Court Report: Dog owner fined after his pet attacked man in public park

The actions of the German Shepherd dog’s owner prevented a destruction order being made by Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday last week.

The dog was off the lead and not in sight of Marcin Urban when it ran towards the victim in Graves Park in Kirton.

The German Shepherd started to attack the victim’s dog before he intervened, the court was told. The victim was on the phone to his wife at the time.

In a statement read by prosecutor Shelley Wilson, the victim said: “I tried to remove [my dog] out of the way. The Alsatian took hold of my left thigh and bit down hard. I started screaming and the dog was shaking its head from side to side. “[My dog] was barking at the dog and it released my thigh. I let go of my dog and yelled at her to run.”

The court heard Urban then appeared and the two men chased the dogs around the car park before finally regaining control of them.

“The owner was apologetic to me afterwards. My wife picked me up and took me straight to hospital because I was in terrific pain,” said the victim. He had to go back to hospital several times to have the wound checked and dressed.

On a Facebook post soon after the incident, Urban replied to identify himself as the German Shepherd’s owner. Police then became involved.

In court, he pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control causing injury on November 6 last year.

Mike Alexander, mitigating, said the attack happened while Urban was clearing up his dog’s fouling.

The court was told the dog had never previously behaved that way, always being friendly to neighbours, children and dogs. Mr Alexander added that Urban has since had the dog neutered and given it training.

The bench made a control order that the dog must be kept on a lead in a public place. Urban, of Station Road, Kirton, was fined £307 and ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim.