Nightclub promotions manager Joel Mitchell, 30, was jogging through Manchester's popular Spinningfields area with his large Akita-type dog Juice, which wasn’t on a lead, when it pounced on 18-month-old terrier Daisy.
Privately-educated Mitchell immediately ‘rugby-tackled’ Juice and wrestled her to the ground but Daisy's horrific injuries meant she had to be put down by vets soon afterwards.
Mitchell left the scene but not before Daisy’s owner Stephanie Hopwood, 24, had taken a photo of him on her mobile phone.
At Manchester City Magistrates’ Court yesterday Mitchell, who had pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, expressed extreme remorse at what had happened.
The court heard how he had adopted the two-year-old dog after he discovered he was being kept in a muddy cage in a neighbour’s garden in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Mitchell, whose family own great Danes and Labradors as well as horses, was trying to integrate the dog back into society when it suddenly grabbed little Daisy in its jaws - despite Juice having no history of aggression.
He was also ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and must ensure that Juice always wears a muzzle in public and is kept on a lead.
Sentencing, Mr Clarke said: 'You considered the convenience of yourself and the animal instead of the safety of others when you let it run free alongside you.
'It led to significant injury to the owners of the dog and of course the dog, which lost its life. The owners are victims because they lost a pet which they treat as a member of their family.'
Mitchell fled the scene of the attack on Bank Holiday Monday, May 6, at about 4.45pm.
His solicitor Damian Zelazowski claimed that Juice was becoming agitated as horrified shoppers began shouting when they saw Daisy’s bloodied body emerge from the jaws of the larger dog.
However, Mitchell handed himself in to police when a picture of him with the dog taken by Miss Hopwood was circulated by the media.
A statement from Miss Hopwood read out by prosecutor Subhanur Chowdhury, said: 'Daisy was on a lead which was attached to a harness around her back. She was so small that we put her in the harness so we could pick her up if we needed to.
'As I approached The Oast House pub I was aware of something brushing past me. As I looked around I could see that a much bigger dog was attacking Daisy.
'I started to scream then I saw the owner of the other dog tackle her to the floor. I could tell Daisy was alive but I could see a lot of blood.'
Miss Hopwood asked Mitchell for a phone number and described him as ‘cagey’ when he handed it over - she said it later turned out to be false.
But Mr Zelazowski said Mitchelll had given her his personal mobile number which he was unaware had been terminated because he usually used his work handset.
Mitchell, who has no previous convictions and a first class degree in design from the University of Leeds after studying at Ackworth Quaker school in Yorkshire, now lives in Huddersfield with his parents.
Mr Zalazowski added: 'It’s very important to emphasise the fact he as a dog owner is deeply upset.
'When he was told about the dog’s death he was very upset.
'The history of his own dog Juice is that he took the dog on after having adopted it from people who neighboured him. It was kept outside in muddy conditions so he took it on 18 months ago. His family have Labradors and Great Danes and he is used to having big dogs.
'The dogs all socialise together and Juice plays with the family’s children, it’s a family pet. He takes the dog out when he goes jogging.
'The reason the dog was off its lead is that normally the dog jogs alongside him. The difficulty when he runs through town is that the dog sometimes runs around lampposts and it can become tricky.
'After the attack he couldn’t have done a great deal more than he did. He has taken every step he could to intervene.
'As soon as he knew the police wanted to speak to him he made himself available.'
(Daily Mail - Oct 8, 2013)
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