Woman egged on dog to bite police

A Stirling woman egged on her dog to attack police officers as they were trying to carry out her arrest.

Joanne Donnachie had encouraged the animal to ‘get them’ after two officers appeared at her Tannery Lane home early on the morning of September 1, 2020 in relation to another matter.

The 40-year-old had pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting two police officers during the execution of their duty.

She had kicked both officers on the body – instructing her dog to bite one of the officers on the body to his injury.

Fiscal depute Fiona Griffin told

Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday that police arrived at Donnachie’s adddress at 2.40am on Tuesday September 1, 2020, where she was arrested in relation to a separate charge.

Officers took a hold of her wrist, but she resisted arrest and broke free from their grasp after flailing her arms and pulling away.

She threw herself backwards onto a sofa and when an officer approached her she violently kicked out, striking both officers to the left leg.

No injuries resulted. However, during the struggle she became aggressive and made efforts to encourage an irate dog to attack, shouting ‘get them’ and other words of encouragement.

Ms Griffin said that the dog had been so worked up that it bit one of the officers.

As a result the officer had a graze to his leg of approximately 2mm in diameter.

He attended Forth Valley Royal Hospital, but did not require direct treatment, the fiscal depute added.

The officer however did receive a tetanus injection.

During the narration given to the court Donnachie interrupted with comments that included ‘never happened’ and ‘[the dog] was protecting its owner.’

Donnachie’s agent Frazer McCready told the court that his client had ongoing mental health difficulties.

The solicitor told Sheriff Keith O’Mahony that the accused was also concerned about being tagged, having told him it would be ‘a real brass neck’.

Mr McCready suggested imposing a Community Payback Order with supervision. However, Sheriff O’Mahony pointed out : “It’s a serious matter set against the background of previous convictions for violence.”

After speaking to his client, the lawyer asked that the matter be deferred in order that Donnachie seeks psychiatric help.

Sheriff O’Mahony further deferred sentence until May 18 to allow Donnachie to attend for medical treatment as requested.