Police seize two dogs after two men were bitten after the pets escaped through a broken fence

Keira Morris, aged 39, admitted two offences of being the owner in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury in Telford on August 23.

The victims Philip Tranter and Gary Pearson were both taken to hospital after being attacked when they went to investigate the sounds of children crying and dogs barking, in Worcester Road, Dawley. Both were taken to hospital for treatment following the incident.

Mr Nick Hughes, prosecuting told Telford Magistrates Court yesterday (MON), that a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross called Sadie and and a cocker spaniel cross called Riley got out of the garden of the premises while Morris was on holiday.

"The injured party Mr Tranter was at home when he heard children crying in the street. He looked out the window and could see two dogs barking at the toddler children. The dogs walked down the street and passed his house. He went outside as he was concerned for the children's safety.

"The Staffie cross was snarling and barking. He shouted 'stop' for it to go back. The dogs jumped through a hole in the fence where one of the panels had become loose. They then returned and he thought he should move the panel back into place. As he was doing this he was bitten on his left hand. He pulled his hand back and saw that his hand was bleeding.

"He takes aspirin due to a medical condition and saw there were puncture marks underneath one his finger and his palm. He called an ambulance and was taken to hospital, but the staff were unable to stitch his wounds together as they were ragged."

Mr Hughes said that Gary Pearson was attacked in the street after he also went to investigate the commotion, he was bitten on the leg by one of the dogs and was left with a gaping wound the size of a two pence coin. Both men were given dressings and tetanus jabs as a result.

Morris told the magistrates that the property had a six-foot high fence and that it had been vandalised by someone and as a result the animals that were being looked after by a professional dog walker got out .

She said Sadie, a rehomed pet, had previously been in a confrontation with a cyclist when the family lived in a rural area, but a police officer investigating the incident said she was not aggressive and thought that Riley was 'excitable'.

The magistrates adjourned sentencing for reports about the dogs behaviour until November 27.

Mr David Bratt, mitigating, said the incident was caused by others who had been teasing the dogs and not his client.