A pet owner is facing jail after her dogs were part of an attack that saw a man get part of his ear bitten off.
Michelle King was visiting Wallsend from Scotland when her two American Bull Mastiffs, called Ghost and Bonnie, and two other animals of the same breed escaped from a backyard in Wallsend. The animals then pounced on a couple who were walking down the street and left one of them with serious injuries, a court heard.
The victim lost part of his ear, needed stitches to his thigh, lost a lot a blood and had to stay in Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary for three days while he underwent surgery. He has been left permanently disfigured.
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King, of Cameron Park, in Fife, appeared over the phone at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to two counts of being the owner of dog that was dangerously out of control and causing injury. It is understood a man, the alleged owner of the other two dogs, is also going through the court process.
Niamh Reading, prosecuting, said the victim and his partner were walking along Blackhill Avenue on December 27 last year when they were approached by four dogs, who pulled them to the ground and attacked them. Miss Reading continued: "It's the Crown's case that the dogs were permitted to roam freely. The defendant says that the fence in the yard was insufficient to keep the dogs in and planning permission had been refused to build a higher fence.
"One complaint suffered a scratch to the ankle, the other suffered bites to his ear, partial loss of the ear, an injury to his thigh, an injury to his little finger and significant blood loss. He was taken to the RVI and admitted for three days for treatment."
The court heard that it is not known which of the four dogs caused what injury. Mark Harrison, defending, said: "The defendant was staying with a friend over Christmas. She was preparing food and admits that she became distracted. She acknowledges that two of the dogs were hers and under her control."
Magistrates deemed the case was too serious to finalise and released King on unconditional bail to next appear at Newcastle Crown Court on August 8 to be sentenced.
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