Dog owner avoids jail after animal's second attack on police

A man whose dog attacked a police officer for a second time has avoided custody.
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Joiner Reece Connoer Anderson also admitted driving offences and breaches of a non-molestation order put in place to keep him away from a former partner.

The 23-year-old appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Friday where prosecutor Jemima Stephenson said police had been called to Castleford in the early hours of March 13 last year to a disturbance, and found Anderson stood outside a house with his Akita crossbreed dog, Bruno.

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When he saw the police he began walking away, despite being told to stop. When the female officer got close, the dog lunged at her, sinking his teeth into her forearm.

Leeds Crown Court.Leeds Crown Court.
Leeds Crown Court.

She later needed to attend hospital and receive a tetanus shot.

During interview, Anderson denied that the dog had caused the injury and said he had warned the officer not to approach him.

The court was told that the dog had previously attacked an officer in December 2020. On that occasion the police were forced to use pepper spray to quell the animal. Anderson's partner at the time had been looking after the dog and she received a caution.

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Admitting having a dog dangerously out of control for the latest incident, Anderson also admitted dangerous driving, driving while banned and without insurance from a separate incident on April 5 last year.

The court was told he had been driving a VW Passat when police noticed his car collide with street furniture as he tried to leave a parking bay at a retail park.

He took them on a chase, reaching speed of 80mph in 30mph areas, before eventually relenting.

He was previously banned for drink driving in August last year.

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Finally, Anderson admitted three breaches of a non-molestation order that he was slapped with in May this year from his ex partner because of his verbal abuse.

This included posting messages on Facebook about her.

Anderson, of Windross Close, Normanton, has previous convictions including threatening behaviour, racially-aggravated public order and breaches of community orders.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said Anderson was working as a hard-working joiner, and has guardianship of his teenage brother.

He said that he entered guilty pleas at an early stage and added: "He is under no illusion that it crosses the custodial threshold and knows if there's any further offences he will be back before this court and serve his first custodial sentence."

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In addition, a pre-sentence report from the probation service suggested there had been improvements to his behaviour recently.

The judge, Recorder Marco Giuliani jailed him for 12 months, but suspended it for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work and a restraining order put in place.

He was also ordered to give up the dog, after a new home was found.