Kirkby woman’s Pocket Bully dog ran free and attacked seven-year-old girl

The two-year-old brown and white dog called "Rocko" was barking behind a baby gate at Carol Booth's home when a woman and her two small children called on October 19, said prosecutor Adeel Zafar.

When Booth opened the gate, "Rocko" leapt up at the seven-year-old girl "with his mouth open as if it was going to attack her neck".

She was left her with scratches on her neck and chest, and a graze on her chin.

The visitor picked up her younger son and put herself between her daughter and the dog.

Booth tried to regain control of the dog, but this was made difficult as it wasn’t wearing a collar.

Mr Zafar told magistrates they had to decide if the dog poses a risk to the public, based on its temperament and past behaviour, and whether the person in charge of the dog is fit to be an owner.

If they agree that it isn’t a risk a contingent destruction order could be imposed, rather than an immediate destruction order, he added.

Ryan Higginbotham, mitigating, said it was an isolated incident but invited the court to adjourn the case to get more information before making a decision.

"There are no past incidents of aggressive behaviour from the dog as I understand and the same can be said for Ms Booth, as she has no previous convictions," he said.

"She has owned dogs for many years without any incident. It was an unfortunate incident and she accepted responsibility at the earliest opportunity.

"She intervened at the earliest opportunity.”

Booth, aged 41, of Spruce Grove, Kirkby, admitted being a person in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control causing injury, when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

A contingent destruction order was imposed so the dog, a hybrid breed of American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier, must be kept under control at all times and be fitted with a muzzle and kept on a lead when in public.

She was fined £120 with a £48 surcharge and £85 costs.