross breed in August 2013.

CCTV cameras picked up the cowardly assault, which started when Andrews yanked the male dog’s chain.

The action pulled the pet backwards as the chain was on the animal at the time.

The Waulkmill Avenue man then used the chain to rain blows on the dog’s head and body and then began punching and slapping the animal.

The 26-year-old kept up the abuse of the pet, throwing the animal to the ground and stamping on it.

He kept his foot on the dogs back and forced it downward and, the court heard, it was left subdued and frightened by his antics.

Alistair Mitchell, prosecuting, explained that he also used a lighter to terrorise the dog by “flashing it in the vicinity of it’s ears.” When he appeared in the dock on Monday Andrews admitted causing the dog unnecessary suffering by assaulting it in the manner described.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and sentence was deferred until next month.

Andrews could be jailed for the attack and will be interviewed by social workers ahead of sentencing to establish what type of punishment would benefit him and the community the most.