A BOYFRIEND who Sellotaped his partner's dog's legs together told the court he was 'sick'.

Barry Grell, of Newsholme Close in Culcheth, secretly made a copy of his former girlfriend's key in July this year to sneak into her house and 'wind up' her pet Chihuahua Boo while she was out.

The 35-year-old broke into the property in Winwick on four occasions embarking on a series of incidents which terrified the tiny pet before Boo finally bit him allowing officers to analyse the offender's blood.

Halton Magistrates Court heard on Thursday Grell started seeing his girlfriend in February this year before 'unusual events' started occurring at the house during the summer.

The first incident saw Boo's owner come home to find her dog looking 'petrified' before the pet was rushed to the vets with a head injury which left one eye bulging on a second occasion.

The three-day stay cost £250 with the vet claiming Boo had suffered 'unnecessary pain and suffering'.

The third incident was the most serious as Boo's owner found her missing from the property and set upon a 'frantic search' and Facebook appeal to find her.

She was eventually found more than three miles away on Withington Avenue lying in the road with her back legs bound together with several layers of sticky tape.

Alison Warburton, prosecuting, said the final incident on August 7 saw the owner return home to blood all over a towel and on the floor.

It was sent for analysis and Grell was arrested.

Miss Warburton added: "The defendant denied any involvement and said what had happened to the dog was sick and awful.

"But when officers explained blood samples had been found at the scene, the defendant appeared noticeably uncomfortable and after being told he would have to provide a DNA profile he admitted he committed the offences.

"He said he was sick and he had something wrong with him."

He pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary after entering the property without permission and said that he 'liked to wind the dog up to get a reaction'.

Grell explained the dog's head injury was caused by him throwing the pet across the room but could not give any explanation why he had taped her legs together.

He added he had put the dog with her legs bound in the back of his car but she managed to get out when Grell stopped for a comfort break and he gave up looking for her after 10 minutes.

Boo's owner said she was 'upset and horrified' and said the thought of her pet being hurt made her feel 'physically sick'.

Julian Tutchener-Ellis, defending, said Grell was a 'hardworking man' and it was 'totally out of character'.

He added: "The defendant's doctor has diagnosed him with stress, low mood and he has been deemed moderately depressed.

"He needs treatment and is obviously not a well man."

The case was sent to crown court for sentencing at a date to be fixed.