A cruel pet owner who trained pitbull terriers for dog fighting faces jail.

Tony Barbara, 48, of Third Avenue, Dagenham, admitted keeping and training the three banned dogs for fighting after being hauled into court by the RSPCA.

Inspectors discovered he kept a flirt pole, a training device, for fighting and caused unnecessary suffering to a female terrier who had untreated eye and teat injuries.

Barbara was bailed at Romford Magistrates’ Court on Monday and is to be sentenced on November 28.

He could face up to six months in jail and a maximum fine of �5,000 for possessing banned dogs, a government spokesman confirmed.

Barbara admitted keeping and training animals for use in connection with an animal fight, having a veterinary kit and a flirt pole designed or adapted for use in connection with an animal fight and causing unnecessary suffering to the pit bull by failing to provide appropriate veterinary treatment.

He was found guilty of one count of possessing three pitbull terriers, a banned breed in the UK, in breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

However, he was acquitted of five charges of causing an animal fight to take place.