A MAN has been banned for life from keeping dogs after killing his pet with an Oriental weapon.

Peter Dibden told police who called at his home that he had been "messing about" with a two-metre-long Chinese fighting stick when four-year-old bull mastiff-cross Max ran on to the 18in blade.

But the unemployed 39-year-old told Teesside magistrates yesterday he had been making excuses for the dog he loved.

He said, in reality, Max attacked him and he had been fending him off when the fatal injury was sustained.

Dibden, of Braid Crescent, Billingham, east Cleveland, pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering.

He said Max had knocked over and broken a glass bowl containing the remains of a Chinese takeaway.

He said he wanted to clean up the mess before Max cut his paws on the glass, but said the dog went for him as he went to pick up the pieces.

Dibden said: "He dived at me, he lunged at me. I got hold of the (fighting) stick. I tried to keep him at bay with it.

"I never had any intention of hurting him. He was coming at me and he was spinning around.

"I was not aware of any injury at that time. If I could have used anything else, even a loaf of bread, I would have.

"I tried resuscitating him, pumping his chest to get his heart moving again."

Barrister Warren Greer, for the RSPCA, told Dibden: "What you have put in is a series of excuses for justifying killing this dog."

Mr Greer said that when police arrived at Dibden's home on May 25, last year, they found the dog's blood all over the house and an agitated Dibden high on drugs and alcohol. The blade had gone 6in into Max's body.

Magistrates heard that the Chinese fighting stick was one of a collection of 14 oriental swords and knives Dibden had in his house.

Magistrates ordered their destruction, fined him £900 and ordered him to pay £600 costs.

Magistrates' chairman Jim Storey said: "We think you were ignorant of the appropriate care required for that type of dog."

Speaking outside court, RSPCA inspector Mark Gent said: "We are pleased with the outcome. The animal has gone through quite a horrendous ordeal, which has lasted minutes."