A CRUEL dog trainer who hanged a terrier by the lead until it lost consciousness has escaped jail but is disqualified from owning or training dogs.

Stephen Barry King, aged 42, of Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, was banned from owning or training a dog for eight years at Marylebone Magistrates' Court on October 15.

The ban will not prevent King's wife Hayley King, 41, from keeping her own German Shepherd at the couple's home.

He had been found guilty of cruelty to an English bull terrier called Gunner after his owner Odette Hamilton, of Messent Road, Eltham, gave evidence on September 17.

She had seen King "helicoptering" her terrified pet from his lead and had told the court: "He was bleeding from the mouth.

"He was so scared he was pooing himself."

Sentencing him, Deputy District Judge Julie Cooper told King she seriously considered prison but concluded this would disrupt his computer studies and chances of employment.

Defending, Ricky Yau, told the court his client had "suffered extreme harassment over his practices", including a catalogue of threatening emails, phone calls and letters.

Mr Yau said: "The constant abuse Mr King suffered has played horribly on his mind."

He presented the judge with 13 letters from satisfied customers and 40 positive feedback reports from dog owners who had used King's dog training services.

King was also ordered to pay a total of £2,000 in court costs and complete 100 hours of community service for both of the convictions, which are to be served concurrently.

Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA inspector Shaun Jones, said: "This was out and out malicious cruelty with intent which is unforgivable."

King was also convicted for two similar offences at Camberwell Magistrates' Court on August 14 and fined a total of £700 for cruelly treating and cruelly terrifying another dog.

l We would like to point out these court cases in no way relate to Romford-based dog trainer Stephen G King nor Crosskeys Pet Care or Crosskeys Select Books.

OWNER PUT STOP TO CRUEL LESSON

BANNED dog trainer Stephen Barry King's methods were "brutal" according to a dog owner.

Carol Gargaro, 55, of Strongbow Crescent, Eltham, saw an advertisement for King's services in the News Shopper in May 2000.

She wanted him to stop her 18-month-old German Shepherd Zara barking at passers-by.

Miss Gargaro said: "He was a bit harsh, pulling her back by the choke chain. But then I went inside to answer a phone call and later my neighbour told me she had seen him throwing Zara in the air."

She said: "A couple of lessons later, we went down to the green on Strongbow Road. He made me walk to the other end while he held onto Zara.

"Some kids leaving school distracted her but she didn't move she just looked. I told her to lay down and she did but he was not happy with this. He marched her up to the top of the green, turned his back to me, picked her up clean off the ground by her choke chain and threw her out and in from his chest four times then dropped her."

Miss Gargaro says she took the dog away and told Mr King the lesson was over.

Despite strenuous efforts to contact Stephen Barry King, he was unavailable.

OUR MITCH WAS LEFT BLEEDING'

TWO sisters from Mottingham say they experienced King's cruel methods when they hired him to train their Bichon Frise dog, Mitch.

Jill Scantlebury, 34, of Luxfield Road, Mottingham, looks after her disabled mother with her sister Dawn at their home.

She said: "Mitch was six months old when we called Mr King in May 2000. He took him out into the street and made him walk forward then yanked him back so hard he did cartwheels.

"When it was over, Mitch had sore bits all over his body which were bleeding. The vet said the choke chain could have killed him because the skin around his neck is so soft."

Miss Scantlebury feels her dog has been traumatised by King's methods.

She said: "Now Mitch is scared of men and he won't go out on his own, only with another dog.

"I think Mr King should have been sent to prison but at least he won't be able to do this to other dogs, because our dog will never be the same again."

Despite strenuous efforts to contact Stephen Barry King, he was unavailable for comment.