A dog owner muzzled his two pet pit bulls with masking tape before burying them alive in his garden.

Steven Phipps, 29, of Pembroke, was jailed yesterday for nine months after confessing to the sickening crime.

Magistrates? Court heard that Police and dog wardens were called to the Shelton Road address on November 24. They found a piece of burnt plywood and several large bones. After digging about five feet into the ground they discovered the animals? remains.

When questioned by dog wardens at the scene Phipps confessed to burying the two dogs ? one of them a puppy. He also revealed that he bound the animals? legs and mouths with masking tape before burying them.

Crown counsel Juan Wolffe, brandishing photographs of the crime scene, said: ?It is clear from the pictures that this is an offence of a serious nature. Certainly, consideration should be given for a term of imprisonment.?

In mitigation, Phipps told the court that he acted out of fear after receiving a complaint from a neighbour.

?I had a complaint from a neighbour that they almost attacked her,? he told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves.

?At the time I could not watch them and neighbours complained about the smell and barking ? and pits are on the ban list.?

Phipps also recanted his earlier confession of burying the dogs alive. But after further questioning from Mr. Greaves he admitted that he ?couldn?t remember? if the dogs were alive when he buried them.

?You could have called a vet or the SPCA,? Mr. Greaves said. After being informed by Mr. Wolffe that the maximum sentence for the offence is a 12 month prison term, Mr. Greaves said: ?All right, we can make a deal ? how about we bury you in the same hole??

?You are going to jail son. I have no choice but to lock you up.?

Phipps was jailed for nine months, with time taken off in consideration of his guilty plea.