A WARPED dog owner who filmed his brutalised pets ripping wild animals apart in a catalogue of horrific fight videos is today facing a jail sentence.

Patrick Carter, 19, has been branded 'barbaric' after admitting to training his three dogs to attack and kill foxes and badgers and taking them on sickening hunts.

The Greenock teenager's vile cruelty — which spanned at least six months — was finally exposed after concern for the dogs was reported to the Scottish SPCA.

Carter, of Lansbury Street, was snared with multiple mobile phone videos of the animals fighting with foxes and dragging badgers from their setts.

In one appalling piece of footage, a badger is pinned in place for his dogs to ferociously attack the helpless creature.

An undercover Scottish SPCA special investigations unit officer said: "The footage and pictures we uncovered are gut-wrenching.

"The animals he set his dogs on would have endured terrible suffering before they were killed."

Carter's dogs, a Patterdale/Jack Russell cross called Laddie, and lurchers Max and Murphy, have now been successfully rehomed.

During the investigation officers uncovered conversations between Carter and a pal discussing animal fighting as well as the result of a recent hunt.

Items associated with animal fighting, including a hunting lamp and used nets, were seized in a raid on his home.

The probe revealed that callous Carter regularly made Laddie, Max and Murphy fight wild animals and the dogs had also suffered severe injuries.

The undercover officer said: "Whilst his dogs appeared to be in good general health when we searched his property, Laddie had severe facial injuries consistent with animal fighting and Max had scarring to the jaw area and his leg.

"On further examination, Laddie and Max were found to have scarring and deformities within the mouth and nose consistent with previous severe traumatic injuries.

"Multiple videos of animal fighting were found on Carter’s personal devices, featuring two lurchers matching Max and Murphy’s description. All of the videos found were incredibly disturbing to view and the animals involved were clearly in great distress and suffered the most horrific end to their lives.

"Over the animals' screams, voices can be heard in the footage goading and encouraging the dogs to tear the animals apart."

The investigator said: "Badger baiting and animal fighting are far more common than people would think and anyone engaging in this barbaric activity is inflicting unimaginable pain on the animals involved."

Carter pleaded guilty at Greenock Sheriff Court yesterday to keeping or training dogs for the purpose of an animal fight between February 6 and July 3 last year, contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Sentence on him has been deferred until September 11 for a background report.

* The Scottish SPCA special investigations unit is dedicated to combatting animal fighting and if anyone has any information pertaining to individuals who are involved in this activity, they should contact the confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.