Lewis Walker – Widnes

A remorseless thug who took pleasure from repeatedly hurting a dog, including hitting it with a hammer has been warned to expect a prison sentence.

Lewis Walker also filmed himself brutally kicking, punching and attacking his girlfriend’s pet during a prolonged period of abuse over the course of more than five years.

The 33-year-old, of Cherry Sutton in Widnes, had been due to go on trial at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Monday September 7, accused of a total of 11 charges in relation to his now former partner.

This included allegations of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, making threats to kill, making threats with an offensive weapon in a private place, stalking, criminal damage and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by striking the victim’s dog with a hammer.

However, appearing in the dock wearing a black Hugo Boss t-shirt on Monday afternoon with a cross on show around his neck, Walker admitted one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.

This charge stated that, between November 1 2019 and March 26 2026, he subjected his then girlfriend to assaults, locked her out of her property, damaged her belongings and subjected her to threatening behaviour, as well as “mistreating animals”, thereby “causing her serious alarm or distress”.

Footage showed Walker videoing himself shouting at and repeatedly kicking his victim’s dog while the pet yelped in pain on the floor.

It is understood the dog has since been put down.

Oliver Saddington, prosecuting, indicated this guilty plea would be acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service, with the allegations in the remaining offences to be encompassed “within the factual matrix” of the controlling behaviour count.

Walker, who has a tattoo on the right hand side of his face, will now be sentenced on September 28.

He was further remanded into custody until this date, having given a thumbs up to the public gallery and smiling as he was led to the cells while his supporters told him “love you Lew”, “love you bro” and “love you babe”.

Adjourning the case, Recorder Nicola Daley told 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.”