A Trowbridge woman who pleaded guilty to aiding two men who hanged a dog at her home has been given a suspended jail sentence by Salisbury magistrates today.

Veronica Reid, 42, of Woolpack Meadows, Trowbridge, and boyfriend Jon Allen, 27, also of Woolpack Meadows, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges on August 21.

A third defendant, Paul Brown, 52, of Okehampton Road, Exeter, pleaded guilty at the court on July 14, but failed to turn up to the sentencing today, with magistrates issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Sylvia Aitken-Sykes, the chair of magistrates, said it was "particularly nasty and revolting action", before sentencing Reid to 18 weeks in prison - reduced from 20 weeks for her guilty plea - which will be suspended for 18 months.

She will also be on curfew for six months.

Allen was sentenced to 23 weeks in prison - reduced from 26 for his guilty plea - which was also suspended for 18 months. He will also be required to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

Both were banned from keeping animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £100 towards prosecution costs of £2,845.50 and a £80 victim surcharge.

All three had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

The court heard that Allen and Brown decided to hang the dog, an "aggressive" collie named Shandy, in January to save the cost of having it put down by a vet.

Matthew Knight, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told magistrates that the two men visited Harris Hill & Gibbons late on the night before the hanging, which took place on January 18.

They were told the animal would have to be assessed and the procedure would cost more than £100.

Mr Knight said the vet noted the pair seemed concerned about the cost.

The two men decided to hang the dog in the house by hoisting it up with a rope in the attic. It took between five to 10 minutes to die in that position.

Mr Knight said: "Mr Brown could still feel a heartbeat and decided to punch it in the head to make sure it was dead."

The dog had been left with Reid by an ex-boyfriend.

After the hanging, the three buried the dog in the garden.

The matter came to the attention of the RSPCA in March after they had a conversation with one of Reid's neighbours, Katherine James.

Mr Knight added: "Miss Reid's neighbour asked her what had happened to the dog and she said it was gone, before making a hanging gesture."

Allen, who is in a relationship with Reid, told investigators that his girlfriend had "wanted rid of the dog for a long time".

Neither Allen nor Brown would admit who climbed into the loft to hoist the dog up and blamed each other.

Mr Knight told the court: "I would suggest it is a joint enterprise and it makes little difference who actually went into the loft.

"A judicial hanging is from a short drop and breaks the neck. The X-rays showed no fracture - the dog was pulled slowly up.

"A veterinary report found the dog died as a result of a significant period of pain and distress lasting several minutes. Shandy suffered an unnecessary and painful death as a result."

Nick Redhead, defending for Reid, said the dog had come into her house through a previous boyfriend and when the relationship broke down the dog stayed as a pet for her daughter, who has learning difficulties.

He said: "She is in no doubt of the gravity of the situation she finds herself in.

"There has been a lot of publicity and she has had to withstand vilification from her community as a result.

"Miss Reid said that she no longer travels into the town centre of Trowbridge for fear of what people may do or say to her."

Mr Redhead added that Reid had told him her former partner had ideas of training the dog for a security capacity but did not have the qualifications to do so and, as a result, the dog's temper deteriorated.

He said: "Over time the behaviour of Shandy grew worse.

"The dog was angry, barked a lot and was very aggressive. It was kept in a cage as everyone in the household was afraid of it."

Mr Redhead said Reid was the sole carer for her disabled 20-year-old daughter and her sick mother.

"She accepts that she knew what was going to happen to the dog," said Mr Redhead but added: "Had the three defendants not co-operated with the RSPCA it is very unlikely it would be a court case at all."

Esther Bisgrove, defending Allen, said he suffered from learning difficulties.

"Mr Allen is appalled by his actions. He has suffered abuse by vigilantes in the community and through social media," she said.

"It's difficult to approach this case without think why and how anyone could do this. It's a question that Mr Allen has struggled with."

She added: "For his part in the offence he feels the pain and he is going to for a long time. He is a man who is greatly ashamed.

"When he was asked how he felt about the hanging in interview, he said he felt awful and has nightmares about it. He wished he could have stopped it."

Mrs Aitken-Sykes told Reid: "The reasons we have suspended your sentence is that you care for two family members and you have shown remorse for what you have done and you co-operated with the RSPCA in their inquiries."

She told Allen: "It was a particularly nasty thing to do, as I know you are aware of. It was a joint enterprise and pre-planned and resulted in the death of a dog."

Inspector Miranda Albinson, of the RSPCA, said she was disappointed with the sentences.

"We were hoping for a lifetime ban on keeping animals but we also respect the court's decision in explaining the reasoning for the sentences," she said.

"Hanging a dog is a horrific thing to do. Why would you even think it was a suitable way to euthanise an animal?

"There are other options, such as help from charities or payment plans from vets which could have been discussed the next day."