A XL Bully-type dog could be put on death row after it mauled a woman in her Perthshire home and left her scarred for life.
Elaine Hughes was in “absolute agony” when the out-of-control animal named Patch suddenly sprang at her and sank its teeth into her right foot and dragged her across the floor.
The dog pulled her with enough force to yank her off of her couch, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
Iain Martin, who had been looking after the dog for a friend while he was in prison, admitted being in charge of Patch when it attacked Ms Hughes to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement at her home in Scone in March 2023.
Martin, 38, now faces being banned from keeping pets, while the court also considers a destruction order for Patch.
Sudden attack
Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie said Martin and Ms Hughes had known each other and were good friends.
“At the time, Mr Martin was looking after a dog called Patch, who was about one or two years old,” he said.
“He was described as an American Bulldog but other witnesses have said he is an XL Bully or an American Pitbull.”
Martin walked Patch to Ms Hughes’ home in Catmoor Court at about 10pm on March 4 2023.
“Patch was initially fine and well behaved inside the house,” said Mr McKenzie.
“But after around 30 minutes, he walked over to Ms Hughes and bit her on her right foot.
“Mr Martin began shouting at Patch to let go but this only made the dog bite down harder.”
The prosecutor said: “Patch began pulling at Ms Hughes’ foot with enough force to pull her from the sofa.
“He then started dragging her towards the kitchen, a few metres away.
“The foot was still firmly in Patch’s mouth and Ms Hughes was in – as she described it – ‘absolute agony’.”
Eventually, Patch released pressure and Ms Hughes was able to get her foot out of her slipper.
“The dog took the slipper away in his mouth,” said Mr McKenzie.
“After this incident, Mr Martin put Patch in the kitchen and gave Ms Hughes a lift to Perth Royal Infirmary.”
The court heard she suffered significant swelling, bruising and two 0.5cm puncture wounds on top of her foot.
She was given a tetanus shot and sent away with antibiotics and painkillers.
“There is noticeable scarring on Ms Hughes’ right foot and she still suffers from occasional pain and loss of sensation around this area,” said Mr McKenzie.
“Ms Hughes is self-conscious about exposing the scarring while wearing certain kinds of footwear.”
Dog kept in kennels
At the time of the incident, Martin was unemployed but occasionally worked at his father’s century-old fruit and vegetable shop – Martin’s Fruit Bazaar – until it closed down in June 2023.
The court heard Martin had a previous conviction for causing death by dangerous driving, following a crash on the A93 Blairgowrie-Perth road in December 2003 in which his then-girlfriend died.
Mr McKenzie explained that since March 11 2023, Patch has been kept in kennels.
The cost of keeping him, shared between Police Scotland and the Crown Office, is believed to run into the tens of thousands of pounds.
Sheriff Alison McKay deferred sentence until the new year for background reports.
She said she will consider a destruction order for Patch but stressed the dog’s owner should be first allowed to give representations to the court.
Mr McKenzie said a dog control officer for Perth and Kinross Council had told prosecutors “he was supportive of the dog being destroyed”.
Because Patch has been classed as “dangerous” he cannot be rehomed.
Martin, of Myrtle Road, Scone, could also be hit with a court order, banning him from keeping dogs.
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