Compensation after being bitten by dog

‘You are clearly a person of good character’ – Sheriff Hughes

A pensioner told Campbeltown Sheriff Court that her border collie did not bite a window cleaner when he called to collect payment.

Valirie St Helene, aged 73, of 15 C John Street, Campbeltown, denied being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control in that it repeatedly attempted to bite the man and did bite him to his injury.

She told the court on Tuesday: ‘I can’t believe people say that and get away with it; they don’t like me,’ and added, ‘She wouldn’t dream of it; she would never bite anyone.’

The window cleaner said: ‘As I was going up the stairs, I could hear the dog barking, as if it was running round in circles behind the door.’

He said that when the flat door was opened ‘the dog ran between her legs and went for me.

‘It had four goes to bite me and got me on the fourth’.

He needed to go to Campbeltown Hospital to have the bite dressed and a tetanus injection, and later reported the incident to the police.

When an officer called at the flat, St Helene told her: ‘She is a nervous dog but she never bit anyone.’

Sheriff Patrick Hughes found St Helene guilty saying that he found the window cleaner, his workmate who also gave evidence, and the police officer all to be credible witnesses.

Describing the event as ‘an unfortunate matter’ the sheriff told her: ‘You are clearly a person of good character and have never come before the court before, and this is something you never intended to happen.’ The sheriff said the dog must be kept under control at all times in public, including the common close where she lived, and ordered that St Helene paid £200 compensation to the man.