A dog has been put down after a series of attacks in Brighton in the past few months.
And Brian Ellett, of Bodiam Avenue, in Bevendean, has been ordered to pay compensation to two victims of Mandela, his rottweiler.
Ellett was prosecuted at Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court last Thursday (2 July) where he pleaded guilty to owning a dangerous dog.
After Brighton and Hove City Council animal welfare officers gave evidence, the court ordered that Mandela be destroyed.
Len Batten, prosecuting on behalf of the council, told the court that the incidents started in March when Mandela attacked Julie Enticknapp and her dog Ronnie, a small Staffordshire bull terrier dog.
Ms Enticknapp suffered bruising to her legs when Mandela bit her. She needed a tetanus injection and antibiotics.
A summons was served on Ellett but, on Friday 8 May, Mandela terrorised Joyce Wild and her schnauzer dog Fred in the woods alongside Heath Hill Avenue, in Bevendean.
Ms Wild managed to get to a friend’s house where she called the police who spoke to Ellett.
However, on Wednesday 3 June Mandela was again out of control, attacking two dogs being walked by Vicki Terry-Brand.
Mandela went for the legs of one of the dogs, a male Jack Russell type dog called Beamer.
He then turned his attention to the other dog, Turkish, a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier, causing an injury to Turkish’s eye and ear.
At court on the Friday 19 June, Ellett denied the charge relating to the first incident and the matter was adjourned for trial. However, Ellett later changed his plea to guilty.
Ellett told the court that his dog Mandela was getting old, was suffering with his bad legs and for the previous few months had turned against smaller dogs.
The magistrates decided that a destruction order was appropriate as they could not be satisfied that Mandela no longer constituted a danger to the public. The court also ordered Mr Ellett to pay compensation to two of the victims.
A council spokesman said: “Deciding that a dangerous dog should be put to sleep is never an easy decision and is always a last resort.
“However, in this case it is clear that magistrates have acted correctly.
“Residents should be able to walk their pets in our city without fear, while owners of unruly dogs need to be aware that our animal welfare team will investigate any reported incidents and take whatever action is required.”
