A British amateur boxing champion was today jailed for three years after a savage street attack left a husband and wife with severe head and facial injuries.

Cruiserweight James Dolan ''laid out'' the couple after an argument over their pet Jack Russell dog.

The 25-year-old, who won the Amateur Boxing Association cruiserweight title three times, claimed he had acted in self-defence despite a jury hearing how the woman suffered a fractured skull and broken jaw while her husband sustained a broken nose and dental injuries.

Judge Esmond Foulkes today told the disgraced champion his behaviour was ''unacceptable in civilised society''.

Judge Foulkes said: ''This double assault was aggravated by the fact that you are a successful cruiserweight boxer who knows how to deliver a forceful punch and is aware of what the likely effect would be.

''To behave like that, to a woman in particular, is wholly unacceptable behavicivilised society.''

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Julie Anderson and her husband Gary had collected their two daughters from a friend's house and were walking home with the family pet Jack Russell when they were attacked by Dolan.

One witness told the court how Dolan floored Mrs Anderson with a ''professional punch'' and ''laid her out'' before turning his attention to Mr Anderson.

Their two children, aged 11 and 17, saw the attack and the girls later identified Dolan because of newspaper coverage of his boxing prowess.

The jury was told that Dolan was joined in the attack by his cousin, and co-accused, Anthony Robinson and that both men kicked the couple as they lay motionless on the ground.

Dolan, of Thorney Close, Sunderland, and Robinson, 29, of Mill Hill, Sunderland, both denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Julie Anderson and aggravated bodily harm to Gary Anderson.

Robinson was cleared of both charges and Dolan was convicted of a lesser charge of GBH, without intent, on Mrs Anderson and ABH on Mr Anderson.

The court had heard how Mrs Anderson allegedly screamed at Dolan for kicking their small dog as they walked through a housing estate in the Farringdon area of Sunderland in September 2001.

Dolan said during the week-long trial that he was acting in self-defence and was trying to fend the couple off when they suffered their injuries.

Robinson had maintained he had been acting as a ''peacemaker'' and never attacked anyone. Dolan was sentenced to three years for GBH and 12 months for ABH with the sentences to run concurrently.