A PENSIONER became so obsessed with keeping his garden's lawn and borders immaculate that he kept his dog locked up in a cage 24 hours a day while suffering from horrific wounds, a court has heard.

Northallerton magistrates jailed George Dixon for 18 weeks after hearing the RSPCA viewed the neglect of his springer spaniel cross dog Ben among the worst cases neglect it had seen in many years, while vets said it was the worst case of flystrike they had ever seen.

Dixon's brother, Jeff, who lived with him at Argyle Terrace, Leeming, near Bedale, alerted the RSPCA in June after finding the elderly dog unresponsive and being unable to wash away the huge number of maggots crawling over it after the 72-year-old left the home to care for his daughter.

Philip Brown, prosecuting, said Dixon had been warned to improve his care for the animal three years before.

He said: "Jeff Dixon told inspectors that his brother was proud of his garden and he was concerned that if the dog went into the garden it might defecate and spoil it."

When vet Peter Crossan inspected the dog he found it in "a great deal of pain", covered in faeces, with a coat so matted it was impossible for the animal to scratch.

Unable to walk, it was also suffering from a large pendulous tumour and numerous wounds with flystrike - deep infestations of maggots, so the dog was put down.

Dixon told inspectors he had not groomed the animal in more than a year and had never taken it to a vet.

He said: "In my opinion it would have to be something terribly wrong to take it to a vet.

"I maybe met the needs of the dog five years ago, but more recently I regret how it has worked out."

Mr Brown said: "Any reasonable owner would not have buried their head in the sand to something that must have been blindingly obvious.

"This is one of the most serious cases of animal neglect that has come before the court in many years."

Dixon pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to ensure it was protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease.

Nick Woodhouse, mitigating, said Dixon had undergone a tracheostomy after suffering cancer, but the court heard he led an active life and had been able to drive and work in his garden.

Magistrates refused Dixon's application for bail, pending an appeal against the sentence.