A dangerous Staffy that attacked a woman’s dog and only released it when she jumped on to of it and bit its ear has dodged a destruction order.
Ross Kemp’s pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier, called Storm, ran into the communal area of a block of flats at Charlotte Gardens in Aberdeen and clamped its jaws down on a Maltese dog.
The animal’s horrified owner desperately tried to get Storm off her beloved pet and, when all else failed, she used her teeth to bite Storm’s ear.
At that, Storm released the other dog and scurried back outside to Kemp, 32, who previously pled guilty over the incident and has now appeared back in court to learn his – and Storm’s – fate.
He had pled guilty to a charge of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court previously heard a blow-by-blow account of the offence, which happened around 1.30pm on June 13 last year.
At the sentencing hearing, defence agent Emma Stewart said her client had taken Storm out to what he believed was an enclosed area.
Kemp ordered to pay compensation
However, he was “not aware there were gaps in the fence”.
Ms Stewart highlighted that Storm did not react aggressively or attack the woman when she bit his ear, instead simply running away.
Arguing against a destruction order, she added that a report from an expert had indicated the dog did not pose a threat to the public.
Sheriff Rhona Wark told Kemp, of Charlotte Street, Aberdeen: “I’m conscious of the fact you rely quite heavily for support on this dog.
“I’m also conscious of the fact the report expert has indicated the dog appears friendly and well-behaved around other dogs.”
Instead of a destruction order, the sheriff imposed a dog control notice requiring Storm to wear a specific kind of muzzle whenever in public.
He must also be on a fixed lead no longer than 1.5m.
Additionally, Sheriff Wark ordered Kemp to pay the woman whose dog was attacked £200 in compensation.
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