His owner, Lynne Messervy (57), of Rue de Samarès, St Clement, was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the man who was bitten.

The court heard that it was the second time this year that the dog had bitten a person.

Messervy was given words of advice at a parish hall inquiry in June after Elvis bit a woman on her backside behind St Clement’s Parish Hall on 30 March.

St Brelade Centenier Amanda Wright presented the case on behalf of the parish of St Clement and said that Messervy was charged with not keeping a dog under proper control on the beach at Green Island on 27 September. She also read out a representation asking for the court to order that the dog must be kept on a lead and muzzled when out in public in future.

The charge and representation followed an incident when a man was walking at Green Island with his headphones on. Centenier Wright said that a large black dog appeared and bit him on the lower part of his right arm. It then went behind him and jumped up and bit the man on the upper part of his right arm.

Mrs Wright said that the man told the owner that the dog should have been on a lead.

The court heard that he went to the doctor as a result of the bites and consequently submitted a compensation claim for £45 for his doctor’s appointment.

Advocate Sarah Dale, defending, said that Messervy was surprised when Elvis bit the man, as she thought the biting incident earlier in the year had been a ‘one-off’.

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The advocate added that the owner had sought help from an animal behaviour therapist, which she said demonstrated that the defendant was taking the matter very seriously.

‘They are working through this and are already achieving results,’ said Advocate Dale.

She submitted that an order for the destruction of the dog would be disproportionate in the circumstances.

In sentencing, Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu said that if there was to be any repetition, then the court would be prepared to make an order to have the dog destroyed. He added: ‘I will make an order that you must keep the dog under proper control and when out in public he must be kept on a lead and muzzled at all times.’