A dog owner allowed his pets to bite two 10-year-old boys who were playing football at a school playground in Cowdenbeath.
Nigel King’s Bull Mastiff bit one of the children three times on the back of his leg and his other dog, a Cane Corso, bit the other child on the body.
Six months later, King’s Bull Mastiff jumped out of a window at his home in the town’s Inchkeith Drive and tried to attack a dog in the street.
Its female owner lay down on top of her pet to protect it.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard on this occasion, the dog also bit the jacket hood of a 13-year-old boy who was with the woman.
King, 39, pled guilty at an earlier hearing to all three charges of having dogs which were dangerously out of control.
He appeared in the dock this week but sentencing was further deferred for the Crown to obtain a Scottish SPCA report to enable a sheriff to assess whether the dogs should be destroyed.
Playground attack
Procurator fiscal depute Catherine Stevenson told the court King allowed his two dogs off their leads when they entered a school playground in Cowdenbeath in August last year – outside school time – as a group of children were playing football.
The dogs got hold of a jumper on the ground and put up a fight when King tried to take it from them.
One of the children was holding a ball above his head and the dogs came over and started jumping up and King told the boy to stand still.
The fiscal depute said: “The Mastiff bit (the boy) three times on the rear of his right leg above the knee, causing bruising and a slight break in the skin.
“The Cane Corso then ran over to (the other boy) as he was trying to run away and bit bit him on the left leg, causing slight bruising but not breaking the skin.”
The incident was reported and one of the boys went to Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital to have his injuries assessed but no tetanus jab was required.
After being charged, King apologised for what happened and said the dog was new and it was its first time off the lead.
Dog escaped
The fiscal depute said in February this year, King’s unattended Mastiff tried to attack another dog.
Ms Stevenson said the dog began “throwing itself into her with force” which caused injury to the woman’s hand.
The fiscal added: “The dog then began jumping up on (a boy) with the dog jumping up on his back and attempting to grab his hood.”
A witness got out of his works vehicle and ran over to get the the dog away.
King then appeared from behind some nearby flats and grabbed hold of the dog and apologised.
After being charged, King said: “I was cleaning the house and the dog jumped out of the window and I went after and got it as soon as I could.
“I’m sorry for what happened.”
Destruction order probe
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said King had not expected the dogs to cause injury to anyone and the injuries were relatively minor.
Mr Flett said his client no longer has the dogs.
Sheriff James MacDonald said it would be helpful for the Crown to obtain a report from the Scottish SPCA to establish how the animals have behaved since being kennelled there.
The sheriff said the question of dog destruction is not automatic, adding: “I need to consider whether I can grant a conditional order or refrain.”
Sentencing was adjourned until July 21.
