Latest news straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A man has been banned from owning dogs for ten years after his pet mauled a gardener and terrified a child.

The Japanese Akita, called Bruce, was destroyed after it escaped twice in a month - biting victim Christopher Hammal on the first occasion and being captured by police on the second.

Owner Shahraz Choudhry was handed the ban after admitting the animal belonged to him while it was dangerously out of control.

The 26-year-old also pleaded guilty to possessing a fighting dog, a Pit Bull named Lilly. Both animals have since been destroyed.

Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard Mr Hammal was bitten on the leg and arm when Bruce escaped from a neighbouring address as he worked at The Vale in Sparkhill on January 28 last year.

The animal escaped again on February 23 and left a child "frozen" with fear.

To keep up-to-date with the latest news from Birmingham Courts, join our Facebook group here

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Helen Shipley, prosecuting, described Mr Hammal's account of events after the dog forced its way through a missing fence panel. She said: "He walked slowly and calmly away. At that stage the dog wasn't barking or growling, he just stood there looking at him.

"He put his hands out and moved slowly away, the dog then jumped and bites him on the arm, sinking its teeth in.

"He pulled his arm away and caused the dog to let go but then it goes for Mr Hammal's leg. He had to kick the dog three or four times to get it off. He suffered a nasty injury as a result of what happened."

Why BirminghamLive covers court cases Courts in the West Midlands serve a population of five million - and BirminghamLive brings you coverage from them each and every week. Magistrates Courts deal with offences where the maximum permitted sentence for each offence does not exceed six months imprisonment or one year if two or more offences are to be considered. Crown Courts deal with the more serious cases including murder, rape, robberies, serious assaults. BirminghamLive's team of journalists report on proceedings, but it can regularly surprise people, and sometimes anger them, when details are published. So we have come up with some frequently asked questions and answers to hopefully help people understand our role better.

Mr Hammal managed to retreat behind a gate which formed a barrier between him and the Akita. He went to the hospital where the wound was cleaned and he was given a tetanus shot and antibiotics. But the gash left him with a 5cm scar.

Detailing the second incident, Ms Shipley relayed the events through the eyes of the child who came face-to-face to Bruce. She said: "She saw the dog running towards her and just froze and screamed for help, terrified she was going to get bitten.

"The owner of the dog, the defendant, said: 'Whatever you do don't move'. She could feel the dog brush past her leg and feel the heat from its breath."

Chaos ensured as the victim's neighbours tried, unsuccessfully, to wrestle the dog over the back garden fence. But the Akita struggled free, ran around the front of the property and on to another driveway before heading towards Yardley Wood Road where police were able to capture it.

Shahnaz Dean, defending Choudhry, told the court he had the Akita and Pit Bull for around six years since they were puppies and they had 'never caused problems' before.

She said: "There have been kids in his house, family members, nobody has complained about those dogs. The only issues they have had is with the next door neighbour who has always had it in for them because they have a relative in the police force."

Ms Dean siad Choudhry was out of the country at the time of the first attack for a family funeral and left his mother and brother to look after Bruce. He came back 'immediately' and was trying to fix the fence when the Akita sprang loose on the second occasion, it was claimed.

Ms Dean added: "He has taken responsibility, and he's done whatever he could do. He accepts he's failed in relation to having insurance for Lilly and keeping the other dog under control."

Choudhry had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing a fighting dog, one charge of owning a dog dangerously out of control and one count of owning a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. Magistrates handed him a 12-month community order, including a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 135 hours of unpaid work.

And he was hit with more than £12,000 costs - £11,995.20 towards police costs for kennelling the dogs, £500 in prosecution costs, £250 compensation to Mr Hammal, £100 compensation to the younger victim and a further £90 victim surcharge. Choudhry was also disqualified from owning a dog for ten years.