Sign up to the Lincolnshire Live newsletter for daily updates and breaking news Sign up here! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A Staffordshire terrier savagely attacked a pensioner, and her pet pooch, when it escaped from a garden.

Eileen Day, 71, was taking her dog Molly, a small Jack Russell/Pomeranian crossbreed, for a walk when they were left injured and frightened after the dog made a b-line straight to them from a neighbours house.

The terrier, called Stella, was being cared for by David Anthony Barnes, 60, of Spring Gardens, Long Sutton, when it knocked Mrs Day over and then picked Molly up by the throat and started shaking her.

Barnes came out of his house and forced the Staffordshire terrier to let go of the dog.

But the terrier bit him as he did so.

The incident happened July 22, and Barnes appeared before Boston Magistrates Court, on Thursday, October 24, where he admitted a charge of owning a dog that was dangerously out of control.

The court was told Mrs Day was still very upset about what had happened and was 'petrified' the dog would get out again.

Judge Peter Veits heard how Barnes had failed to honour a community resolution with the police to re-home, meaning the case was sent to court.

Roger Lowther, defending, said Barnes had been looking after the dog for his son for the past 18 months and the dog would be returned to him in the course of time adding that Barnes did not ignore the community agreement but could not find anyone to take the dog.

He also said the owner had build a fence to stop the dog getting out again.

However Judge Veits said Staffordshire Terriers are "by nature nasty and dangerous dogs" and it was "clearly out of control on that day".

He also said the fence was "not good enough" because the dog could easily jump over it.

Barnes was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 compensation to Mrs Day and £106 in costs and charges.

He also issued a contingent destruction order for the dog, stating that it must be muzzled at any time it is out in the garden or in public and must always be on a lead when it is in public.

He also ordered Barnes to improve the fence within a month so that was six feet high, warning him that if he didn't do any of these things, the dog would be put to sleep.