A Widnes man who battered his girlfriend's dog with a hammer has been warned to expect a prison sentence. Lewis Walker, 33, of Cherry Sutton, also filmed himself kicking the pet during abuse spanning more than five years.
Guilty plea at Liverpool Crown Court
Walker had been due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, September 7, facing 11 charges relating to his former partner. These included assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, making threats to kill, making threats with an offensive weapon, stalking, criminal damage, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by striking the dog with a hammer.
However, appearing in the dock wearing a black Hugo Boss t-shirt and a cross necklace, he admitted one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour. The charge covered incidents between November 1, 2019, and March 26, 2026, including assaults, locking her out of her property, damaging her belongings, threatening behaviour, and "mistreating animals", causing her serious alarm or distress.
Footage shows dog abuse
Footage seen by the ECHO showed Walker videoing himself shouting at and repeatedly kicking the dog while it yelped in pain on the floor. It is understood the dog has since been put down.
Prosecutor Oliver Saddington said the plea was acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service, with the remaining allegations to be encompassed within the factual matrix of the controlling behaviour count. Defence counsel Paul Wood told the court: "I say for the record, that plea represents the entirety of the allegations against the defendant. I accept, and the defendant accepts through me, that this is a serious example which is very likely to fall in the top category of the sentencing guidelines. The issue will be length, rather than type of sentence."
Sentencing adjourned
Walker, who has a tattoo on the right side of his face, will be sentenced on September 28. He was remanded into custody, giving a thumbs up to the public gallery as he was led to the cells while supporters called out "love you Lew", "love you bro" and "love you babe".
Recorder Nicola Daley adjourned the case, telling him: "I am going to adjourn sentence. There is no application in relation to you, and so you will be remanded into custody until September 28. All sentencing options will remain open. Your barrister has already indicated to me that you are alive to the likely nature of the sentence. The decision on the next occasion will be what length that sentence ought to be. You will be given appropriate credit for the fact that you have pleaded guilty today."
