Dog control order for man on remand over Shropshire attack
A remand prisoner whose bullmastiff attacked another pet and its owner has been ordered to keep the animal under control in public – despite being unlikely to walk the dog for the next three years because he is due to be sentenced for burglary.
Magistrates were told the sentence was the only option open to them after Edmund Bradley's pet bullmastiff broke loose from his home in Cleobury Mortimer and attacked another dog and its owner.
At the time of the May 29 attack, Bradley was living at home. But since then he has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced for his third house burglary.
Under the three strikes rule he stands to receive a minimum three-year prison term.
Telford magistrates said this fact restricted their options when Bradley appeared before them yesterday via video link for sentence.
He was convicted last month of one charge of not keeping a dog under proper control.
Pensioner Carole Evans was thrown to the ground as she tried to protect her King Charles spaniel Alfie, who was left with puncture wounds and bloodshot eyes.
Bradley, 38, said he was very sorry for what had happened and told magistrates he had offered to pay the victim's vets bills.
Miss Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said Mrs Evans had first noticed the bullmastiff when it was being looked after by a young girl who said she did not know who owned it. Moments later the dog broke loose, knocked her to the ground and clamped its jaws around the neck of her spaniel, said Miss Lovegrove. Alfie managed to escape into a hedge and members of the public eventually restrained the other dog.
The court was told that the owner of the bullmastiff, which was called Becky, had been spoken to by police who said the dog had escaped through a hole in the fence in their front garden.
Bradley, now of Bayton, near Kidderminster, was not represented.
Magistrates made an order that Bradley would have to walk the dog with a lead and muzzle when it appeared in public or it could be put down.
They said no costs and compensation were due as Bradley was already in custody. Bradley told the court the dog is currently living with his partner. She is not subject to the order.
Bradley said the couple were very sorry about what had happened, but the victim had insisted on telling the police and had appeared in newspaper and radio reports.
"She was understandably quite upset about it but I think maybe that was a bit excessive," he said.
