A TEENAGER has been banned from keeping dogs after his pack of canines left a cyclist needing major surgery.

Construction student Rocky Marciano Smith must also pay compensation to the 42-year-old woman who suffered life-changing injuries on a summer evening's cycle ride with her husband past a travellers' site.

Following the court case, North Yorkshire Police warned dog owners to keep their dogs under control in public areas.

Abdul Shakoor, prosecuting, told York Crown Court police and council officers received 40 complaints in five months about dogs roaming unchecked near the travellers' site home of at least two families.

Smith, 19, was twice officially warned to keep his dogs under control and to ensure they couldn't get off the site.

But within hours of his sister being told to pass on a third warning, eight of his nine Salukis or Persian Greyhounds and Jack Russell terriers blocked the road at 7pm on July 4, 2017, as the couple, both keen cyclists, approached with the wife in the lead.

"One dog stopped in front of her wheel, went to go to the left side and jumped up at her bike," said the barrister. "The dog didn't make contact, but the dog's actions caused her to fall from her bike."

She suffered a broken cheekbone, her spleen was damaged and had to be surgically removed and she will need twice daily medicine, plus repeated vaccinations, for the rest of her life, York Crown Court heard.

"You are not a fit and proper person to have control of dogs," Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told Smith as he banned him from keeping dogs for 10 years and gave him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition he does 80 hours' unpaid work.

"I would dearly love you to pay compensation which would adequately compensate (the woman) for the injuries she received but you couldn't possibly come close to that."

He ordered Smith to pay £500 compensation. "This is a token, no more than that."

Smith, of The Sycamores Caravan Site, Sutton Lane, Byram west of Selby, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog that caused injury while dangerously out of control.

For Smith, Kristina Goodwin said: "He severely regrets his actions of last year. He does care for his dogs."

However, he did not object to the banning order and could arrange for the dogs to be rehomed, said the defence barrister.

PC Sarah Ward, the officer in the case, said: “This case demonstrates just how important it is that dangerous dogs must not be allowed to roam public areas.

“The victim was seriously injured in a completely unprovoked attack. It is lucky no one was more badly hurt.

“It is simply not acceptable for anyone responsible for the behaviour of dogs, or any animal, to let them act in such a way which causes harm and serious injury to others”.

Mr Shakoor told the court Smith took over responsibility the dogs from his mother when she was banned for 10 years for not keeping them under proper control in 2015.

When police went to the site after the cyclist was injured, they twice saw the dogs kept in unsuitable conditions.