'Dangerous' dog attacks postman after owner ignores muzzling order

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/news/ ... ing_order/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A DOG lunged at a postman and bit deep into his hand after its owner ignored a court order to muzzle the animal, which was given to him after a similar attack on a postman two years ago.

Michael Harris, 51, of Hart Place, Bicester, admitted the one count of having a dangerous dog out of control causing injury at Oxford Magistrates' Court on April 25.

At his sentencing at Oxford Crown Court on Monday he was barred from owning dogs for the rest of his life and handed a suspended jail term for flouting the court order and failing to control his 'dangerous' animal.

The Rhodesian mastiff cross breed, named Bandit, which has since been put down, had already bitten a postman in 2015 and a subsequent court order said that Harris had to keep it on a lead and muzzled.

Despite this, at about 10.20am on September 28 last year Harris failed to make sure his dog was muzzled and although it was on a lead it was not enough to keep the animal from attacking postman Barry Smith who was doing his usual rounds.

Prosecuting, Jonathan Storey said: "Bandit was on a lead but not muzzled. Barry Smith, a postman, got out of his post van and started to walk to the flats [at Hart Place].

"Bandit bolted to him and Harris held on to the lead to stop him. Bandit bit the post man on the hand and caused a very large cut.

"Mr Harris shouted at Bandit and managed to get him away and Mr Smith was treated at a Tesco nearby. He was bleeding heavily."

He added that the bite was 'particularly nasty' and Mr Smith has suffered from flashbacks and increased anxiety as a result.

In mitigation, the court heard how Harris, a serial drug user and alcoholic, simply did not have the strength to control the dog and even though it was on a lead he could not stop it from attacking the postman.

Sentencing, Judge Peter Ross said that if Harris had followed the order and muzzled his animal the attack could have easily been avoided.

He said: "You knew that your dog had been dangerous in the past, you knew that you were not to have him out without a lead and muzzled.

"The injury was extremely nasty. It has had an impact on his ability to work and he continues to suffer the consequences of what your dog did.

"You knew this dog was dangerous and you knew it would attack postmen. Had it been muzzled none of this would have happened."

He was handed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered to pay compensation to Mr Smith of £750.

He is also disqualified from owning dogs for life.

[Interested-seeker]

Stuff like this scares me!

[NWpostie]

Being an alcoholic and a drug user should instantly disqualify you from owning a dog.