Sheriff orders dog to be destroyed for attacking pensioner

dunfermline: Court told kennel staff have to handle animal ‘like a lion’

A Dunfermline pensioner was bitten and badly injured outside her home by a neighbour’s dog so dangerous it has to be “handled like a lion” by experts.

James Thomson’s “complete ignorance” about how to look after dogs led to it being dangerously out of control, a sheriff said.

Thomson admitted he would not take the dog out into the street or a park in case it attacked somebody. He only walked it around his garden and the communal area around his home.

The court heard the German shepherd, Rocco, had previously bitten a Scottish SPCA inspector and, since being taken into kennels, has been highly aggressive and bitten staff on several occasions. It will now be destroyed because of the danger it poses.

Thomson, 52, of Bleachfield Court, was found guilty of being the dog’s owner when, on September 29 outside his home, it was dangerously out of control and bit Mary Grainger, 77.

Mrs Grainger had to be taken to hospital for treatment to bite wounds and the court was shown photographs of the puncture marks and bruising.

She told the court she was putting rubbish in her bin when the dog attacked her. She said after she was bitten, Thomson had come to her door and said: “You’re not going to have my dog put down because of a scratch.”

The witness went on: “The blood was running down my leg. I said, ‘That’s not a scratch’. I took my husband’s arm and shut the door.”

Thomson accused Mrs Grainger of making up the story and said his dog had only jumped up on her and claimed the injury photos were fakes.

He said that on the day of the incident he had Rocco on an extension lead in the back garden. “I was pulled over and the lead snapped. The dog was jumping about, happy and excited. I didn’t see him bite her.”

Thomson – who will be sentenced on June 21 – also claimed the SSPCA officer had not been bitten.

Depute fiscal Alex Piper moved for a destruction order for the dog and read a report from a member of staff at the kennels where the dog is currently housed.

It stated employees have been attacked several times and the dog has to be moved about using poles. “She says he has to be handled like a lion,” said Ms Piper. “She says she would never release this dog back into the public again.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry said: “This is because of Mr Thomson’s complete ignorance. There is no hope for this dog now.”

This is because of Mr Thomson’s complete ignorance. There is no hope for this dog now. SHERIFF CRAIG MCSHERRY