A MAN punched a dog twice in front of shocked shoppers in a busy York city-centre street.

Christopher Paul Hewison, 39, attacked the animal in Spurriergate, but has been spared a ban on keeping animals.

Prosecutors had decided at an earlier court appearance not to seek a ban, York magistrates were told at a sentencing hearing.

Hewison punched the Staffordshire bull terrier after losing his temper when a man he was with tripped over the dog's lead. The animal was handed over to the RSPCA.

Sam Law, prosecuting, said shoppers were so outraged by Hewison's actions that they confronted him, called police, and one followed him until officers arrived.

York magistrates asked about their powers to disqualify him from keeping animals, but were told that at an earlier hearing the CPS had agreed not to ask for a ban.

Ms Law said Hewison also stole a mobility scooter worth £1,500 after its parked it outside a supermarket. Hewison drove it around the store until he was asked to leave because of his behaviour, then rode off on it and got two associates to sell it for £100 to a local mobility shop.

Magistrates told Hewison: "These are appalling offences before us today, particularly the cruelty to your dog."

They gave him a community order with two years' supervision and six-month bans from the Morrison's store in Scarborough where he stole the mobility scooter, and an ASDA store in Harrogate.

Hewison, of York but of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and a public order offence, both committed on September 8, 2013. The case had been delayed by his mental health problems.

He also admitted a theft of the mobility scooter on October 31, 2014, theft of a 35p energy drink on May 8, 2014 in Scarborough, possessing a knife in public at Fulford Road Police Station, on March 7, 2014, and theft of bottles of vodka and lager worth together £9.38 at Asda in Harrogate on August 7, 2014.

Ms Law said the knife was found when Hewison was searched after being arrested.

For Hewison, Liam Hassan said he had mental health difficulties and was homeless and needed help.