A woman whose dog attacked a passer-by has been banned from keeping dogs for five years.
Elle Compton, 42, pleaded with magistrates to let her rehome her pet Molly, a pitbull or Staffordshire cross.
But after hearing she had twice failed to comply with a dangerous dog order made in relation to another dog called Lord in 2014, which had also attacked another person, they imposed the ban.
And because police were unable to rehome the dog themselves, a destruction order was made for Molly.
Compton, of Nuthurst Place, Brighton, pleaded guilty last year to owning a dog dangerously out of control – but denied Molly had not been muzzled.
A different bench accepted this after a hearing at Brighton Magistrates Court in May.
Compton also said the victim, Chris Delacy, had been loudly arguing with his girlfriend Kelly Cope, which had spooked Molly and prompted the attack, which left him with injuries to his wrist and stomach.
Defending today, Ed Fish said: “Clearly the dog was on a lead and muzzled, there were attempts made to get control of it.
“There’s provocation of the dog without the fault of the defendant. This couldn’t have been reasonable foreseen.
“My client understands now she’s not the right person to be the owner of Molly. She wants to have Molly assessed and rehomed.”
Prosecuting, Florence Odongo said Compton had 22 convictions for 63 offences, including three dangerous dog offences from 2013 and 2014, relating to a dog which was subsequently destroyed.
She said: “Her previous offending does display she’s not capable of looking after a dog.”
As well as a destruction order and an order banning Compton from keeping dogs, she requested Compton be ordered to pay £12,470.04 to cover the costs of keeping Molly in kennels since the attack in April last year.
Chair of the bench Harry Callaghan sentenced Compton to a 12-month conditional discharge for the offence of being in control of a dangerous dog.
But he continued: “Dog owners must take responsibility. We have looked at photographs of the injuries, and yes there were scratches but there’s one definite bite.
“You have been convicted under the dangerous dogs act and we are making an order that you are disqualified from having custody of a dog for a period of five years.
“Police kennel costs have been asked for. We note you have made many attempts to contact the police and you haven’t had any information.
“In terms of the sum that’s been asked for we have agreed you should make a contribution to kennel the dog of £200.
“We order the destruction of the dog.”
As well as the £200 kennelling costs contribution, Compton was also ordered to pay a £26 surcharge and £85 court costs.
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