Former Great Britain rugby league star Andy Gregory has been ordered to pay £1,000 compensation after his Border Collie sheepdog savaged a dog walker in a random attack.
The 61-year old former scrum half, who was once the most expensive player in the world, was hauled into court after he was said to have stood by and watched while his herding dog Georgie mauled Simon Derbyshire.
Mr Derbyshire suffered substantial wounds to his legs and back and in a statement to police said: "At the time of the incident I was in extreme amounts of pain. I was just trying to protect my dog, who is small and placid, from his dog.
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''I now take my dog out at night because I am too scared that I will walk into the defendant and his dog during the day."
At Bolton magistrates court Gregory, of Priory Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, who won 26 GB caps and played for Widnes during the famous 'Cup Kings' era of the 1970s, admitted having a dangerous dog out of control.
He was sentenced to 16-weeks in jail suspended for 12 months and was told he must now walk Geordie with a lead and muzzle under the terms of a contingency destruction order.
Gregory played for Widnes and Warrington before signing for Wigan in 1986 for a then world record fee of £130,000. He subsequently won the 1987 Player of the Year award and was one of only two players to play in six Ashes series against Australia before retiring in 1994.
Last March he was declared bankrupt with debts of £412,000 following the collapse of an 80s music festival he had helped organise at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park stadium which was due to feature the Human League, Boy George, and UB40.
'He stood and watched without offering any help'
Tineka O’Mara, prosecuting, told the court: "Mr Derbyshire often walks his dog in Ashton in Makerfield. He has a smaller dog than the defendant’s dog. He has also informed me it has been previously attacked by the defendant’s dog.
"On the 26th of October 2021, Mr Derbyshire left his house about to start a walk when he spotted the defendant’s dog, which was not on a lead.
''The dog made its way towards him and Mr Derbyshire quickly picked up his own dog. At this point the defendant’s dog jumped up at him, biting him on the back, lower leg and calf.
''According to Mr Derbyshire, the whole incident last around 15 seconds. During that time the defendant stood and watched without offering any help at all.
"Mr Derbyshire was later taken to hospital for his wounds. The hospital bandaged him up soon after but the wound on the back of his calf became infected. As a result, he required treatment on that leg. He went to hospital 2-3 times a week for six months as a result.
"The defendant was arrested and taken to Wigan police station, where he gave some admissions in interview. He admitted he was sorry and regretted the incident. He also said 'my dog did not go out to bite him'. He also said 'if I had intervened it would have been much worse'."
Miss O’Mara also showed the court images showing the extent of the damage done to Mr Derbyshire. They showed large scars, blood, bite marks and the infected wound on the back of his calf.
'Startingly out of character for the dog', defence says
In mitigation, the former player's barrister, Rosemary Procter, said: "He fully understands that what happened with Georgie constitutes an offence. He knows it was against the law and he knows he can't hide behind that.
"Although he accepts what happens, he refutes the previous incidents of attacks made by Georgie. There was no evidence of these and would have been inadmissible in trial. Any previous attacks would have meant that he would not in fact have good character, which he does.
"He rejects the idea that Georgie is aggressive. You will also see this from the wealth of references made about both Georgie and him by friends and family. He now gets up at 5am every morning to walk Georgie and makes sure he is on a short lead.
"He has found his first experience of criminal justice confusing and alien. He lost his job as a site manager as a result of this incident.
"Him and his wife Nicola, who is sat in court today, are considering leaving the area where they have built a life. He has no income at present and is indebted to a number of people. He is not in receipt of universal credit and is supported financially by his wife.
"He is in poor health, having problems with his hips in recent years. He has also had a heart attack in the past.
"He is a man who doesn’t mince his words, he is stubborn and far from timid. However, he also gives his time to a range of charities and asks nothing in return.
''He was told when he was starting out that he was not big or good enough to play professional rugby, but he proved the naysayers wrong. Now he encourages children and those who wouldn’t usually get into rugby to do so to.
"As for Georgie, this is startlingly out of character for him. His references show he is a docile, sociable animal that enjoys the company of others. He has effectively been adhering to the contingent order up to this point. The real issue is he was not on a lead that day and he should have been."
Sentencing JP Karen Martin said: "After careful consideration, we do feel this crossed the custody threshold. This dog was dangerously out of control at the time and caused serious injury to this individual. But the sentence can be suspended."
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