Greater London has been named the cruellest area in the country, after the RSPCA investigated 11,050 complaints in 2015 alone.

The new figures from the animal charity reveal dogs are the most persecuted animal, with more than 6,000 complaints of cruelty investigated last year in Greater London.

In one case in Greenwich, a man was jailed after he starved his Rottweiler to death.

Oscar died on the way to the vet after RSPCA officers found him in a starved, skeletal state just before Christmas.

RSPCA inspector Callum Isitt rushed Oscar to the vets in an attempt to rescue him in December 2014.

He said: “The sight of poor Oscar was heartbreaking - he was skin and bone.

“It would have been obvious to anyone that something was seriously wrong. He weighed just 17.5kg - a third of what a dog his size and breed should have weighed.

“He was unable to get to his feet and had to be carried to my van.

“You can’t help thinking ‘If only they’d called us earlier’ it could have all been very different, which is just so sad.

“A horrible, cruel way to die.”

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Oscar was found in a starved, skeletal state just before Christmas.

In September last year Logan Duncan, 23, of Sandbach Place, Greenwich, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Oscar, by failing to provide adequate veterinary care for his declining condition and failing to provide a suitable environment whilst the dog was in his care.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, given a life-long disqualification on all animals and made to pay £730 in costs.

In another case a man from Mottingham was found guilty of killing his dog by strangling it and hanging it outside his house with a rope as it "gasped for air".

Everald James, 48, Beaconsfield Parade, denied causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at Bexley Magistrates' Court.

The dog named Boyzee was a dark brown male bullmastiff weighing 31kg, and was about three-years-old.

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Everald James.

Nationally there were 81,146 investigations into cruelty towards the pet commonly thought of as our most loyal companion - more than twice the number of investigations into cats.

RSPCA chief superintendent for London and the south east Insp Paul Stilgoe said: “Last year has seen some of the most distressing cases our inspectors have ever come across - and in so many cases the victims were dogs.

“The level of cruelty, neglect and abuse we see across the region on a daily basis is heartbreaking but thanks to the help of members of the public we have been able to make it a bit safer for these animals.”