Nine-year-old attacked by loose Akita

UNITED KINGDOM -- Sixty-year-old Nurmal Singh was left in charge of his son’s Japanese akita when the dog managed to escaped from their garden in Lichfield Road, Rushall, Walsall.

The dog got into the street and attacked the youngster from behind, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Mr Zaheer Afzal, prosecuting, said the girl suffered cuts to her scalp during the attack and needed hospital treatment after being bitten by the dog, called Diesel.

He said: “The dog is owned by the defendant’s son. It escaped through the gate at the side of the property.”

The young girl was on the driveway at a nearby house in Lichfield Road when the dog approached from behind and attacked her by sinking its teeth into the back of her head, the court was told.

She was with her father was who was able to wrestle with the dog with a view to trying and release it from his daughter.” Mr Azfal added.

He said a dog trainer who also lived nearby assisted with its capture by putting a slip rope round Diesel’s neck, as he was not wearing a collar.

Mr Afzal said that two dog behavioural experts had unsuccessfully attempted to assess the animal at West Midlands Police kennels, where it has been kept since the attack due to its aggressive responses.

Singh admitted being in charge of the dog when it attacked the girl and allowing the animal to enter a place where it was not permitted in May last year.

He had initially denied the offence and a trial was held in June but jurors failed to reach a verdict.

Moments before a new jury was due to be sworn in for a retrial, Miss Jo Morris, defending, told the court Singh admitted the charge.

She said he was of previous good character and shared a home with his adult son, who had bought the dog.

“The only wrongdoing on his part is not securing the fencing adequately,” Miss Morris said.

Singh’s wife, Jasvinder Gill, aged 61, had also faced the same charges which she had denied.

Mr Afzal offered no evidence her and Judge Michael Walsh withdrew the charges.

Singh will be sentenced on November 22.

(Express and Star - Nov 6, 2013)