UNITED KINGDOM -- The owner of a pit bull-type dog which attacked a woman and her pet Jack Russell has been given a suspended sentence.
Sallal Hussain, 23, of Seaforth Road, Seaforth, admitted allowing his dog to be dangerously out of control in public after it attacked Jackie Wallace and her terrier Suki.
Sefton Magistrates heard yesterday how Ms Wallace was walking along Seaforth Road on the evening of May 10 this year.
Suki was then attacked by the pitbull-type dog, which ran out from Mr Hussain’s house and then sank its teeth into the smaller animal’s back.
The dog, which was not an illegal breed, continued to savage Suki despite efforts from Ms Wallace to fight it off.
Mr Hussain then confronted the victim and said: “Don’t make my dog angry.”
A shaken Ms Wallace was left with two small marks on her arms after the attack, but that was not the end of the ordeal.
Three hours later, she returned to the scene with police to speak to Mr Hussain when his dog again ran out and savaged Suki for a second time. Officers were forced to beat the Pit bull repeatedly with a baton before saving Suki by placing her on the roof of their police car.
Mr Hussein was arrested and his dog – called Tear – was later destroyed.
In a victim statement read out in court, Ms Wallace said: “It was the scariest moment of my life. I was totally terrified and am now frightened every time I see a dog.”
Martin English, defending, said: “Mr Hussain has tried to be a responsible owner who muzzled his dog in public and agreed to have the dog he loved destroyed.”
Mr Hussain was given a three-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid work, pay £200 compensation and £100 costs.
(Crosby Herald - Oct 11, 2012)
