Pet must be kept on a lead after it went for child and police officer

DOG-OWNER John Bennett must keep his dangerous German shepherd on a lead in public or it will be destroyed.

Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court was told Bennett, 63, was walking Lotty in Greatness Recreation Ground when she knocked over a four-year-old girl.

Lotty also charged towards a police officer who stunned her with his baton.

Bennett, of Seal Road in Sevenoaks, was fined £500 for the February 2, 2009 offence. He must also pay £750 legal costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

Chairman of the Bench John Brewster told him: “Lotty must be kept under proper control and on a lead at all times when in a public place. If you do not comply with this order, Lotty will be destroyed.”

Dad-of-three Darren Reading had been sledging with his wife and children in the park.

He said: “I saw this German shepherd charging towards me and my family.

“It was acting like the police attack dogs you see on TV – bearing its teeth.

“My youngest daughter was knocked to the ground. It was going absolutely crazy.

“The dog’s owner was talking on his phone and looking the other way.”

Mr Reading was able to get his family back into his garden, and when Bennett did approach, Mr Reading claimed he could smell alcohol on his breath and he pushed Bennett away.

The police were called and a few minutes later PC Cliff Mercer and PC Paul Cook were in the park looking for Bennett and Lotty.

PC Mercer said: “As soon as the dog saw me it charged towards us, snarling, but Bennett did not command the dog to stop.

“I used my ASP [baton] to strike the dog across the head, and it came back for another go. Bennett was sauntering around and smelt of intoxicating liquor.”

Bennett said Lotty, who he has owned for three years, had not attacked anyone, but was simply playing in the snow. He in turn accused Mr Reading of attacking him.

“I’d had one glass of wine,” he said. “There’s no way I could have been drunk.

“And I didn’t see any reason to put her on a lead, it’s a ludicrous assumption.”

His defence solicitor Caroline Harris noted Mr Reading’s wife contradicted his evidence – she had not seen their child knocked over.

But Bennett was arrested, and was last week found guilty of owning a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place.

Magistrates heard a petition had been submitted to Sevenoaks District Council calling for Lotty to be controlled, and a statement from animal nurse Maria Bridle recalled an incident when Lotty had also allegedly attacked her dog.